While crime in Connecticut is trending down, animal cruelty crimes have increased by nearly 36% over the past year, according to the Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection (DESPP).
New data from the DESPP shows that there has been a 36.6% increase in animal cruelty crimes from 2023 to 2024.
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Officials said the animal cruelty crime increase remained consistent throughout 2024.
A veterinarian we spoke with said many cases of animal abuse and neglect can be traced to the pandemic adoption surge.
“We were all so isolated, and I think sometimes some of that adoption didn’t come with the education of what’s involved with caring for our pets in that manner,” Dr. Andrea Dennis of Bloomfield Animal Hospital said.
Another vet said in many cases, people don’t understand how pets behave or how much pet care costs.
“Just like in our day to day lives with inflation, rising cost of living comes the rising cost of veterinary care,” Dr. Jacqueline Pino of Guilford Veterinary Hospital said.
Both urge people to take adoption seriously or to relinquish their pets to shelters or rescues.
The data also shows that serious offenses have gone down 14.1%, including a 44% decline in murder and 17.8% decline in rape.
Crimes against property rates have also gone down, including a 44% decline in fraud, a 19.6% decline in motor vehicle thefts and a 37.5% decline in arson.
But wire fraud reportedly had a 15.2% increase – with most of the crime happening in the first half of 2024.
“The news today is good. Most significantly, we are continuing the long-term trend of a safer state for Connecticut residents,” DESPP Commissioner Ronnell A. Higgins said in a statement.
To see a full breakdown of crime data in 2024, click here.
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