How would you feel if someone took your beloved pets and tortured and killed them for their own entertainment? For millions of animals including pets, farm animals, and wildlife, this suffering is a reality. Animal cruelty is a deadly epidemic that is spreading, posing a danger to animals everywhere.
Is killing an animal any different from murdering a human being? You’re killing a living thing and unnecessarily depriving it of its right to live with a painful death. Torturing another living thing is an immeasurable crime that no amount of forgiveness can erase.
Dogs, cats, and other animals have feelings too. A household pet, when placed in an unsafe environment, goes through pain and suffering every day, imprisoned in its own home. Humans are not the only ones entitled to their rights and their thoughts; animals deserve theirs too.
Many organizations are working to help rescue these helpless animals and raise public awareness of the cause. Three well-known groups are SPCA, ASPCA, and PETA. SPCA, the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, is an international organization that works to rescue abused animals from their neglecters and bring those people to justice. ASPCA, the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, is an unrelated organization with a similar cause. PETA, the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, works mainly to create humane techniques for the food industry, prevent the killing of animals for their furs, and stress the benefits of a vegetarian diet.
In the past, laws against animal abuse were scarce and badly enforced. In recent years, however, governments have realized the horrors of this act, and have passed numerous laws punishing animal cruelty. It is a felony in 45 states (31 laws enacted in the past ten years) with maximum fines ranging from $1,000 to $500,000, and maximum jail sentences ranging from 6 months to 10 years. In several states, the offender can also be sentenced to mandatory counseling.
The laws regarding animal abuse are not sufficient, however. There is still much work to be done to stop the harmful mistreatment of animals. So far, animal abuse is not a federal crime, and even current laws are only well enforced by small groups working in limited areas. Animal abuse is a problem not many people think about even though it is morally wrong and hurtful, but public awareness can only help the cause.