LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- With violence in Louisville reaching record levels, city leaders are thinking outside the box by exploring the link between cruelty to animals and the city's ongoing violence.
Ozzy Gibson, Director of Louisville Metro Animal Services (LMAS) and a 26-year veteran for Louisville Metro Police said this year there's been around 1,500 to 1,800 runs where there's been an allegation possibly of animal abuse.
Gibson said the city's research shows that people who abuse animals rarely stop there.
"There are issues that rise from starting out mistreating pets to the point of killing them and escalating that to a human," said Gibson.
The two problems affecting children, elders and even couples, can be interconnected, something Metro Council is hoping to get a handle on.
At the end of April, Kaitlyn Higgins, 28, was arrested and charged with attempting to cut her 10-year-old son's tongue out before shooting him to death and putting him in the trunk of her car in the Taylor Berry neighborhood.
Metro Councilmember Paula McCraney said, "Records show Metro Animal Services cited the boy's mother for animal neglect in the past."
Gibson says awareness of this link and a collaborative approach between his current office and his previous employer could help reduce such crimes.
"What you're adding now is another set of runs with people who are animal control officers who are going into somebody's home and there'll be an alleged abuse of an animal,” said Gibson. "That's not a run LMPD would normally make."
A protective ordinance passed Thursday night requiring Louisville Metro Animal Services to take a training through LMPD, which Gibson and his team are prepared for.
"When we make that run, we're going to be looking out at any contributing factors that are tied to that ordinance," said Gibson.
Metro Council hopes this adds an extra layer of protection for animals and people, as the department has one year to put this training into action.
"Nationally other states have looked at this," Gibson said. "I'd love to see Louisville leading in this category. LMAS is definitely going to do their part," Gibson said.
In a statement, McCraney said she is excited the ordinance passed so more animals and people in Louisville can be protected.
"This ordinance addresses the undeniable link between the abuse of animals and violence against children or adults in that home," McCraney said. "Several studies have shown that when an animal is being abused, there is a strong likelihood that a person in that home is also being abused or harmed.
"In an effort to prevent something like this case happening again, this ordinance will build another layer of protection for animals and people by educating officers on what to look for and triggering a deeper investigation.”
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