Animal Cruelty in America

An animal is abused every ten seconds throughout the world. Intentional Cruelty to animals is correlated strongly with many other crimes and also makes you a vile person. No one is born and deserves the lives that many of these animals endure. People can easily help these animals if they put in the effort to because it is as easy as donating a dollar or signing a petition. Abuse towards animals has lasting effects on them emotionally and physically for the rest of their lives because many of them are raised this way. Tougher punishments must be put in place to stop this abuse throughout America as well as the world. Animal cruelty is an epidemic through the United States and we must work to end it.

Many animals are affected for the whole of their lives by physical abuse. Any type of animal-fighting ring always leads to a life of hardship for that animal. Many fighting dogs may have their ears cropped and tails docked close to their body(ASPCA). Because of the disfigurement these dogs might be aggressive for the rest of their lives. This has a huge effect on the people around them and themselves. They will not be able to cope normally or have good lives. At these dogfights, dogs are shown what they are worth through the actions of others. Cops can be seen participating in the sport (ASPCA). They see their owner neglecting them, people throwing money, and all they are taught how to do is fight. It is not a fair life or something an animal deserves and when the people that are supposed to protect them do not then they have nothing. Also, getting beat up on everyday and then afterwards being attached to a two foot chain can really affect the body and longevity of an animalr's live because dogs [and chickens] are conditioned for fighting through the use of...anabolic steroids(ASPCA). Any animal can be seriously injured especially if it is repeated over and over again. They could lose an eye or a leg, something that is permanent. Physical abuse towards animals can happen anywhere and by cracking down and taking first offenses seriously such as long-term jail sentences, we can counteract and help eradicate this abuse towards animals.

Domestic Violence is strongly correlated with animal abuse. Where therer's domestic abuse therer's usually animal abuse. There is an established link between cruelty to animals and violence towards human-regularly referred to as ?The Link(ALDF) Abusers usually will do anything to hurt their victim, and they can do that through abuse of a pet. They want to hurt their victim anyway they can and that is usually by going after loved ones such as a pet. This abuse also makes it hards for a domestic violence victim to leave because what if their partner is holding the pet captive to keep you there. Throughout 88 percent of homes where there is child abuse, there is also animal abuse and neglect (PETA). Itr's staggering how common this is and that animal abuse as well as child abuse can be so frequent and go hand-in-hand. Around 20 men or women are assaulted each minute and around 70% of households have pets(ALDF). Since domestic abuse occurs injunction with animal abuse that means over ten animals are being abused also because an abuser almost always goes for the animal too. Domestic violence is always associated with animal abuse and even death, this results in millions of domestic pets being abused each year.

The statistics are startling when it comes to animal abuse because of how high the numbers are. They show how common animal abuse really is and how it is not going away Over ten million animals are abused per year. Thatr's about 19 per minute (Humane Society). Obviously these statistics need to be brought down. So far they have but to do even more, we need to be even more diligent and tougher on crime. It is absolutely crazy that we can walk past a person who does this and not even know or have them be brought to justice. People who abuse animals are usually men around 30 but it could be anyone (Human Society). If this is the group that most targets animals than something needs to be done. If someone goes to prison then they should be forced to go to meetings or therapy and talk about why they did it and how they can stop. Also if someone has a history of abuse than they should be checked up on every so often. Animal abuse in factory farms is very common and happens more than any other abuse (Humane Society). Most of the time it goes unchecked or unreported because people do not want to lose money. There is not a lot of stigma because many people only see green and this type of abuse is easy to hide. They do not care how an animal is treated as long as they do not see it and they are making cash. Chickens are usually the worst treated and thousands are killed everyday for food. These statistics can be significantly lower if the government and ordinary people try harder in their daily lives such as donating money, upping the sentences of animal abusers, or something as simple as eating cage free.

Many animals will be mentally scarred the rest of their lives from the treatment they endured. After getting abused every day it is hard to trust anyone again. Most dogs after being treated that way do not know how to handle love or affection (ALDF).

When I went to an Animal Protective League, I would walk dogs and sometimes they just wanted to be laid in a corner, keeping their head down and would not move. One dog almost bit my hand off after I tried petting him because of how scared he was. Animals can only be rehabilitated to an extent, the first step is stopping any type of abuse before it happens. Many women who hoard animals neglect them and need mental help( Humane Society). By being neglected they are starved and are made to sit in their own waste. How can a dog be emotionally alright after having to deal with that sort of treatment? They are scared and do not know how to treat people who treat them with kindness. People who abuse or neglect animals are usually mentally ill and need help. They need to go to therapy and these animals need to be taken away and adopted by someone that will care for them and love them. A lot of the time animal abuse does not come from nowhere. Many people who abuse animals were also abused themselves. This usually means they are emotionally stunted and do not know how to let out their emotions without harm to themselves or anything. This is why they must get therapy so they can understand why they are wrong and what they can do. Abuse is not just physical, it almost always manifests itself emotionally and is as important to recovery as physical abuse.

Over the years, laws have changed for the better but there is still a long way to go.

Laws towards animal abuse need to be greatly improved so society can improve. There are barely any laws protecting livestock (ALDF). If livestock are abused it is usually not reported unless it is severe and even then there is usually nothing done. Many people think ?well they are going to die anyway but many of these animals are cows for milk or hens who lay eggs and they are not given standards that are even somewhat livable. In Ohio, Godfreyr's law has helped with the welfare of animals (Borchardt). It made animal abuse a first offense felony, and they need to pay a $2,500 fine and go to jail for a couple months. This is a first and great step for Ohio because by making it a first offense felony , it shows how severe this crime really is. The Uniform Crime Report is really helpful to police when tracking down abusers but only a third of the nation uses it (PETA). By instituting it nationwide, more animal abusers can be put to justice. If this database is updated in the next couple years then so many more people can be caught and more animals will find better care. Laws have come far for animals in the last century but there is still a long way to go and more legislation for animal rights and time is what will help.

So what can Americans do to help stop animal cruelty? There are a lot of things that you can do. Go out and vote for tougher legislation on animal cruelty. This is needed especially for farm animals who are rarely treated well ( PETA). Many of these corporate giants are able to get away with animal cruelty because of minimal laws to protect these cows, chickens, hens, etc. Also, they are able to stand up in their towers and turn a blind eye to what is going on. Many states still need animal cruelty to be a first offense felony, so by going to town halls and voting on issues like this, cruelty towards any animal can become a first offense. Animal fighting rings need to be weeded out and destroyed(ASPCA). They are all over the country and are still going strong despite the majority of people being against it. By donating to ASPCA or any organization against dogfighting you are also helping. Also, signing the HEART Act which helps animals who are victims of dogfights or cockfights find better homes much faster and will not be stopped by government red tape. Donation also really helps animals that have been affected by abuse get better care. These dollar donation or however much you want to spend could be the difference for their next bowl of food or water. This could also get animals beds and toys that make life more enjoyable and bearable for them. This donation adds up and can really help an animal in need. There is a lot of things citizens can do to help make life better for all animals in America because we live in a democratic society that allows us to speak up for what we believe in which can really make animals lives easier

Some people argue that animals do not have the same feelings or emotions as people.So this would mean they do not get affected as emotionally or physically by abuse but this is so untrue. An animal tells you when they do not like something by whimpering or barking. Animals feel pain the same way because they are hurt if they are kicked or neglected to sit in their own waste. Animals are pretty defenseless because they cannot speak up for themselves and say what happens to them. Their body language is how people can tell that something's not right and people always need to speak up and say something. Also, many people assert that farm or factory animals are going to die anyway so why spend more money to treat them better. These animals are not just born to die, many of them serve a purpose such as giving milk, eggs, etc. Since they are being forced to give us this against their will and probably know no other life then they should be given some higher standard of living. Spaces no bigger than ipods should not be normal for hens to lay their eggs. Hundreds of chickens should not be crammed into a dark room to wait to die. Cage free may be more expensive but as they become more standard,prices will drop and the old way will soon go out of business if it keeps on progressing at the same rate. Stores ran more sales for cage-free eggs than regular eggs (ASPCA). Even if some people do have an argument for animal cruelty they are always going to be wrong.

Animals are some of the most vulnerable beings to abuse. Millions of animals each day are being abused and the reality is America can do so much more. These animals could be family or livestock but each one deserves to be treated with dignity. Domestic Violence is usually a precursor to animal abuse and vice versa.. This leads to emotional and physical effects that can affect them the rest of their lives. Household pets are not the only ones susceptible to emotional or physical abuse. Farm and factory animals need to be treated better. Harsher laws can be put in place to punish those who do this and fines should be put in place for corporate companies where animal abuse happens and they do not do anything. Cruelty towards animals happens too often and we must work to end it.

Bibliography

Animal Abuse and Human Abuse: Partners in Crime. PETA,
Animal Cruelty and Domestic Violence. Animal Legal Defense Fund,
Animal Cruelty Facts and Stats. The Humane Society of the United States,
Borchardt, Jackie. Ohio Lawmakers Pass 'Goddard's Law' Making Pet Cruelty a Felony. Cleveland.com, Cleveland.com, 26 May 2016,
Dogfighting. ASPCA,

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