Pet ownership has reached an all time high in the Untied States. The 2005/2006 APPMA National Pet Owners Survey reports that sixty-three percent of all U.S households own at least one pet, and half of these same households own more than one. These statistics translate to estimates that Americans own over seventy-three million dogs and over ninety million cats (“National”). As the number of pets in the United States rises, so do the cases of animal abuse. Animal abuse isn’t something new, but only recently has there been any research on the motives behind animal abuse. Due to a significant boost in the research of animal abuse cases, and a new emphasis on the reasons behind animal abuse, there have been some remarkable discoveries in just the last ten years. There’s one breakthrough in particular that has become a cornerstone in the effort to try to reduce the number of animal abuse cases each year; studies across the country have found that animal abuse and domestic abuse are directly linked. There are numerous studies that have tried to dig deeper into this connection, because if we are able to better understand what motivates people to abuse animals, we may be able to prevent animal abuse before it happens.
Animal cruelty itself is difficult to define because many times laws leave it up to the judge’s interpretation. Texas penal code § 42.09 states that “a person commits an offense if the person intentionally or knowingly: tortures an animal; fails unreasonably to provide necessary food, care, or shelter for an animal in the person's custody; abandons unreasonably an animal in the person's custody; transports or confines an animal in a cruel manner; kills, seriously injures, or administers poison to an animal, other than cattle...
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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.
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.
"Animal Cruelty and Human Violence : The Humane Society of the United States." RSS. N.p.,
Regan, Tom. “The Case for Animal Rights.” In Defense of Animals. Ed. Peter Singer. New York:
Wyckoff, Jason, and M.A Bertz. "The Animal Rights Debate: Abolition or Regulation? - By Gary L. Francione & Robert Garner." Journal of Applied Philosophy 28.4 (2011): 414-16. Print.
You have all seen the distressing American Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, the ASPCA, commercials. Sarah McLachlan heartbreakingly belts out “In the Arms of an Angel” as photos of abused cats and dogs flash across your television screen, compelling you for your help. While there has been much progress in terms of protection of animals recently, thanks in part to organizations like the ASPCA, animal cruelty laws need to be altered because the laws are not strict enough to discourage abusers from repeating their crimes, animal cruelty has been linked to other types of violence, and many animal cruelty laws do not encompass all types of animal abuse.
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.
Some people do not consider certain acts of animal cruelty to be cruelty or they do not care. Normally the people who think like that are the ones who are actually causing the animal abuse themselves. Animal abusers sometimes do not see any wrong in what they are doing because they do not care what the animals feel. They do not think if the animals are happy or being hurt, they just continue doing what they are doing because to them it is not cruelty towards the animal. Some, though, do not believe that t...
...althy individual, this is a warning.” There are deep psychological issues that lead to violent crimes against people” (cfawr). What is more shocking is that most animal abusers abuse animals for entertainment of both themselves and others, and to show their aggressiveness.
“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...
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.
Dogs are the most common victims of animal abuse with cats, horses, and livestock not following far behind.
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.
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...