Amanda Becker, Deputy District Attorney, Jefferson County
Amanda Becker
District Attorney's Animal Abuse Division
Amanda Becker, a Deputy District Attorney in Jefferson County, designed the Animal Abuse Division to support and train police officers and animal control workers in their investigations of animal abuse cases. She explained the importance of these cases to the community and the difficulties in prosecuting some of them.
Amanda highlighted the direct link between animal abuse and domestic violence. For instance, in homes with domestic violence, 50% of children reported that the abuser threatened to harm or kill a beloved animal to maintain control over their human victims. Studies have also shown that approximately one-third of battered women have delayed their escape out of fear for their animals. Children who exhibit cruelty towards animals are more than twice as likely to have suffered maltreatment themselves. Moreover, many seniors and disabled adults are vulnerable to abuse at the hands of caregivers, putting the companion animals of elderly persons at risk as well. More than 35% of adult protective services workers report that their clients have talked about their companion animals being threatened, injured, killed, or denied care by a caregiver.
Amanda emphasized that training police officers and animal control workers is a crucial part of their investigations to charge offenders for animal abuse. Since animals cannot explain what happened, it is important for investigating officers to collect enough evidence to convince a jury beyond all doubt that the animal was being abused.