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animal cruelty essay introduction
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Jacob Tompkins
Dr. Stoll
AP Language & Composition
11 March 2014
Animal Cruelty
A family drives up to the animal shelter to pick out a new furry friend for their kids to play with. When they arrive at the animal housing unit, they disregard the tightly packed cages, the lingering scent of waste, or the wailing cries coming from the poorly lit wards. Mistreatment. After locating the ideal pet, the family invites it into their home. But as the creature loses its youth, the family continues caring less and less for it. Nobody is home to let it inside when it is pouring rain, or fill its bowl when it’s nearly starving to death, or take it outside to use the bathroom. Neglect. It got so hungry it ate the decorative fruit that’s been sitting on the counter for the past week. In response, the angry father gave it a “reasonable” blow to the head. Abuse. All of these instances cause harm to animals and not a single thing is being done to make a difference. Although animal cruelty is widely frowned upon and emotionally undermining, the punishments in response to the abuse are negligible because society places minimal value on the animals that live among us.
Animal cruelty has been a recurring problem throughout the world; however, most people aren’t aware it’s happening. While some businesses claim they have every intention to treat the animal with care, it doesn’t always turn out that way. Dog pounds, kennels, and even homes can be found guilty of cruelty to animals by some degree. It’s common for the animals to inhabit unsanitary buildings that do not encompass proper living conditions for the animals stuck inside. The understanding of animal cruelty has been skewed over time. Currently, many people believe animal cruelty explicitly mean...
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...an impression. The first case to reach the Supreme Court in nearly two decades, the case decided that the sales of any media depicting animal cruelty violated the right of freedom and speech (1). While punishments for animal cruelty seem to be at an ultimate minimum, some people have stepped up and put forth as much effort as possible to guarantee the rights of animals.
Abraham Lincoln once said, “I am in favor of animal rights as well as human rights because that is the way of a whole human being.” The meaning interwoven within this quote is that humane treatment to animals defines the overall character of human beings. With mistreatment to the living creatures among us, comes the destruction of our image as a society altogether. Man must be more sensible to the other living beings we inhabit this world with because we are all the pieces that make up the puzzle.
Therefore, animal abuse is a growing trend in today’s society. This trend is bad for today’s society for reasons including death row for the animals, an increase in cost for animal shelters, and a decrease in space for the animals to be safe. Society can stop animal abuse by reporting anything they might see. Together, our society can put a stop to animal abuse, and protect our domesticated pets.
Throughout history, societies have been faced with many social issues affecting their citizens. Martin Luther King Jr, a civil rights leader for African Americans, was an advocate for the Civil Rights Movement, a movement that fought to undo the injustices African Americans endure by American society in the 1960s. Martin expressed his disgust with the social inequality among citizens when saying “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere” (PETA). Taking the prominent leader’s words into consideration, we should progress as a society by participating in the animal rights movement that strives to extend the same compassion, felt by Martin Luther King Jr, to all living things (PETA). Popular criticisms report that animals are inferior to humans because they are a source of food, but I will argue that they are victims of social injustice. Validity for my animal rights argument will come from individual and organizational expert accounts and by Bioethicist Peter Singer, Author Francis Fukuyama, New York Time’s Mark Bittman and also Animal Rights organizations, such as People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), and Animal Equality, to help prove my argument. Animals are silent victims who are loudly crying out for someone to stand up for their rights; rights that can no longer be disregarded by being overlooked. It is my belief that animals should be respected, and afforded ethical and human treatment by society instead of being looked at as a source of food. In a society where animals have no voice, it is everyone’s civic duty to participate in the animal rights movement and acknowledge animals as living beings, which...
Many people would like to believe that animal cruelty doesn’t exist, but little do they know it is still happening all around the world every single day. The treatment we have on animals is unethical. It’s unreal how animal cruelty is still a thing because of the fact we live in a world of right versus wrong. Animals are looked as a form of product instead of what they really are, living breathing creatures. The use of animals in entertainment has been going on for thousands of years. Animals are forced into racing, captivity, violence, all for the sake of amusement to us. The children love to take a peek through the gates and cages of animals in zoos. People who are young and old love to watch the animals race. What people don’t know is that attending these events oftentimes means you’re supporting the abuse that is done to the animals. They have been taken out of their natural habitat, stripped from any rights they had, and forced to comply to the demands of human beings. The unfair treatment given to animals when used for entertainment purposes constitutes animal cruelty.
The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way in which its animals are treated.” (Gandhi). Sadly it seems that there is much to be desired from America. Over the past few years there has been an increase in animal abuse, sadly numerous cases go unreported and unrecognized. It is estimated by the HSUS that every year nearly one million animals are abused or killed with connections of domestic violence. From this growing issue, it is seen that humans have power over animals.
People seem to look at animals as a source of their own entertainment. When people go to the zoo or the circus, many do not seem to wonder if the animal is happy or not. They only worry about being entertained after all, that is why they paid to see animals in cages or doing tricks. People may not see it, but animal cruelty does not only happen in homes it also happens in circuses, zoos, and labs. It can take place anywhere, and it can happen all over the world. Many people use animals as transportation, food, and entertainment, and not once do they look at the animal’s face and think, “is this right?” No, instead they kept treating animals as if they are some sort of object that belongs to them. Animals do not have a voice to speak up for themselves to let people know that they are being treated wrong. Many people tend to overlook animal cruelty because to them it does not seem like the animals are being hurt. Animal cruelty is anything that can cause harm to the animal, whether it physical or psychological. It occurs for many different reasons, but none of them are right. It is a worldwide issue that seems to be overlooked. People should educate themselves about animal cruelty because it can help to decrease or eliminate it.
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
Over 2 million animals are killed every year, almost all of these animals had never felt the embrace of a loving person. Animal rights are very conservational because some people think animals are things, they do not see them as living beings, and just see them as if they are just something that can be replaced. Everything done to animals have emotional effects on them and they are not things that just do not feel pain. Animals should have similar rights as humans because animals feel pain just as much as humans do, have emotions just as humans, and they have things that humans have.
Billions of animals are being slaughtered, abused, and harmed every year; causing enormous amounts of pain, suffering and distress upon them. It is wrong for humans to cause extended harm to animals for no compelling reason, for the fact that they have moral statuses. We have obligations to animals, and these are not simply grounded in human interests. However, the issues of moral status and equal consideration are far more fundamental and far-reaching in practical impact as DeGrazia have stated. (38) Animals have as much moral status and rights as humans do, and are most definitely worthy of our consideration in their lives.
“When humans act with cruelty we characterize them as ‘animals’, yet the only animal that displays cruelty is humanity”-Anthony Wilson. Animal abuse, neglect, and cruelty are the intentional and unintentional infliction onto animals from humans, regardless of whether the action is illegal. While the distinctions between Victorian Era animal abuse and present day are apparent through the current laws and organizations to safeguard them, their resemblance of wounding misbehaved animals is salient
“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...
Countless lives locked away in cages and forgotten about have overwhelmed our society, it has left blood stains on our history as a species and if history has taught us anything, it’s that we have a choice to change our ways of adjusting to situations. A war which was fought in pursuit of ending such criminal means, yet we as human beings do little to nothing to end the horrific crimes of animal deaths in shelters. It is no secret that this world has become infused with problems that have extended from one side of the globe to the other. Amongst these problems lies a terrible truth: nearly every year, sums of almost eight million cats and dogs have been placed in shelters around the world. Out of these vast numbers, half will be euthanized; that equals to one animal being put down every 8 seconds. Animals that are not adopted are kept in shelters until they find a home. Most of these shelters do not have enough space or resources to care for the animal. Only 15% of dogs and 2% of cats that enter animal shelters are reunited with their owners. The majority of pets are obtained from acquaintances and family members. Twenty-six percent of dogs are purchased from breeders, 20 to 30 percent of cats and dogs are adopted from shelters and rescues, and 2 to 10 percent are purchased from pet shops. In addition, only 56% of dogs and 71% of cats that enter animal shelters are euthanized. The 10% of the animals received by shelters have been spayed or neutered, while 78 percent of dogs and 88 percent of cats are not spayed or neutered, in 2009 Statistics from animal shelters in 55 counties in WV (West Virginia) shows that nearly 54% of all animals entering shelters are euthanized, The euthanasia rates ranged from the lowest at 5% to the highe...
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.
Many people who abuse animals do not realize that they are actually hurting animals, this is known as unintentional. When some people try to discipline their pets they use tactics that they think is acceptable, when in reality is probably not the best way. People also abuse animals due to lack of attention, such as forgetting to feed and water the animals for a number of days. A family may take the animals with them when they leave the house, and forget to leave a window down with the animal inside. One of the biggest unintentional ways of animal cruelty is a way that many people think is helpful but is actually has a negative impact on all of the animals involved, this idea is trying to take in more animals than one can handle, they have good intentions but this is harmful to animals because it forces them to live in unhealthy conditions. There are many new cases of animal hoarding every year, with over 250,000 animals falling victim. Puppy mills are large dog breeding’s that care more about making money than the wellbeing and health of the animals. Many dogs become ill with diseases such as kidney or heart disease as a result of the conditions in which they live.
Animals are so often forgotten when it comes to the many different levels of basic rights. No, they can’t talk, or get a job, nor can they contribute to society the way humans can. Yet they hold a special place in their owners’ hearts, they can without a doubt feel, show their different emotions, and they can most definitely love. In recent years there has been a massive increase in animal rights awareness, leading to a better understanding and knowledge in the subject of the humane treatment of animals. Where do humans draw the line between the concern of equality, and simple survival?
Animal abuse is a travesty in our world that must be stopped. Every year, millions of animals suffer because of human actions, directly or indirectly. Whether it’s abused dogs and cats or even mistreated circus animals, their suffering is as real as it would be if it happened to us. Even animals who are raised on farms simply for human consumption should not have to suffer. One of the worst parts of humanity’s role in animal abuse is that there are easy ways for people to help that they are either ignorant of or simply refuse to do. There are many examples of animals who are abused by humans, but there are also ways for people to help prevent and put an end to animal abuse.