Animal Abuse Summary

The mistreatment of animals is a serious problem within our society for a variety of reasons. While current laws and conditions are improving, there is still a

Animal Cruelty is a problem that many ignore. People are oblivious to these animals and the negligence their owners show. Animal cruelty is an underlying problem in today’s society, and the only way to counteract these problems, is for this generation to do something about it.

Have you ever seen the ASPCA commercials where they show pictures of abused and neglected animals while the Sarah McLachlan song “In the Arms of an Angel” plays in the background? It is heart wrenching to watch and I always want to help those poor, defenseless animals. I took this opportunity to volunteer at the Town and Country Animal Shelter; a non-profit, no-kill shelter run entirely by volunteers serving eastern Nebraska and beyond. They are dedicated to providing a safe and caring living facility for pets in need until a loving home can be found, as well as helpful information for those wishing to rehome or adopt an animal. I chose this organization because they are a no kill shelter and they take in animals of all different sorts.

1. ATTENTION GETTER: Millions of animals are abused each year. Over a million of these animals are abused or killed just due to the involvement with domestic violence. Despite animal cruelty being a felony which can result in jail time for over 15 years and 500,000 dollars in fines, it is still an issue which occurs on a daily basis across the United States. It is important for these animals to not go unnoticed, which can be achieved if society became more enlightened and educated on the topic of animal cruelty. (Pacelle, 2011).

I’ve created a campaign for the North Shore Animal League and it will be based on animal rights. The goal I want my message to achieve is how it’s not acceptable for animals to be abused and abandoned. I’ve chosen animal rights as my issue because upon growing up in Brooklyn I’ve encountered many dogs who were abused by their owners and were able to get away with it which really upset me. A propaganda campaign is needed to raise public awareness for the animals that are abused and homeless in hopes of people having a heart and adopting them.

Everyday, every second that passes by, animals across the globe are mistreated in their so-called “home”. Stop animal abuse! Abusers of animal are five times as likely to harm humans. Nearly half of the time victims who stay in violent households do so because they are afraid for their own animals. Countless more never leave the home for their very reason. This issue should be further looked into by identifying states with poorly laws against animal abuse, the wrong doing of taking advantage in the use of human resources, and having absolutely no heart in having a friendly companion.

I am helping out as a volunteer at Philly ACCT (Animal Care and Control Team of Philadelphia) located at 111 W Hunting Park Ave, Philadelphia, PA 19140. Tons of animals are abandoned love during these precious times and I want to be the one to change that. I know what its like to have a family that despise you and try to belittle you. I have a dog myself but I would never dare do that to him. Animals and humans alike both have a heart that yearns for love so why do we abuse each other? At Philly ACCT you can be the change that can put a smile on an animals face once

There are many different things that fall under the category of “cruelty”, neglect and abuse being the two main subcategories. The most common type of animal abuse involves dogs, Pit-bulls in particular. In 2007, of 1800 media-reported cases of animal cruelty, 64% (1,126) involved dogs, 18% (337) involved cats, and 18% (337) involved other animals. Some of the most common places where animal abuse occur are, in no particular order: fur farms, dog fights, laboratories, races (both Greyhound and horse), slaughterhouses, and puppy mills. Some less thought of forms of animal abuse are crush videos, traditional Chinese medicine, the cat/dog meat trade in Asia, the ivory trade, trophy hunting, and even shock collars. Abandonment is the leading form of animal cruelty. (See illustration.)

Increased awareness regarding animal cruelty would benefit society, pet owners, and animals themselves. When a problem is identified, it becomes easier to work out solutions. Animal cruelty is an issue on a global scale; animal torture and neglect does not only exist in the United States. Animal cruelty is the “crime of inflicting physical pain, suffering or death on an animal, usually a tame one, beyond necessity for normal discipline. It can include neglect that is so monstrous (withholding food and water) that the animal has suffered, died or been put in an imminent

“Nearly as many, 68 percent, were concerned or very concerned about the well-being of animals used in ‘sports’ or contests as well as animals in laboratories (67 percent) (Kretzer, 1).” Many people question whether an animal is capable of thought and emotions. Others feel as though animals are the equivalent of humans and should be treated as such. Since the 1800’s, animal rights has been a topic that has several different sides including two extremes. If animals can react to their environment, emote, and are aware of things done to or with them, then they should have similar rights to humans.

Over the centuries, animals have suffered from cruelty from humans. In the United States, animals are beaten, neglected, or forced to struggle for survival. Animals have been inflicted with pain from humans for reasons other than self-defense. They have been slaughtered for their food and fur for personal gain in profit. In a majority of cases they have even been abused for someone’s own personal amusement or out of rage filled impulses. In some cases animals are found and rescued. They are given the second chance in life to experience what life should be like compared to what they once had.

Animals are a big part of many people’s lives. They provide companionship; they provide daily assistance to those that have deficits and are having difficulty functioning in their daily life; they provide security and help keep a watchful eye on things, plus so much more. And yet, with all that animals do for us, there are those that are treated with such little regard, care, and cruelty. They are unable to speak for themselves and therefore, they need a voice to speak for them.

Unfortunately today there are many cases of animal abuse happening around the world. Animal cruelty or animal abuse can be defined as the infliction of suffering or harm upon animals for purposes other than self-defense. There are many different types of abuse such as using animals for research, using animals for entertainment purposes, abandoning animals to shelters, and animal neglect. We need to raise awareness and find a solution to these issues. Animals are suffering and we need to help them.

Each year, the most extreme cases of animal abuse receive media attention. Yet, the animal cruelty problem is more widespread than is reported in the media. Animal abuse and neglect is a nationwide issue, affecting thousands of animals nationwide. Cruelty to animals is defined as the infliction of physical pain, suffering or death on an animal, beyond what is necessary. There is a need to stop abusers from acting in such a horrific manner–preventing the neglect and suffering of the animals. What causes animal abusers to act in such a cruel way towards animals? How are cases of animal abuse being managed, and how should cases be handled? Finally, does the status of animals in society contribute to the rate of their abuse?

For many years now the world has seen controversy over the rights of animals and if they think and feel like humans do. Many people see animals as mindless creatures or as food, while others think they have emotions and can feel pain. In other countries animal protection laws are in place that are strictly enforced and seem to work well with the system. In the United States however; some of the animal rights laws are considered to be useless and under-enforced (Animal Legal & Historical Center). More people today are beginning to see that animals should have rights and should be protected by laws and regulations (Animal Legal & Historical Center). Sadly there are many people residing in the United States who don’t take animal rights or protection laws seriously. These people abuse animals in many ways, including food industries that disobey the regulations set in place for the slaughter of animals used for consumption. Luckily for the animals there are people who fight for their rights and the enforcement of laws called animal rights activists.