The tale begins in childhood with bugs or small animals, and then it can progress into a seething, unseen rage that leads to psychopathy.

We know the names very well because the media was obsessed with the details of their crimes and the trials that followed once they were caught. Who were they? Of course, they were Jeffrey Dahmer, Ted Bundy, John Wayne Gacy, and Dennis Rader (the BTK killer).

Ironic, that people knew Rader to be very strict about following the rules. He checked people’s grass for height and chased stray animals with a tranquilizer gun. Reports say Rader enjoyed using his little power over his neighbors and other people in the neighborhood. He also led a Boy Scout troop and was the head of the church board. These killers appeared to be regular people, but each of them was dangerous, leaving us curious about their development.

Aside from serial killers, we need to look at the incipient psychopaths that may come across our paths in life, many of them holding regular, everyday jobs. When they have free time, their true nature emerges, revealing their cruel intentions and the need for control. As they continue to act cruelly, they feel more empowered and superior, even though their victims are defenseless. Where is the power and superiority of killing small animals, torturing them, or hunting them in enclosures where they can’t escape?

Studies reveal that individuals with psychopathy become more destructive as they reach adulthood. It often begins in the woods or some secluded spot where they are hidden from detection.

I once listened as a colleague related two tales of infamy: one about a patient and another about a relative. The patient had the beginning hallmarks of someone to be carefully monitored. As I listened, I was told that, as a young boy, this still-young man would go deep into the woods, where he would trap squirrels, cats, or anything small that he could find.

After killing them, he would place them on rocks so that he could return within a few weeks to view the trophies he had accumulated. Serial killers keep trophies, don't they? Killing small animals is a common indicator of seriously impaired personality types, according to experts.

They have confidence in avoiding detection and genuinely enjoy their actions. They also seek control because they feel insecure and powerless in other aspects of their lives. It's much the same with rapists, whose aim is not the sexual act but the fear that the victim displays and the power they have over them.

Here, the young man had power over helpless, small animals. I'll skip over the details of the relative and just say that he is serving two life sentences for two separate murders and planting one body on a golf course.

Sociopaths and psychopaths share certain traits, such as the MacDonald Triad. Many people also call it the “homicidal triad” or “triad of sociopathy.” The Macdonald triad is a group of three things that, when present in any two of them, indicate violent behavior, especially repeat crimes.

The Triad entails mistreating animals, setting fires, being violent (especially towards others), and engaging in sexual predation. Like setting fires, hurting animals is a common way to get rid of anger and rage. A great deal of shame was also felt by kids who were mean to animals as kids.

Suppose someone in an elective office was guilty of animal cruelty. What type of person do you suppose you would consider them? Regrettably, there is such a person, and she has revealed in detail how she killed them.

A recent magazine article will be enough to read about this person's transgressions toward animals. The woman killed a hunting dog named Cricket and a pet goat. She later told the writer she had killed three horses not long ago. Of course, we cannot know more about her personality, but we can still be shocked by her actions.

One thing children need to be helped to learn and value is empathy, and it can begin with animal ownership. I've written about this in the past, and I strongly recommend that you reread it.

We all want happy, healthy, and loving children to grow into similar adults. Having a pet, regardless of its size, teaches responsibility, caring, and compassion, shaping a confident adult who respects people and animals.