Congress finally recognized Animal cruelty as a federal offense in 2014. Unfortunately, although a huge problem in the United States, animal cruelty had to wait many years before our legislators declared it to be “illegal”. The growing awareness of animal cruelty has been the impetus for the enactment of new laws (Animal Cruelty Facts and Statistics) aimed at stemming the continued abuse of animals; however, these laws constitute only a beginning toward the solution to the problem.
We as a society should demand that our legal system punish perpetrators of animal cruelty across a broad spectrum of unjust, cruel and inhumane acts; all too often, there are many facets to human psychological sickness, and animal cruelty reflects just one symptom …show more content…
Significantly, more American households have pets than children. When adopting a pet, there is an implicit assumption of adequate care standards; in much the same respect that we have a social responsibility to each other and society, owning animals, too, is part of a broader social responsibility.
It is often said that, “Animal cruelty problems are people problems. When animals are abused, people are at risk (Facts About Animal & Domestic Abuse).” Indeed, often, it is the mentally unstable that abuse animals, putting those around the abuser at risk for being abused as well. For those who, themselves, are not necessarily invested in the topic of animals rights, an analogy that might spur action would be to think about the potential of their loved one being abused.
Animals cruelty manifests itself in other animal/human interactions. It might be instructive to examine the facts about this in the food industry; for example, 90% of the chickens bred specifically for meat production live a short, painful life, unable to walk because of, in many cases, forced genetic mutations. Many animals are as well tortured for scientific experimentation or, even more simply, for “fashion” as is the case of the clothing industry to obtain animal fur and hides for coats and scarfs and leather belts, etc. (11 Facts About Animal Cruelty). But for what …show more content…
Although it may be the product of mental instability or our own rationalization, as is the case in some instances, such as the food or fashion industry, with the many iterations of our rationalization of cruelty’s justification for profit, it is now, today, considered a federal offense. There are three important things to remember about putting an end to animal cruelty. First of all supporting local shelters before finding a breeder will cut down on the overpopulation of pets, which will in turn cut down the rates of animal cruelty as well. A second thing to remember is to always check where the product often found in closets, such as fur wraps and coats, actually come from. Lastly, we should seriously examine our food sources, in this case, where our meat, poultry and fish come from, how they are produced and, equally important, how they are “packaged” for our consumption. Before we order next meal or buy food at the grocery store, perhaps we should spend a moment thinking of both the animal that forfeited its life for us and the quality of its life before it met its eventual demise. Clearly Ghandi, often considered the ultimate pacifist and vegetarian, was perhaps even more correct than we might have imagined in his espousal of the rights, and dignity, of all forms of
We as a society should demand that our legal system punish perpetrators of animal cruelty across a broad spectrum of unjust, cruel and inhumane acts; all too often, there are many facets to human psychological sickness, and animal cruelty reflects just one symptom …show more content…
Significantly, more American households have pets than children. When adopting a pet, there is an implicit assumption of adequate care standards; in much the same respect that we have a social responsibility to each other and society, owning animals, too, is part of a broader social responsibility.
It is often said that, “Animal cruelty problems are people problems. When animals are abused, people are at risk (Facts About Animal & Domestic Abuse).” Indeed, often, it is the mentally unstable that abuse animals, putting those around the abuser at risk for being abused as well. For those who, themselves, are not necessarily invested in the topic of animals rights, an analogy that might spur action would be to think about the potential of their loved one being abused.
Animals cruelty manifests itself in other animal/human interactions. It might be instructive to examine the facts about this in the food industry; for example, 90% of the chickens bred specifically for meat production live a short, painful life, unable to walk because of, in many cases, forced genetic mutations. Many animals are as well tortured for scientific experimentation or, even more simply, for “fashion” as is the case of the clothing industry to obtain animal fur and hides for coats and scarfs and leather belts, etc. (11 Facts About Animal Cruelty). But for what …show more content…
Although it may be the product of mental instability or our own rationalization, as is the case in some instances, such as the food or fashion industry, with the many iterations of our rationalization of cruelty’s justification for profit, it is now, today, considered a federal offense. There are three important things to remember about putting an end to animal cruelty. First of all supporting local shelters before finding a breeder will cut down on the overpopulation of pets, which will in turn cut down the rates of animal cruelty as well. A second thing to remember is to always check where the product often found in closets, such as fur wraps and coats, actually come from. Lastly, we should seriously examine our food sources, in this case, where our meat, poultry and fish come from, how they are produced and, equally important, how they are “packaged” for our consumption. Before we order next meal or buy food at the grocery store, perhaps we should spend a moment thinking of both the animal that forfeited its life for us and the quality of its life before it met its eventual demise. Clearly Ghandi, often considered the ultimate pacifist and vegetarian, was perhaps even more correct than we might have imagined in his espousal of the rights, and dignity, of all forms of