The need for cooperation between child protection workers and animal welfare workers is shown by the fact that 50 percent of all pet owners are parents of children. This means that when animal protection workers are investigating cruelty to animals, there are likely to be juveniles in the household. By working in concert with animal protection professionals, the protection of children can be increased in several ways. The animal protection workers may be the first or the only individuals to have access to an abusive family environment. If child abuse or neglect is occurring, the presence of an animal welfare worker may be useful not only for observation and intervention but for later legal testimony if children must be removed and placed in protective custody. Cross-training also enables each field to contribute to the growing data on the correlation between animal-directed violence and human cruelty. Finding creative solutions to the obstacles that prevent the collection of valuable information must be the first priority in any collaboration. Finally, there is a cost/benefit advantage to involving professionals in both the child protection and animal protection fields. Earlier and shared intervention will bring a greater likelihood of success in the prevention of family violence. Such early intervention can lessen the necessity for costly treatment later. 8 references