Can animals get traumatised or scarred for life?

Question

Can animals get traumatised or scarred for life?

Answer 1

just go down to the rspca dog pound and see for yourself most of these pets are from neglected homes. and also circus animals can turn on their trainers for the way they are treated.

Answer 2

In 1977 my town had a horrible electric storm and then flooded.  Although we were lived in the mountains and did not get the water, my home was hit by lightning three times that nite.  The dog was never quite the same after that and would get really agitated whenever we had a lightning storm.

Answer 3

yes they can! omg my dog maddy was in a shelter as a puppy and before they rescues him, his old owners kept spraying him with a hose and holding his head under the water and he was just like 7 weeks old! and now he freaks out whenever anyone in my family goes near the bathtub. he freakes out when my mom washes the dishes and whenever my dad waters the garden. he is also really skittish. he is definetly scarred and traumatized!!!

Answer 4

I've heard about baby elephants having their mothers killed right in front of them ( so sad!!!) and then being taken off to work at a circus. They were not responsive to any training and they were more violent than other elephants.

Answer 5

Yes, like humans can.

Answer 6

Absolutely.  I had a cat that was pretty beat up one night.  Once she recovered she never left the house again.

Answer 7

yes

Answer 8

yes

for example, animals at the pound.

i no a wiener dog who doesn't like men and tries to attack them b/c his previous owner wuz a guy and the owner kicked him around.

Answer 9

yeah they can. however, i don't recommend experimenting with it.

Answer 10

yes. they can. in more ways than one

my fiances grandpa had a doberman that was a trained war dog. if you lit a firecracker and threw it he would put it out.

if it came a storm and his papa wasnt there he would freak out.

i guess he didtn like the lightning since he was trianed to put the big bangs out.

Answer 11

Of course they can, I'd adopted a stray (don't really like calling him that ) who 'd come to my apartment 6 stories up every single day. He had learnt to ride the elevator and had become  pals with the neighbours too. Once I went off on a short vacation, like 5 days, I knew he would'nt starve, everybody fed him. When I got back, he was skinny and his bones stuck out,I was shocked. Then my neighbours told me they fed him everyday but he refused to eat, just pined away all day. He was traumatised by his ''owner's'' absence and was fine in a couple of days after we returned home.

Answer 12

Yes, definately - Have you ever seen the ads for the dog shelters where the poor creature is shaking and you can see by his eyes that he/she is so scared and sad.  You have to treat them the same as us Humans.  They have feelings too.

Answer 13

Definitely!

Answer 14

yes, if an animal has been abused, it can become timid or possibly more aggressive.

Answer 15

Yeah, god created them; they are living and they have feelings

Answer 16

yes if something really bad happens it may

my dog got hit by a car and now he is really weird

and sits in a corner alot and never ever goes by the street

or even outside. so yeah if something bad enough

happens it may tramatise a animal. except maybe a bird

they aren't very smart anyway :)

Answer 17

Yes. We have a chihuahua who was abused. My son named him Timmy because he was so "timid". He was still afraid someone would hurt him. I have other dogs...they're all afraid of firecrackers ...guess they sound like guns. Don't know why all dogs seem to be afraid of guns. Maybe it's just the loud noise they make . I've got 2 that hide under my little table when the kids  do firecrackers.Kinda like people with PTSD , I think...esp dogs that have been abused...just like people who have been abused.

Answer 18

I gaurentee it. I have two iguanas, a male and female. About 6 months ago, the female decided to try and eat the male's arm. We had to go and have it amputated, than after give him shots to keep infection out. Apparently getting pricked with needles didn bother him, but whatever was in them sure did. Now, noone can touch him where he held him to give him the shots. If that doesnt prove they can get traumatised, I dont know what would.

Answer 19

Yes.  And it has nothing to do with 'parapsychology'.  Go to ANY animal shelter, and they can tell you about how emotional damage affects an animal's behavior.

Answer 20

yes they can.. 3 of my dogs were traumatised by local kids when they were young.. until now.. whenever they see kids their fur puffs and they hide behind me or in a corner.

Answer 21

absolutley. they are animals with feelings. they feel just like humans do. example: if you mistreat a dog long enough it will remember that its entire life............