Animal cruelty statutes have been in the books for centuries now. And while society has become progressively more supportive of animal rights, some attorneys say the issue is more far-reaching than many people realize.

And so the Animal Law Section of the Connecticut Bar Association has teamed up with the University of Connecticut School of Law to educate a wide range of officials on cruelty issues and the link between animal cruelty and human violence. These topics will be discussed at a seminar scheduled for Friday, May 3 on the law school’s Hartford campus.