Publication details
The Animal Owner-Perpetrator: A Typology of Animal Cruelty Based on Court Rulings
| Authors | |
|---|---|
| Year of publication | 2026 |
| Type | Article in Periodical |
| Magazine / Source | Journal of Animal Ethics |
| MU Faculty or unit | |
| Citation | |
| Description | This article examines a specific group of animal cruelty offenders: the animals' legal owners. Based on an empirical analysis of Czech district court rulings from 2015–2024, the author identifies a typology of these offenders (ranging from active aggressors to passive 'hoarders') and quantifies their prevalence in criminal activity (46%). The analysis reveals that although owners constitute nearly half of all perpetrators, the imposed sentences are frequently disproportionately lenient. Consequently, the article argues that current decision-making practice fails to adequately reflect the social danger inherent in the abuse of ownership rights over an animal. |