Understanding Animal Cruelty

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One has to know what animal cruelty is before they can fight it affectively. Every day in the United States, animals are beaten, neglected, or forced to struggle for survival. (LearningToLive.org 1)We must stand as one to help these animals and punish their heartless owners (LearningToLive.org 1). We must speak out for them, if now us who? (LearningToLive.org 1). According to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) animal cruelty is defined as “Acts of violence or neglect perpetrated against animals are considered animal cruelty,” according to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA). (aldf.org 1).

There are two categories in which they classify animal cruelty: passive and overt (active) (LearningToGive.org 1). Passive is described as an act of neglect or lack of action (LearningToGive.org 1), such as not feeding or forgetting to feed your animal, not providing substantial housing for them in inclement weather, or not getting them proper veterinary care when sick(LearningToGive.org 1). Overt (active) is purposely bringing harm, injury, or death to the animal. This includes burning animals, throwing them off of a roof, or fighting them (LearningToGive.org 1). Active transport leads to other crimes such. Rape and child molestation come from the same root reasons as overt animal abuse --- power (LearningToGive.org 1). Examples of other crimes could be the Carroll Edward Cole case or the Columbine Shooting (LearningToGive.org 1).

While both intentional abuse and neglect can happen at the hands of an individual can happen at the hands of an individual, larger institutions or businesses that involve animals are also often the perpetrators of animal cruelty (aldf.org 1). Ca...

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...heir vehicle, but when they searched for the leak, they could not find a hole in the hose from where it could be coming, just as he had around the same time(Michael Brazil 2009). He tried to contact the cops and animal control but by then, there was not enough sound evidence to prove that anything had been done nor to prove where the anti-freeze came from(Michael Brazil 2009).

When he told me this story, he also mentioned that he used to walk the abuser’s dog. How could someone be so heartless, especially as a pet owner himself? It is beyond me. In conclusion, to make animal cruelty a more known problem, society should get the word out about who to reach if there is suspicion of an animal abuser, or if there is a suspicion of animal cruelty. Everyone knows to call 911 if there is a human emergency. There needs to be a hotline for animal emergencies as well.

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