Animal abuse
Animal abuse is widespread not just in our community but around the United States and the rest of the world. We have heard it on the news with stories ranging from Michael Vicks dog abuse scandal to one of a dog found at a gas station dump with all four legs broken and eyes glued shut. Many advocacies of animal abuse include the following organizations: AnimaNaturalis, Animal Aid, Animal defense League, and In Defense of Animals.
According to the animal advocacy group, ASPCA, support teams like disaster response teams and the Police Blotter led by this organization work together in order to decrease of eliminate dog fighting, puppy mills, farm animal cruelty, cockfighting, animal hoarding, tethering, and many others.
Many successful attempts have been made at rescuing the innocent domestic pets, but the violence still goes on. From our side, we who are against animal abuse, it seems like something horrific and unimaginable. Supporters for animal rights cannot fathom what would cause a person to behave in such a manner towards an animal. Though we may never be able to see the world as it pertains to animals through the eyes of their abuser, it is certain that some type of motive whether sick or twisted, lies beneath the case of action.
People get a high from doing different thing; maybe animal abuse is part of the list of rules. Reasons for such attitudes may range from gambling to just plain entertainment. Both of these reason stood true for Michael Vick and his dog fighting ring. Bad Newz Kennel was the name, and dog fighting was the game that occurred there often with fights that were worth up to $5,000 or more. Unfortunate contestants that did not perform well were executed by drowning, electrocutions, or shooting. In fact, to counteract Michael Vick’s negative action against animals, the animal organization In Defense of Animals is recruiting demo organizers for upcoming NFL games.
According to Michael, he did not feel the magnitude of his actions until the prison guard slammed Michael’s cell gate shut. “Then I felt the magnitude of what I had done,” Mr. Vick stated on a CBS sports anchor James Brown. He also felt the loneliness of being away from family and friends. Going to prison was merited for such reckless attitude and lack of moral character in some aspects.
As was stated above owners that are connected with animal abuse may do so intentionally or unintentionally. In Mr. Vick’s case, it was intentional because of its premeditated origin. However, the claim of intended affliction upon animals may not hold true to every person. An online survey about why a person might abuse an animal revealed that it can be carried out intentionally or unintentionally. Many of these people do not have the slightest clue that what they are doing is cruel. Let’s take for example that some people don't realize what kinds of shelter different animals need. They may keep a dog in their yard with a doghouse that is on the ground and gets flooded with water when it rains, or they keep their dog on a short chain all of the time. Even though it is cruel for an animal to live in such conditions, it is nothing compared to braking the limbs of any animal, annoying or not, and gluing their eyes shut. Needless to say, it still goes on today as we speak. There comes a place where the line gets drawn between intentioned or unintended actions. Nearly all of these people can learn to understand that they are being cruel through education and increasing their awareness of the needs of our animal neighbors.
Unlike unintentional abusers, the biggest group of animal abusers is those who engage in it on purpose. According to an online source, this group of individuals is usually young and has trouble facing up to their peers and friends. Another solution is the fact that the owner takes his or her emotion on the animal instead of channeling it through another source, perhaps a wall. Other assertions include having control over an animal, retaliating against an animal, or having the pleasure of shocking peoples for amusement.
Animal abuse does not just stop at the stereotypical starving of domestic animals, but continues on to negative actions such as puppy mills, farm animal cruelty, cockfighting, animal hoarding, and tethering.
One treatment of dogs and cats that animal rights organizations have observed is that of puppy mills. A puppy mill is described as “a commercial dog breeding facility that is operated with an emphasis upon profits above animal welfare and is often in substandard conditions regarding the well-being of dogs in their care.” In addition to the substandard conditions that these animals are raised in before shipment to pet stores abroad, they are at high risk of developing respiratory ailments and pneumonia, as well as hereditary defects such as hip dysplasia. Furthermore, mill dogs are more prone to have problems with their temperament. The strange thing with these mills is that organizations with animal rights are mostly powerless in their attempt to reform the living conditions of the animals being bred.
Animal Hoarding is kind of similar to puppy mills in the fact that domestic animals are housed in large quantities. The only difference is that hoarded animals are not bred but kept in a single living quarter without proper car from their owner. The owners of such animals, hoarders, are deeply attached to their pets and find it extremely difficult to let the pets go. As an online source stated,”They typically cannot comprehend that they are harming their pets by failing to provide them with proper care. Hoarders tend to believe that they provide the right amount of care for their pets.” Such blind overly-loving zealots are typically older adults, mostly senior citizens, who have lost a spouse and therefore have transferred their love to the second most important thing in their life-pets.
There are different forms of animal abuse out there and they carry payments ranging from jail sentences to huge fines. Do your part in fighting against such ill-treatment of animals by being a strong voice in your community. Groups such as the ASPCA, Animal defense League, and In Defense of Animals are there waiting for your call. Each one of us can make a difference one animal at a time. (1070wd, mark)