Animal abuse has been around for centuries and yet nothing seems to be done. Research labs still run animal tests with their products and services to see the results in an inhumane manner. I have been an animal lover my whole life and it breaks my heart to know that some animals don't get a chance at living life to the fullest. There are many examples when it comes to animal abuse and not enough getting done about it. Dog owners from around the world abuse, neglect, and abandon their pets due to the fact that they don't want the dog anymore and they can't take the responsibility. From various types of animals ranging from monkeys all the way to squirrels. Unlike violent crimes against people, cases of animal abuse are not compiled by state or federal agencies, making it difficult to calculate just how common they are, according to The Humane Society. However, we can use the information that is available to try to understand and prevent cases of abuse. There are many forms of cruelty that every type of animal has encountered during their lifetime.

Undercover investigations have revealed that animal abuse is a current problem in the factory farm industry. The industrialized farming system involving mass production of food has led to cruelty and ridicule as animals are often seen as objects rather than living things. The animals are born to die without seeing light and living life. They are stuck in tiny cages sitting in their own feces while they get harassed and physically harmed by farmers across the world. But because of the weak protections afforded to livestock under state cruelty laws, only the most shocking cases are reported, and few are ever prosecuted. American Humane was the first to serve in promoting and nurturing the bond between animals and humans. In the late 1800s, several Societies for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals had been established throughout the United States, according to American Humane. While direct violence is the most obvious form of animal abuse, animal neglect is a more common type of abuse. Thousands of dogs die each year due to neglect, according to the Arizona Humane Society.

There are organized cruelty cases such as dogfights and cockfights that are still occurring at an unpleasant rate. Fighting dogs for sport, for example, has been traced back as far as the 12th Century, after the war that ensued when the Romans invaded Britain, according to Learning to Give. The U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency has prosecuted multiple cases where drug cartels were running narcotics through cockfighting and dogfighting operations. Dogs are killed during these fights against one another where people bet money on them as if it's a sporting event. For example, NFL star QB Michael Vick for the Atlanta Falcons got charged with animal cruelty in July 2007. Vick and three other men were indicted on federal offense and state felony charges relating to a six-year-long continuing criminal enterprise of an interstate dogfighting ring known as "Bad Newz Kennels", based upon a local nickname from Vick's hometown, according to the SPCA and ESPN. Another form of organized cruelty is hoarding where homeowners have a mental condition where they store their houses full of objects and filth that dogs cannot survive nor thrive in the environments around them. It's been estimated that there are 900 to 2,000 new cases every year of animal hoarding in the US, with 250,000 animals falling victim, according to Humane Society.

Although there is a counter-argument stating that research labs and animal testers have provided more ethical standards and practices as to when it is acceptable to use animals without putting them at risk. As for dog owners, some believe that the abuse of animals is necessary in order to train them and use it as a form of discipline. There are ways to train your animal and punish them without raising your voice or hand!

The argument that animals should be treated properly can be based entirely on the need for human beings to behave morally, rather than on the rights of animals. Human beings have an awareness of moral ideas and understand the difference between right and wrong. There need to be more laws enacted to punish people who abuse their power when taking care of animals or put their lives at risk. There can be many reasons. Animal cruelty, like any other form of violence, is often committed by a person who feels powerless, unnoticed or under the control of others. The motive may be to shock, threaten, intimidate or offend others or to demonstrate rejection of society's rules, according to the Humane Society. Animals should have access to live life to the fullest without pain and suffering. A lot of these cases get ignored at the federal level because they tend to put their focus on human cases instead. The maximum punishment for animal cruelty is only $266,900 or 3 years imprisonment under the Animal Care and Protection Act 2001. There are also offenses for severe animal cruelty under the Criminal Code Act 1899 which have a maximum penalty of 7 years imprisonment. This isn't enough to get the point across that animal cruelty is not allowed and shouldn't be practiced. To put a stop to this pattern of violence, the Humane Society Legislative Fund supported the Pets and Women's Safety (PAWS) Act, introduced to Congress in 2015. The PAWS Act would give victims of domestic abuse means to escape their abusers while keeping their companion animals safe. Many victims remain in abusive households for fear of their pets' safety, according to the Humane Society.

Luckily there are many non-profit animal shelters that include no-kill shelters. For example, the Arizona Animal Welfare League and SPCA is the largest and oldest no-kill shelter in the state of Arizona where they give animals a second chance at life and put security and safety into their lives. Animal shelters all around the United States don't only give the animals a place to live but they give them hope of living a happy and healthy life. With medical treatment and the fostering of animals, these pets get the love and compassion that they deserve and haven't yet experienced such as the Arizona Animal Welfare League. The time is now to end animal cruelty as these animals have been here long before us and they might be here long after us so we need to cooperate with these animals. To live in a world where animals and humans live together in harmony and peace as we need these animals just as badly as they need us. This issue has been at the forefront and the limelight yet nothing has been done! Animal shelters and the government need to educate people on this issue and teach people how to properly take care of an animal.

To find out more information and how to take action visit the website below.

https://www.aspca.org/

Citations in APA format:

American Humane. (n.d.). Retrieved March 22, 2020, from https://www.americanhumane.org/about-us/history/

American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty. (n.d.). Animal Cruelty/ Learning to Give. Retrieved March 22, 2020, from https://www.learningtogive.org/resources/animal-cruelty

ASPCA. (n.d.). Retrieved March 22, 2020, from https://www.aspca.org/

David, Favre, & Tsang, V. (1993, January 1). Full Title Name: The Development of the Anti-Cruelty Laws During the 1800s. Retrieved from https://www.animallaw.info/article/development-anti-cruelty-laws-during-1800s

Fowler, H. (n.d.). Animal cruelty facts and stats. Retrieved from https://www.humanesociety.org/resources/animal-cruelty-facts-and-stats

Something, D. (n.d.). 11 Facts About Animal Cruelty. Retrieved March 22, 2020, from https://www.dosomething.org/us/facts/11-facts-about-animal-cruelty

The ASPCA and the 2007 Investigation of Michael Vick. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.aspca.org/animal-cruelty/dog-fighting/aspca-and-the-2007-investigation-of-michael-vick

The History of Animal Protection in the United States. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.oah.org/tah/issues/2015/november/the-history-of-animal-protection-in-the-united-states/