Animal Cruelty
Natalie N, Katie V, Bryce G, Ryan R, Nick A
How it Happens
There's always a reason as to why animals are abused; rarely is there an instance where there's no apparent reason. An owner, for example, could be really depressed or mad with someone or something and take their anger out on whatever is closest to them: the pet. Other owners may just neglect their pet, due to them being preoccupied by other activities and/or people and just don’t have time for them. For example, some people find it inhumane to hold elephants captive in an area half the size of a football field due to their willingness to roam across entire countries. The reason behind this is because they’re so big and are hard to move. This is an example of passive animal cruelty where they don’t mean to abuse the animal, but end up abusing them, in a way.
Not always an accident...
"A dog is the only thing on Earth that loves you more than he loves himself"
Causes of Animal Cruelty
In the early morning of July 24th, 1992, while residents of a northern Bronx, NY, neighborhood slept, 10 animals, part of a summer day camp for children there, were hacked to death. The savage intruder, still unidentified, left bloody lamb, pig, goat and rabbit carcasses scattered about their pens.
A 21-year-old donkey, Pasado, beloved mascot of Kelsey Creek Park in Bellevue, WA, was dragged from his barn, strung up on a hangman’s noose and brutally beaten to death last April. His killers were the 20-year-old son of a police major, a 16-year-old and an 18-year-old.
In October 1991, a 10-year-old boy in Raleigh, NC, put a pencil up an 8-week-old puppy’s rectum. The puppy died as a result,- the youth, identified by witnesses, was convicted in juvenile court and put into a year-long counseling program (Adams, ASPCA).
These are just a few instances of completely brutal cruelty that happens in America specifically. Research shows the root of animal cruelty is in fact child abuse. The children need to release their emotions and usually their pets are their most vulnerable targets. Dr. Randall Lockwood is a psychologist and Vice President of Field Services for the Humane Society of the United States. He says, “Not all abused individuals become abusers, but virtually all animal abusers were abused.” Nine major motivations for people to express cruelty towards animals: to control the animal, to retaliate against the animal, to satisfy a prejudice against a specific species or breed, to express aggression through an animal, to enhance one’s own aggressiveness, to shock people for amusement, to retaliate against another person, a displacement of hostility from a person to an animal, and a nonspecific sadism.
Solutions for Animal Cruelty
There are a lot of ways to prevent animal cruelty. They include more strict background checks. We could look at their history of mental illnesses and overall behavior. You can donate or volunteer of the ASPCA and The Humane Society to save animals. Also, you can call an emergency hotline number for abused animals (914-941-7797). Overall, you can bring attention to this by saying something and not being a bystander.
Animal Cruelty Laws-- Is it really worth it?
In Texas, there are two types laws that protect animals from abuse. One type of law is a civil case. In a civil case, the animal(s) can be taken away from the owner, and/or the owner will have to pay a fine. On the other hand, criminal cases of animal cruelty can end in the abuser having penalties or even going to jail. If the convicted person is under 18, they are required to go to counseling. The main difference between the types of laws, beside the consequences, is that criminal cases can only be held against people who mistreated any animals held as a pet, livestock, and animals who were captured from the wild. If someone practices cruelty against any animal, domesticated or wild, they are violating the civil case laws. This brings up the real question: Is abusing your innocent animal really worth it?
Help Animals in Danger!
Animals are abused daily and need to be helped. If you see an animal in danger call the cops. Don't let the problem become even worse. The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) is an organization meant solely for protecting and saving abused animals. If you donate to this organization you will be saving animals daily! You can donate here: https://www.aspca.org
They need your help! Another organization is the Humane Society! They also help animals in danger. You can donate to this organization at http://www.humanesociety.org/?credit=ad_donoracq16_gg_search_010116
You can also volunteer at the Humane Society in your local city to help and take care of the animals there. A little bit of love goes a long way! You never know how you can affect anyone, even animals.
Animal Hotline
Animal Hotline
Animal Hotline
Citations
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