According to some studies, you can learn a lot about your date, including whether they're likely to engage in abusive behavior, by watching how they treat their pets. A 2007 study in the Journal of Interpersonal Violence found that those who abused pets were more violent and more controlling. In fact, it seems that abuse of animals often overlaps with a tendency toward domestic violence and abuse of children. There's also evidence that violence toward animals might serve as a sign, in children and adults, that the person is more likely to be violent with humans as well.
