title: Reunification of child and animal welfare agencies: cross-reporting of abuse in Wellington County, Ontario.
abstract: Institutional change has resulted in the separation of organizations for the protection of animals and children. This project reunites two organizations to examine associations between human violence and animal cruelty. For 12 months, Family and Children's Services (FCS) investigators and Humane Society (HS) investigators in Wellington County, Canada, completed checklists to examine connections between forms of violence. FCS workers found some cause for concern in 20% of 1,485 homes with an animal companion. HS workers completed 247 checklists, resulting in 10 referrals to FCS. The first study of its kind, this project details the findings of cross-reporting in Wellington County and offers suggestions for future replication.
authors.affiliation: Montclair State University, Upper Montclair, NJ 07043, USA.
authors.forename: Lisa Anne
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Zilney
authors.forename: Mary
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zilney
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000827:Animal Welfare / Q000458:organization & administration*; D000818:Animals; D002648:Child; D002649:Child Abuse / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D002669:Child Welfare; D017579:Domestic Violence; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009864:Ontario; D010287:Parent-Child Relations; D012947:Social Work