I'd tell Dd not too and that it is cruel, etc.
I hate spiders, terrified of them - I Dyson them if they are in my house and Dh isn't around to get rid of them in a more humane manner.
PILs tell DD to stamp on any ants she sees at their house. their home is infested with them yearly and it is a major battle for them. They do have the house treated regularly by some company, but in their place - house and garden ants are stamped on smartish. I discourage DD from doing this when with us though.
Gingerbear - the boys are my school did that with the dragon fly/daddy long leg things too. Their idea was to pull the legs off them, or to grab hold of them and chase the girls with them. Still makes me shudder.
Snails, worms, etc. I wouldn't be best pleased. I'd make sure DD knew I wasn't and why. But no, I wouldn't be horrified.
As for the therapy/counselling type comments - I was assuming you were joking??? I can't imagine many professionals would take it seriously would they? maybe the ones where you are paying for their services might? Or if the child was displaying other related violence and aggression tendancies?
Yes, many murders probably do kill the odd insect in childhood. They probably watched TV, played pretend fighting games, played cowboys or pirates, watched "violent" cartoons, ....lots of other stuff. Shall we ban them all just in case that was the trigger? B
elieve me, of the murderers and violent prisioners I have dealt with, including the two I saw today, killing the odd insect in childhood did NOT figure highly in my mind as the probably cause of their aggression and violent nature!