You want to get to a kid? Want him to keep a secret?

Threaten the family pet.

The issue of threatening, hurting or killing family pets has emerged as a critical component in the domestic violence puzzle, say experts on the topic. A Utah State University professor's research about the connection between cruelty toward animals and domestic violence has heightened awareness about the issue.

"Often the animal abuse is purposefully done in front of the kids," said Frank Ascione, a USU psychology professor. "And it is most often done to frighten or intimidate family members."

Ascione has conducted extensive research on the link between mistreating animals and mistreating women. One of his studies showed 71 percent of women in a Utah shelter for battered women said their partner had threatened or hurt the woman's pet.

Interviews with 700 women in shelters revealed that family pets had been hurt or killed in more than half the households.

"It is quite startling," Ascione said, especially considering the fact that 70 to 80 percent of Americans have a pet of some kind.

Other studies asked women living in six domestic violence shelters if their children had been exposed to animal abuse. Between 30 percent and 75 percent of children said yes.

In one case, a man bludgeoned a kitten with a hammer in front of his wife and 4-year-old daughter, he said.

This research — some of the first of its kind in the nation — has spawned efforts to bring pets under the umbrella of family victims in domestic violence cases.

In Utah, officials have made several attempts to consider pets in the larger scope of domestic violence. They've been successful in some efforts and failed in others.

Some shelters, for example, are reconsidering allowing pets to come with families.

Ascione's research was cited by Maine Rep. John Piotti, a Democrat who sponsored a Maine bill expanding the scope of protective orders to include pets.

This winter, Rep. Scott Wyatt, R-Logan, had support of the Utah Domestic Violence Council when he submitted HB342 to the Utah Legislature. The bill would have allowed judges to include household pets in protective orders.

He said the change in law will help women who might be reluctant to leave abusive relationships because of what might happen to their pets.

The bill unanimously passed the House Judiciary Committee and eventually made it out of the House but was killed by the Senate.

Sen. Jon Greiner, R-Ogden, was a vocal opponent. Greiner, who is also Ogden's police chief, said the bill would burden law enforcement agencies. During its Senate committee public hearing, he also questioned whether the move would really help protect domestic abuse victims.

Ascione said this kind of thinking is a mistake. Children go through trauma enough when their victim parent leaves an abusive relationship.

"These kids are separated from where they live," he said. "The last insult to them is that you can't take your pet with you."

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