State Officials, Kid Governor Discuss Steps To Stop Abuse

By Ciara Hooks, The Bristol Press

May 10, 2022

Officials from across the state were in Newington to discuss the correlation between animal cruelty, child maltreatment and other forms of interpersonal violence.

According to Connecticut Department of Children and Families and Connecticut Department of Agriculture, animals were harmed in 88% of homes where a child was physically abused. Also, 75% of female survivors of domestic violence report their pets were threatened or intentionally harmed by their partner. Children exposed to domestic violence are three times more likely to be cruel to animals. And 45% of caseworkers working with the elderly encountered animal abuse or neglect co-occurring with elder abuse.

“Cruelty to animals is a heinous crime and often a serious warning sign of additional abuse – potentially involving children and domestic partners,” Attorney General William Tong said. “Working closely with the Department of Children and Families, the Department of Agriculture, and our community partners, the Office of the Attorney General is prepared to use the full weight of our authority to protect Connecticut families and animals from all forms of cruelty, abuse and neglect.”

Officials also stressed the important of cross-reporting, which is a law in Connecticut that requires Department of Children and Families (DCF) staff and the Department of Agriculture (DOAG) to work together to “cross report” animal cruelty and child abuse and neglect. The law has been in place since 2011.

“The connection between animal cruelty and child abuse has been well-documented and serves as a reminder of the importance of our cross-reporting requirements between Department of Children and Families and Department of Agriculture on a regular, if not daily, basis,” said Bryan P. Hurlburt, Agriculture commissioner. “So it just makes sense to work together.”

Sen. Richard Blumenthal led the effort in the United States Congress to pass the PACT act (Prevention of Animal Cruelty and Torture).

“It passed overwhelmingly in Congress and it was bipartisan – that shows you where America is on these issues,” Blumenthal said. “America is going to stand up for protecting animals and for great organizations like the Humane Society. Children are the same, they depend on us and that’s why both need help. There is no place in a civilized society for abuse and violence of any kind. The barbaric individuals who abuse people and animals must be held accountable for their callous cruelty and inhumanity.”

Also part of the event was Makhi Ettienne-Modeste, 2022 Connecticut’s Kid Governor who has made protecting pets a priority during his term.

“My kid governor platform is protecting our pets,” Ettienne-Modeste said. “It is about stopping animal abuse and showing kindness toward companion animals. I chose this platform because I love animals, especially my dogs. I know that animal abuse happens every day and it is frustrating that it doesn’t stop. I never want to see a pet or companion animal hurt. So when my teacher asked me if I wanted to run for kid governor and make a difference I immediately said yes.”

Ettienne-Modeste said he has three points to his platform, one of which is to educate fifth graders about the signs of animal abuse and the importance of showing kindness to companion animals and has partnered with the Connecticut Humane Society in Newington to help accomplish that. The second was to create a statewide poster contest so fifth graders can draw attention to the importance of showing kindness to pets. (The winner was Danielle Chrostowski from Stamford. She attends Greenwich Catholic School.) And the final point is to donate to shelters and humane societies that help animals that have been abused.

“How appropriate that this month is also the 141st anniversary of the Humane Society, and what’s really interesting with that is the formation of our organization was by a high school student from Hartford High School, and so 141 years later we have a very successful kid governor program,” said James Bias, executive director of the Connecticut Humane Society. “We are grateful to Kid Governor Makhi (Ettienne-Modeste) for bringing awareness to the issue of animal cruelty and its connection to other forms of cruelty, and for showing how anyone at any age can change the life of an animal for the better.”

The Connecticut Kid Governor program is the CT Democracy Center’s civics program for fifth graders, which empowers them to change the world.

“We teach about state government, voting and civic participation by having a real life election for our kid governor,” said Brian Coffrancesco, head of Kid Governor at the CT Democracy Center. “So every fifth grader works with their classmates to research issues, create action plans and, like real candidates, they record campaign videos and seven will advance to statewide election.”

Ettienne-Modeste received 8,400 votes to win the election.

“They elected him on his platform of protecting our pets,” Coffrancesco said. “A fifth grader at John F Kennedy School in Windsor he as two dogs, Blue and Paco, who helped inspire his platform.”

Members of the public can report animal cruelty directly to the local Animal Control Department in the town where the concerns have been noted or by calling 860-713-2506, as well as via e-mail at agr.animalcontrol@ct.gov. Those wishing to make a report can remain anonymous.

A reasonable suspicion of child maltreatment can be made to the Child Abuse and Neglect Careline by dialing 1-800-842-2288. The Careline is open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Callers to the Careline can remain anonymous.