According to the ASPCA (American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty), the first humane organization, founded in 1866, in the Western Hemisphere that works to rescue animals from abuse and pass humane laws, the definition of animal cruelty is “acts of violence or neglect perpetrated against animals.” This definition is presented in a paper written by Learning To Give, an organization that teaches children to give back, take voluntary citizen action, and engage civilly and presents it through a philanthropist approach. Animal cruelty is an atrocious act that needs to be understood and not undermined. It is easy to push something to the back of our minds and put ourselves in denial when the issue is not right in front of our faces. Many of us know animal cruelty exists, but how many of us know how prevalent it is? Acknowledgement of the problem is the only way we can begin to solve it.
Animal cruelty dates back farther than many of us think. Learning To Give has used sources such as the ASPCA, the American Humane Society, and a veterinary forensics symposium to verify that dog fighting as a sport began as far back as the twelfth century. Dog fighting continued across Europe for several centuries until the baiting of larger animals was strictly prohibited in 1835. Dog-on-dog combat became a cheaper alternative and was exported to various other countries, including the United States (Learning To Give). This peg in history was only the beginning, as we see many forms of abuse today.
The most common victims, based upon a report by the Humane Society, the largest animal protection organization which is also rated the most effective by its peers, tend to be dogs; pit bulls in particular. From a 2007 media report of 1,800 cruelty cases...
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Dogfighting is a “sport” that pits two well trained dogs against each other in a fights until one dog cannot fight anymore. Dogs are often killed at these events, because some dogs are ruthless because their owners have trained them to kill. The fights last, on average, one to two hours, and can leave marks forever. Spectators are able to bet on which dog will win. Currently, dogfighting is a felony offense in all 50 states, and is a federal offense as well. Not only can the instigators of the fights be charged, but all spectators can be charged as well. Dogfighting was brought to the sports world in 2007, when star quarterback Michael Vick was found guilty of having a dogfighting organization and hanging 3 dogs for “not performing well in ‘testing’ sessions”. In 2001, Vick and 3 friends, Purnell Peace, Quanis Phillips, and Tony Taylor started an organization which they called, “Bad Newz Kennel”. Vick also started his NFL career that year, and played for the Atlanta Falcons. When he got convicted in 2007, Vick was sentenced to 21 months in prison and 2 months in home confinement. Dog fighting may injure the dogs forever. For example, Georgia, a pitbull involved in “Bad Newz Kennels”, had her jaw broken at one time during a fight and her tongue is still messed up. Her tail also zigzags, and she has no teeth, they were all pried out of her mouth. Animal Rights would help Georgia and dogs involved in fights all around the country, so they know that they are safe [ALDF]. There are approximately more than 100,00 people in the U.S. involved in dogfighting. That number needs to cut down if the world is going to be a better place for people and animals to grow up in. That is why Animal Rights should occur more heavily in the
Dog fighting grew within parts of the United States, Europe, and Asia but the concern about humaneness still remained. By the 1860's almost all states outlawed the sport but it continued to flourish through the 20th century throughout the general public. While Japan and parts of Russian still remain legal Wayne Pacelle, president of the Humane Society, says at least 40,000 people are involved in dog fighting domestically.
Animal cruelty is a rapidly growing nationwide problem. Animals are being battered and starved everyday. There are many forms of animal cruelty; some forms are scientific research, abandonment, and mistreatment.
Mulkeen, Declan and Carter, Simon. “When Should Animals Suffer?” Times Higher Education Supplement 1437 (5/26/2000): p34
Ascione’s (1993) definition of animal cruelty is defined as “socially unacceptable behavior that intentionally causes unnecessary pain, suffering, or distress to and/or death of an animal” exclusive of socially condoned behavior, such as legal hunting and certain agricultural and veterinary practices. Not all violent individuals have been previously cruel to animals but studies have shown that a great number of them have exhibited this behavior. A great majority of the literature calls for a better understandin...
Animal abuse is currently happening everywhere in this world, and this can only stop if everyone acknowledges and stands up for what is right. However, the cause of animal abuse can lead to so many questions asked in our society through the secondary data analysis that the questions will then be answered. In fact, conflict theory will be the one applied to the abuse of animals. Lastly, a hypothetical mean of collecting primary data on animal abuse can then be answered. To put it briefly, this research paper is focusing on why family professionals can no longer ignore violence towards animals, the feminism and treatment of animals, and animal liberation and rights, to examine the causes that lead to animal abuse when animal abuse is being announced.
The number of animals that are burned, crippled, poisoned, and abused adds up to over 100 million each year (11 Facts). Those animals’ lives are just as important as a human life and the lack of respect for these intelligent creatures is astonishing. The
Animals are used today for many sources of protection, food, clothing, transportation, sports, entertainment, and labor, but millions of these animals die each year from abuse. “Most of the reasons that people give for denying animals rights are: animals do not have souls, god gave humans dominion over the animals, humans are intellectually superior to animals, humans are intellectually superior to animals, animals do not reason, think, or feel pain like humans do, animals are a natural resource to used as humans see fit, and animals kill each other” (Evans). It all started in the nineteenth century, when people began abusing animals by beating them, feeding them poorly, providing them with no shelter or poor shelter, left to die if they were sick or old, or by cruel sports. Most of the organized efforts to improve human treatment of animals all started in England. Around the 1800s, there was signs of rising concern for animal welfare in the United States.
“There can be many reason for animal cruelty, like any other form of violence, is often committed by a person who feels powerless, unnoticed, or under control of others. Some who are cruel to animals copy acts what they have seen or that have been done to them, others see harming an animal as a safe way to get revenge against--or threaten-- someone who cares about that animal”. (“Animal… Statistics”) Concerns towards abusing animals have gone up in the past. Although there are not many cases on animal abuse, many have occurred. Abusers are charged with Criminal Animal Abuse and then sentenced to life in prison. Some animals that are physically abused are sometimes rescued by Animal Control, and are taken it to an animal shelter. However, many shelters have not had the space to keep the animals so the workers would have to put them down (Carol Roach). Researchers have shown that the main animals getting abused are dogs, chickens, horses, and livestock (“Animal...
Animal cruelty, also called animal abuse, is the harming of animals or not caring for an animal responsibly. It is against the law to abuse animals, especially for personal benefits. Animal cruelty is a global problem that cannot be easily solved. In Indonesia, more than 100 animals are abused each year, whether they are dogs or cats or even cows are abused. The most common form of animal cruelty is abandonment of animals by heartless owners that treat them like they are a piece of trash. Animals that are neglected by their owners roam around the streets and eventually die due to starvation or some kind of disease. Animals are not something that cannot be thrown away so easily, because they have rights as well and we need to treat them the
In all aspects of life, animals play a major role in society. Animals are living beings that are often used, mistreated, or neglected. Animals serve as sources of entertainment, cohorts, clothing, and food. Although not all animals are treated with disrespect, there are cases in which they are valued and upheld. It is an ethical quandary that challenges society on the proper way in which animals should be treated.
Executive Summary Every 60 seconds, an animal is abused. Dogs, cats, horses, and many other types of animals are being neglected and tortured everyday, yet resulting in few and minor consequences for the perpetrators. Animal abuse is prevalent in the United States and has been an ongoing issue since the 1970's, and prior to. Society as a whole has chosen to avoid the facts and arguments about animal cruelty, because to some it is seen as acceptable and typical. It becomes much more frowned upon when people actually see the results of the cruelty, especially in the media.
Washington D.C.: Acropolis Books, 1978. Call Number: HV4711O5. Regan, Tom, and Peter Singer, eds. Animal Rights and Human Obligations.
On January 2015, a report came out saying that over the past three years, on average every year, there were one thousand nine hundred animal cruelty cases (Statistic Brain Research Institute). Of those reported cases, nine percent were from animal fighting. Dog fighting is a major moral issue across the nation. Dog fighting is the act of forcing dogs to fight to the death in a pit or box for the enjoyment of their owners and the public. The argument against dog fighting could be explained through the fact that dogs are moral agents as in they are autonomous, they make decisions, virtue ethics, the owners are not being virtuistic by participating is raising these dogs to fight and utilitarianism, dog fighting does not promote the greatest amount
For animal welfare and the causes of animal abuse new research has been created. Since animal abuse is fairly a new subject, new research is constantly brought up. In the Bahamas a study was done in the College of Bahamas, and it states that, “…dogs were equally likely to be considered members of the household in homes without domestic violence,” (Fielding 197). Homes with violence show that humans substitute human victims for animal victims. Animal rights activists are trying to break down symbolic boundaries betw...