Similarities Between Animal & Human Abuse
There are many similarities between animal abuse and human abuse or domestic violence, weaving the two issues into a braid of consequences.

• Power and control; preying on those more vulnerable - Both animals and humans are victimized as batterers struggle to gain power and control over those more vulnerable than themselves.
   
• Risk of physical and psychological injury - Both animals and humans suffer extreme physical and psychological abuse at the hands of batterers.
   
• Unexplained bruises, welts, cuts, marks - Both animal and human victims will exhibit physical signs of abuse that the batterer will neglect or refuse to explain.
   
• Behavior changes such as regression, relapses in training - Both animals and children can exhibit behavior changes. Children may regress or revert to an earlier stage of childhood, exhibiting behaviors they have currently outgrown. Animals can experience much the same changes and revert to defecating in the house.
   
• Failure to thrive, withdrawing, passive - Both animals and humans can fail to thrive or remain small, shy, and sickly.
   
• Hostile to others, untrusting - Both animals and humans can become aggressive towards others as a defensive response to abuse.
   
• Desperate to please anyone showing kindness - Both animals and humans can display this type of behavior in their search for love and affection.
   
• May still show love for abuser - Surprisingly, both animals and humans may be determined to please those who abuse them and will continue to demonstrate love and affection for them. Children often claim to love the very parents who have severely abused them and pets will often remain loyal to an owner that has mistreated them.
   
• Running away - On the other side of the coin, both animals and humans may run from their abuser and are often found in a physically and emotionally battered state requiring assistance.