THE IMPORTANCE AND CHALLENGES OF THE MULTIDISCIPLINARY APPROACH IN COMBATING INTERSPECIES VIOLENCE IN LIGHT OF LINK THEORY

The Link Theory, the basis of One Health initiatives, discusses the connection between animal cruelty and domestic violence, which highlights the role of animals as sentinels of deep family disorders. This study contextualizes this theory historically, considering current legislation and its importance in combating interspecies violence. The objective of this work was to disseminate information about the importance of integrated health actions, with an emphasis on the intersection between Veterinary Medicine and Psychology, in addition to pointing out challenges to the multidisciplinary approach and encouraging the dissemination of knowledge. In this context, the need to form multidisciplinary teams, the inclusion of Legal Veterinary Medicine as a mandatory subject in undergraduate courses and the adoption of more effective legal-political and cultural practices were discussed. These practices include increasing sanctions for mistreatment, creating public policies that guarantee humane shelters capable of simultaneously housing women in situations of violence and their pets, improving the legal definition of animal custody in cases of disputes arising from abusive relationships, and strengthening the dissemination of channels for reporting and supporting victims. Such measures are essential for expanding public knowledge and encouraging purposeful discussions on the topic, which favors the dissemination of information to the public that needs it and strengthens actions to combat interspecies violence.