Animal cruelty by children and juveniles: Case studies in veterinary forensic and legal practice

The criminal offense of animal killing and abuse was introduced into the Criminal Code of the Republic of Serbia in 2006, and in 2009, the Animal Welfare Law was adopted. It is alarming that the perpetrators of this criminal offense, who exhibit violent behaviour toward animals, are often very young individuals, i.e., children under the age of 14 and so who cannot be held criminally responsible. Timely recognition and punishment of such behaviour is crucial, as it can help prevent future violence against humans and raise public awareness about the significance and role of animals in our society. According to Serbian law, children under the age of 14 are not criminally responsible, while for minors between the ages of 14 and 18, a special juvenile procedure is conducted, and specific sanctions are imposed. The authors? initial hypothesis is that children and minors relatively often abuse animals, but the social and legal response to such behaviour is inadequate, and indeed, often entirely lacking. The aim of this paper is to highlight the frequency of animal cruelty among juvenile offenders and children and to emphasize the importance of a timely and appropriate response from all relevant sectors of society.