Animal Cruelty: Its Background and Effects
Animal Cruelty: Its Background and Effects
Javier Torresdey
University of Texas at El
Paso
CRN: 28290
March 5, 2013
Abstract
Animal
abuse is widely perpetrated within the United States and other countries, and
is a problem that can only be solved by acquiring a better understanding of
what it entails. In addition to becoming familiar with the definitions of
animal abuse, it is also necessary to explore the various potential causes that
lead a human to commit a cruel act towards a companion animal, such as a
history of child and domestic abuse. While the people that exhibit these
behaviors of violence and neglect towards animals must be analyzed and, if
necessary, medically diagnosed, they must also be held accountable for their
actions, which is done by certain laws and regulations that attempt to prevent
animal abuse. In this way, the harmful effects of animal cruelty can be
lessened and halted.
Animal Cruelty: Its Background and
Effects
Cruelty
to animals is a universal issue that is guaranteed to provoke an immediate, gut
response from whichever audience is discussing it. It immediately brings to mind
the famous commercials that no television viewer can stand to watch, where
countless mistreated animals stare into the camera with an almost-human pain on
their faces. Unfortunately, it also brings to mind the long history that animal
cruelty has had in the United States, as well as other countries, which is sadly
only continuing to add chapters to itself. There are many sides to this issue,
but the truth is that it remains an area where action should be taken to
decrease this problem. Also, there are several aspects of this issue that must
be researched more in depth in order to completely assess the problem, including
the causes of animal cruelty. This essay will discuss various points pertaining
to animal abuse, including but not limited to a general background of animal
cruelty, some examples of past cases, and an assessment of current laws
attempting to control and reduce animal abuse. It will also include several
findings from primary research, which will be incorporated into the essay as a
whole. These points are sorted into various research questions in order to
better organize the progression of the essay, listed as
follows:
What is considered animal cruelty?
What causes animal cruelty?
What legislative measures regulate animal
cruelty?
What effect(s) does animal cruelty have on
society?
By
the end of this essay, the reader will have acquired a general understanding of
animal cruelty, its causes, and its effects on society as a
whole.
What is considered animal
cruelty?
Most people already have an idea of what animal abuse is, but their idea
of this concept is sometimes vague or somewhat uninformed. More often than not,
animal abuse is one of those issues that falls into the “I’ll know it when I see
it” category. However, as with any areas of knowledge, the clearer the
understanding that a person has of a specific issue, the better equipped they
are to express their opinions and form an opinion for themselves. On this note,
the article People and Animals, Kindness
and Cruelty: Research Directions and Policy Implications, which was
published in the Journal of Social
Issues, defines animal abuse as “nonaccidental, socially unacceptable
behavior that causes pain, suffering or
distress to and/or the death of an animal” (Ascione & Shapiro, 2009)
(pg.3).
Figure
1.
Caged circus lion. This figure illustrates the inhumane conditions circus
animals live in.
Often animal cruelty is mixed into what seem like everyday occurrences of
our society. For example, when a person thinks about abuse of animals, they
usually focus on extremes. They conjure up an image of a severely malnourished
household pet and consider animal abuse to be a rare and abnormal act. In
reality, however, events such as rodeos, dog races, and even something which is
considered to be especially family-friendly, such as a circus, incorporate
animal abuse into their proceedings. According to Gonzalo Castillo, a local
horse trainer whose animals sometimes participate in rodeos,
“Sometimes
we have to shock the horses with more electricity than we probably should use,
just to make sure they stay focused. We have to make sure they put on a good
show...[It is] not the nicest thing to do to the horses, but it’s just something
that everybody does. We don’t let the audience see, but it’s rare to see
somebody that doesn’t shock their horse” (G. Castillo, personal communication,
March 30, 2013).
What causes animal
cruelty?
There
are many possible reasons why the owner or caretaker of an animal resorts to
cruelty, and some of these remain unknown. There are several recurring themes
that often crop up when analyzing the behavior of animal abusers, however, that
make it easier to investigate the causes of this abuse. Two of these common
themes seem to appear in most cases where a person is abusing an animal. Both
have to do with a person’s state of mental health. The first is a history of
child abuse, and the second is a pattern of domestic violence. The third theme
does not deal so much with personal circumstances, but more with the current
mindset of society that views humans as the undisputed ruler of the animal
kingdom.
Often when people are convicted of
animal abuse, upon further investigation into their past, it is discovered that
they suffered abuse as children. After being unable to defend themselves and
feeling powerless against their abusers for so long, the anger that child abuse
victims have left over from their childhoods tends to manifest itself in harmful
behavior directed at other people and especially at animals (Ascione &
Shapiro, 2009).
Since
some sufferers of child abuse are left with feelings of inferiority for many
years after their abuse ends, when they violently demonstrate their superiority
to animals, they are able to prove to themselves that, at the very least, they
are dominant over those animals (Ascione, F. R., Robustelli, F., & Pagani,
C., 2010). Depending on the individual, these behaviors can manifest either in a
subconscious way, or a very deliberate manner. While other humans could fight
back and resist these actions, animals are left without a choice. If nothing
else, they are an easy target.
The
presence of domestic violence is also a warning sign that animal abuse is
occurring in a household. Unfortunately, it is only to be expected that a person
who does not have any mental impediments towards abusing his or her spouse or
children will not hesitate to also abuse their pet. In other words,
“Dysfunctional
family systems often include animal abuse as well as spousal, child, and elder
abuse” (Ascione
& Shapiro, 2009). People that initiate violence in their homes are usually
frustrated and, as in the case of child abuse victims, have unresolved feelings
of inadequacy, which they take out on their family and pets. To make matters
worse, this behavior creates a cycle of cruelty, as children who witness or are
victims of domestic abuse (as well as animal abuse) are more likely to grow up
to abuse their own families and pets.
The
third point that causes animal cruelty is the extreme way that the idea of human
supremity has been inculcated into people’s minds. Instead of having a worldview
where different species depend on each other to fully function and carry out
their lives, which is the way that environments actually operate, society has
created a viewpoint that idolizes humans (Arluke, 2006). This causes people to
believe that they are superior to all other animals and are therefore free to
behave in whatever way they choose towards other species that are supposedly
inferior. While this idea is not just specific to the area of animal cruelty,
and it can also be seen when environmental or cultural issues are concerned, it
is made especially obvious when a pet owner feels entitled to abuse an animal
because he or she considers themselves to be superior. It does not occur to them
that, as the more powerful species, humans should instead feel obligated to take
responsibility for the well-being of their pets.
What
laws currently regulate animal
cruelty?
One of the first areas that people turn to when they are confronted with
a serious ethical issue is the law. Even though they may have many opinions and
actions they hope to accomplish concerning animal cruelty, one person only holds
so much power when it comes to influencing large-scale changes. For this reason,
there exist what are considered umbrella laws, under
which
most regulations of animal abuse are gathered. Two of these are the Animal
Welfare Act and the Twenty-Eight Hour Act of 1877. In addition to this, each
separate state inside the United States has its own laws that control and
punish cruelty to animals. Countries different from the United States also have
their own regulations.
The Animal Welfare Act (AWA) was first established in 1966 after a series
of articles appeared in the magazines Life and Sports
Illustrated. These writings described the methods of animal experimentation
that were occurring at the time. The descriptions of these methods were very
graphic and explained the procedures used to conduct medical research on dogs.
When public reaction called for action to be taken against the companies doing
this research, Congress passed the Laboratory Animal Welfare Act, which has been
modified into the modern AWA. This piece of legislation continues to change
according to new developments in animal experimentation, medical testing, and
cloning. As well as dealing with these issues, the United States Department of
Agriculture states that the Animal Welfare Act also regulates the
“transportation, sale, and handling of certain animals” (2010). Although the AWA
tends to focus more on consequences of animal testing than household animal
abuse, it is a fundamental law used in order to control the cruel treatment of
animals.
In contrast to the Animal Welfare Act and its focus on medical research
and testing on animals, the Twenty-Eight Hour Act of 1877 was written
specifically for animals being transported over state lines. The act states that
animals being transported by any means of land travel cannot be moved for more
than twenty-eight consecutive hours without being taken out of their confinement
to rest and receive food. Several exceptions have been added when lawmakers saw
something that needed to be addressed. For example, the twenty-eight hour
confinement period may be extended when written permission is given by the
animals’ owner, when travel is
delayed
due to unforeseen circumstances, or when the transportation occurs at
night.
Laws
that are passed on a state-by-state basis tend to vary more in their strictness
on defining and punishing animal cruelty. Depending on the nature of the animal
cruelty, abusers may be charged in either a civil or criminal case. The
different punishments handed out when a person has been convicted in a civil
case of cruelty are usually not as harsh as those given in a criminal case.
Civil case punishments can include having to pay a fine or releasing ownership
of the animal that was abused. However, not only do criminal case punishments
include fines, but on top of this people can face time in jail.
Texas state law punishes cruel treatment to animals with legal action,
and, as published on the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals of
Texas website, defines the following charges as
cruel:
“Torturing an animal, failing to provide food, care or shelter,
abandoning an animal
transporting
or confining an animal in a cruel manner, killing, seriously injuring or
poisoning an animal, causing an animal to fight with another, using a live
animal as a lure in a dog race, tripping a horse, injuring an animal belonging
to another person, [or] seriously overworking an animal”
(2013).
This
list of punishable behavior proves that what is sometimes considered normal or
acceptable behavior towards animals is actually abuse, and could potentially
merit a jail sentence if discovered. The existence of a gray area in
determining if an action is abusive or not is especially obvious when animals
are used for business purposes, for example, in environments such as rodeos and
races. This information relates back to the interview with Gonzalo Castillo
documented in the previous section, and makes it obvious that a more vigilant
observation of the
people
that train, transport, handle, and display animals is necessary in order to
prevent animal
abuse.
International animal cruelty laws are usually stricter than American
laws. In general, these regulations consider a pet to have more value than those
in the United States. For example, Europeans tend to think of companion animals
as more than just a piece of property or something to entertain them. Instead,
pets in Europe are given more of their own rights and are treated in a way that
is closer to a human than a toy (Miller, 2008). European laws also give humans a
larger role in taking responsibility for their pets, and ensure that animals are
not placed in the care of someone who is unable to properly care for them. These
laws are grouped together in documents such as the European Convention for the
Protection of Pet Animals (1987), which states that citizens of countries that
agree to abide by this treaty will not “cause a pet unnecessary pain, suffering,
or distress...it provides that no one shall abandon a pet animal.” Other
international laws that control the issue of animal cruelty include The Federal
Act on Animal Protection and The Animal Welfare Ordinance, which were both
passed in Sweden, as well as the Norwegian Animal Welfare Act and the German
Animal Welfare Act.
Legal consequences are not the only objects that are put into place to
stop animal abuse. Free of the government’s help, citizens have independently
grouped together into organizations that fight to put an end to animal cruelty.
One of the most famous of these organizations is the American Society for the
Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, more commonly known as the ASPCA. According to
the official ASPCA website, the mission of this group is to “provide effective
means for the prevention of cruelty to animals throughout the United States”
(2013). It has been campaigning for the end of animal abuse since 1866 and
lobbies to pass legislation that will help their cause. The ASPCA also works
closely with animal rescue
shelters
to ensure that the animals housed there are not euthanized or given to people
that will continue to harm them. Another organization whose name is commonly
heard whenever animal abuse appears in the news is PETA, which stands for
People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals. They are well-known for using
outrageous measures to draw media attention to the issue of animal
cruelty.
What
effect does animal cruelty have on
society?
The most obvious effect of animal cruelty, and one that cannot be
disputed, is animal suffering. Millions of animals are hurt, tortured, and
killed every year in the United States alone. However, there are also other
complex issues that animal abuse causes. One of these is that animals become
more aggressive after they experience cruelty. This creates a cycle similar to
that which occurs in people when they suffer abuse. Just as an abused person has
a higher probability of creating domestic violence in their homes, so an abused
animal is more likely to lash out at the people around it. Another effect of
animal cruelty is a more apathetic society. With each incidence of animal abuse
that people witness, they become more desensitized to watching the suffering
taking place in front of them. They also become more violent when they see so
many occurrences of violence that become normal to them after so much
exposure.
Conclusion
Cruelty
towards animals is an issue that has different definitions to different people;
however, one thing society largely agrees on is the need to eradicate it. The
process of ending animal cruelty will be made easier because of new research, in
which scientists have found connections between childhood abuse, domestic
violence, and animal cruelty. It is necessary for these scientists to work
together with the legal system to enforce regulations against animal abuse, such
as the Animal Welfare Act and the European Convention for the Protection of Pet
Animals. Ultimately, these laws will be able to lessen the effects of animal
abuse on society, such as increased
violence.
References
Arluke, A. (2006). Just
a dog: Understanding animal cruelty and ourselves. Philadelphia:
Temple
University Press. American
Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. About
Us. (n.d.) Retrieved from http://www.aspca.org/About-Us
Ascione, F. R., & Shapiro, K. (2009). People and Animals, Kindness and Cruelty:
Research Directions and Policy Implications. Journal of
Social Issues, 65. Retrieved from https://www.zotero.org/megan.fitzgibbons/items/itemKey/TT26SSFP
Ascione,
F. R., Robustelli, F., & Pagani, C. (2010). Investigating Animal Abuse: Some Theoretical and Methodological Issues. Anthrozoos,
23. Retrieved from http://web.ebscohost.com/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?sid=e56505eb-6f45-4ad2-899b-aa482e962b04%40sessionmgr104&vid=2&hid=126
European
Convention for the Protection of Pet Animals. (1987, November 13). Retrieved from http://conventions.coe.int/Treaty/en/Treaties/Html/125.htm
Miller,
D. A. (2008). The rights of
animals. San Diego: Greenhaven Press.
Society
for the Prevention of Animal Cruelty of Texas. Texas
animal cruelty laws. (n.d.) Retrieved from http://www.spca.org/page.aspx?pid=316
[Untitled
photograph of a caged lion]. Retrieved March 30, 2013, from:
http://www.greenprophet.com/2010/01/lebanese-circus-animal/
Javier Torresdey
University of Texas at El
Paso
CRN: 28290
March 5, 2013
Abstract
Animal
abuse is widely perpetrated within the United States and other countries, and
is a problem that can only be solved by acquiring a better understanding of
what it entails. In addition to becoming familiar with the definitions of
animal abuse, it is also necessary to explore the various potential causes that
lead a human to commit a cruel act towards a companion animal, such as a
history of child and domestic abuse. While the people that exhibit these
behaviors of violence and neglect towards animals must be analyzed and, if
necessary, medically diagnosed, they must also be held accountable for their
actions, which is done by certain laws and regulations that attempt to prevent
animal abuse. In this way, the harmful effects of animal cruelty can be
lessened and halted.
Animal Cruelty: Its Background and
Effects
Cruelty
to animals is a universal issue that is guaranteed to provoke an immediate, gut
response from whichever audience is discussing it. It immediately brings to mind
the famous commercials that no television viewer can stand to watch, where
countless mistreated animals stare into the camera with an almost-human pain on
their faces. Unfortunately, it also brings to mind the long history that animal
cruelty has had in the United States, as well as other countries, which is sadly
only continuing to add chapters to itself. There are many sides to this issue,
but the truth is that it remains an area where action should be taken to
decrease this problem. Also, there are several aspects of this issue that must
be researched more in depth in order to completely assess the problem, including
the causes of animal cruelty. This essay will discuss various points pertaining
to animal abuse, including but not limited to a general background of animal
cruelty, some examples of past cases, and an assessment of current laws
attempting to control and reduce animal abuse. It will also include several
findings from primary research, which will be incorporated into the essay as a
whole. These points are sorted into various research questions in order to
better organize the progression of the essay, listed as
follows:
What is considered animal cruelty?
What causes animal cruelty?
What legislative measures regulate animal
cruelty?
What effect(s) does animal cruelty have on
society?
By
the end of this essay, the reader will have acquired a general understanding of
animal cruelty, its causes, and its effects on society as a
whole.
What is considered animal
cruelty?
Most people already have an idea of what animal abuse is, but their idea
of this concept is sometimes vague or somewhat uninformed. More often than not,
animal abuse is one of those issues that falls into the “I’ll know it when I see
it” category. However, as with any areas of knowledge, the clearer the
understanding that a person has of a specific issue, the better equipped they
are to express their opinions and form an opinion for themselves. On this note,
the article People and Animals, Kindness
and Cruelty: Research Directions and Policy Implications, which was
published in the Journal of Social
Issues, defines animal abuse as “nonaccidental, socially unacceptable
behavior that causes pain, suffering or
distress to and/or the death of an animal” (Ascione & Shapiro, 2009)
(pg.3).
Figure
1.
Caged circus lion. This figure illustrates the inhumane conditions circus
animals live in.
Often animal cruelty is mixed into what seem like everyday occurrences of
our society. For example, when a person thinks about abuse of animals, they
usually focus on extremes. They conjure up an image of a severely malnourished
household pet and consider animal abuse to be a rare and abnormal act. In
reality, however, events such as rodeos, dog races, and even something which is
considered to be especially family-friendly, such as a circus, incorporate
animal abuse into their proceedings. According to Gonzalo Castillo, a local
horse trainer whose animals sometimes participate in rodeos,
“Sometimes
we have to shock the horses with more electricity than we probably should use,
just to make sure they stay focused. We have to make sure they put on a good
show...[It is] not the nicest thing to do to the horses, but it’s just something
that everybody does. We don’t let the audience see, but it’s rare to see
somebody that doesn’t shock their horse” (G. Castillo, personal communication,
March 30, 2013).
What causes animal
cruelty?
There
are many possible reasons why the owner or caretaker of an animal resorts to
cruelty, and some of these remain unknown. There are several recurring themes
that often crop up when analyzing the behavior of animal abusers, however, that
make it easier to investigate the causes of this abuse. Two of these common
themes seem to appear in most cases where a person is abusing an animal. Both
have to do with a person’s state of mental health. The first is a history of
child abuse, and the second is a pattern of domestic violence. The third theme
does not deal so much with personal circumstances, but more with the current
mindset of society that views humans as the undisputed ruler of the animal
kingdom.
Often when people are convicted of
animal abuse, upon further investigation into their past, it is discovered that
they suffered abuse as children. After being unable to defend themselves and
feeling powerless against their abusers for so long, the anger that child abuse
victims have left over from their childhoods tends to manifest itself in harmful
behavior directed at other people and especially at animals (Ascione &
Shapiro, 2009).
Since
some sufferers of child abuse are left with feelings of inferiority for many
years after their abuse ends, when they violently demonstrate their superiority
to animals, they are able to prove to themselves that, at the very least, they
are dominant over those animals (Ascione, F. R., Robustelli, F., & Pagani,
C., 2010). Depending on the individual, these behaviors can manifest either in a
subconscious way, or a very deliberate manner. While other humans could fight
back and resist these actions, animals are left without a choice. If nothing
else, they are an easy target.
The
presence of domestic violence is also a warning sign that animal abuse is
occurring in a household. Unfortunately, it is only to be expected that a person
who does not have any mental impediments towards abusing his or her spouse or
children will not hesitate to also abuse their pet. In other words,
“Dysfunctional
family systems often include animal abuse as well as spousal, child, and elder
abuse” (Ascione
& Shapiro, 2009). People that initiate violence in their homes are usually
frustrated and, as in the case of child abuse victims, have unresolved feelings
of inadequacy, which they take out on their family and pets. To make matters
worse, this behavior creates a cycle of cruelty, as children who witness or are
victims of domestic abuse (as well as animal abuse) are more likely to grow up
to abuse their own families and pets.
The
third point that causes animal cruelty is the extreme way that the idea of human
supremity has been inculcated into people’s minds. Instead of having a worldview
where different species depend on each other to fully function and carry out
their lives, which is the way that environments actually operate, society has
created a viewpoint that idolizes humans (Arluke, 2006). This causes people to
believe that they are superior to all other animals and are therefore free to
behave in whatever way they choose towards other species that are supposedly
inferior. While this idea is not just specific to the area of animal cruelty,
and it can also be seen when environmental or cultural issues are concerned, it
is made especially obvious when a pet owner feels entitled to abuse an animal
because he or she considers themselves to be superior. It does not occur to them
that, as the more powerful species, humans should instead feel obligated to take
responsibility for the well-being of their pets.
What
laws currently regulate animal
cruelty?
One of the first areas that people turn to when they are confronted with
a serious ethical issue is the law. Even though they may have many opinions and
actions they hope to accomplish concerning animal cruelty, one person only holds
so much power when it comes to influencing large-scale changes. For this reason,
there exist what are considered umbrella laws, under
which
most regulations of animal abuse are gathered. Two of these are the Animal
Welfare Act and the Twenty-Eight Hour Act of 1877. In addition to this, each
separate state inside the United States has its own laws that control and
punish cruelty to animals. Countries different from the United States also have
their own regulations.
The Animal Welfare Act (AWA) was first established in 1966 after a series
of articles appeared in the magazines Life and Sports
Illustrated. These writings described the methods of animal experimentation
that were occurring at the time. The descriptions of these methods were very
graphic and explained the procedures used to conduct medical research on dogs.
When public reaction called for action to be taken against the companies doing
this research, Congress passed the Laboratory Animal Welfare Act, which has been
modified into the modern AWA. This piece of legislation continues to change
according to new developments in animal experimentation, medical testing, and
cloning. As well as dealing with these issues, the United States Department of
Agriculture states that the Animal Welfare Act also regulates the
“transportation, sale, and handling of certain animals” (2010). Although the AWA
tends to focus more on consequences of animal testing than household animal
abuse, it is a fundamental law used in order to control the cruel treatment of
animals.
In contrast to the Animal Welfare Act and its focus on medical research
and testing on animals, the Twenty-Eight Hour Act of 1877 was written
specifically for animals being transported over state lines. The act states that
animals being transported by any means of land travel cannot be moved for more
than twenty-eight consecutive hours without being taken out of their confinement
to rest and receive food. Several exceptions have been added when lawmakers saw
something that needed to be addressed. For example, the twenty-eight hour
confinement period may be extended when written permission is given by the
animals’ owner, when travel is
delayed
due to unforeseen circumstances, or when the transportation occurs at
night.
Laws
that are passed on a state-by-state basis tend to vary more in their strictness
on defining and punishing animal cruelty. Depending on the nature of the animal
cruelty, abusers may be charged in either a civil or criminal case. The
different punishments handed out when a person has been convicted in a civil
case of cruelty are usually not as harsh as those given in a criminal case.
Civil case punishments can include having to pay a fine or releasing ownership
of the animal that was abused. However, not only do criminal case punishments
include fines, but on top of this people can face time in jail.
Texas state law punishes cruel treatment to animals with legal action,
and, as published on the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals of
Texas website, defines the following charges as
cruel:
“Torturing an animal, failing to provide food, care or shelter,
abandoning an animal
transporting
or confining an animal in a cruel manner, killing, seriously injuring or
poisoning an animal, causing an animal to fight with another, using a live
animal as a lure in a dog race, tripping a horse, injuring an animal belonging
to another person, [or] seriously overworking an animal”
(2013).
This
list of punishable behavior proves that what is sometimes considered normal or
acceptable behavior towards animals is actually abuse, and could potentially
merit a jail sentence if discovered. The existence of a gray area in
determining if an action is abusive or not is especially obvious when animals
are used for business purposes, for example, in environments such as rodeos and
races. This information relates back to the interview with Gonzalo Castillo
documented in the previous section, and makes it obvious that a more vigilant
observation of the
people
that train, transport, handle, and display animals is necessary in order to
prevent animal
abuse.
International animal cruelty laws are usually stricter than American
laws. In general, these regulations consider a pet to have more value than those
in the United States. For example, Europeans tend to think of companion animals
as more than just a piece of property or something to entertain them. Instead,
pets in Europe are given more of their own rights and are treated in a way that
is closer to a human than a toy (Miller, 2008). European laws also give humans a
larger role in taking responsibility for their pets, and ensure that animals are
not placed in the care of someone who is unable to properly care for them. These
laws are grouped together in documents such as the European Convention for the
Protection of Pet Animals (1987), which states that citizens of countries that
agree to abide by this treaty will not “cause a pet unnecessary pain, suffering,
or distress...it provides that no one shall abandon a pet animal.” Other
international laws that control the issue of animal cruelty include The Federal
Act on Animal Protection and The Animal Welfare Ordinance, which were both
passed in Sweden, as well as the Norwegian Animal Welfare Act and the German
Animal Welfare Act.
Legal consequences are not the only objects that are put into place to
stop animal abuse. Free of the government’s help, citizens have independently
grouped together into organizations that fight to put an end to animal cruelty.
One of the most famous of these organizations is the American Society for the
Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, more commonly known as the ASPCA. According to
the official ASPCA website, the mission of this group is to “provide effective
means for the prevention of cruelty to animals throughout the United States”
(2013). It has been campaigning for the end of animal abuse since 1866 and
lobbies to pass legislation that will help their cause. The ASPCA also works
closely with animal rescue
shelters
to ensure that the animals housed there are not euthanized or given to people
that will continue to harm them. Another organization whose name is commonly
heard whenever animal abuse appears in the news is PETA, which stands for
People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals. They are well-known for using
outrageous measures to draw media attention to the issue of animal
cruelty.
What
effect does animal cruelty have on
society?
The most obvious effect of animal cruelty, and one that cannot be
disputed, is animal suffering. Millions of animals are hurt, tortured, and
killed every year in the United States alone. However, there are also other
complex issues that animal abuse causes. One of these is that animals become
more aggressive after they experience cruelty. This creates a cycle similar to
that which occurs in people when they suffer abuse. Just as an abused person has
a higher probability of creating domestic violence in their homes, so an abused
animal is more likely to lash out at the people around it. Another effect of
animal cruelty is a more apathetic society. With each incidence of animal abuse
that people witness, they become more desensitized to watching the suffering
taking place in front of them. They also become more violent when they see so
many occurrences of violence that become normal to them after so much
exposure.
Conclusion
Cruelty
towards animals is an issue that has different definitions to different people;
however, one thing society largely agrees on is the need to eradicate it. The
process of ending animal cruelty will be made easier because of new research, in
which scientists have found connections between childhood abuse, domestic
violence, and animal cruelty. It is necessary for these scientists to work
together with the legal system to enforce regulations against animal abuse, such
as the Animal Welfare Act and the European Convention for the Protection of Pet
Animals. Ultimately, these laws will be able to lessen the effects of animal
abuse on society, such as increased
violence.
References
Arluke, A. (2006). Just
a dog: Understanding animal cruelty and ourselves. Philadelphia:
Temple
University Press. American
Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. About
Us. (n.d.) Retrieved from http://www.aspca.org/About-Us
Ascione, F. R., & Shapiro, K. (2009). People and Animals, Kindness and Cruelty:
Research Directions and Policy Implications. Journal of
Social Issues, 65. Retrieved from https://www.zotero.org/megan.fitzgibbons/items/itemKey/TT26SSFP
Ascione,
F. R., Robustelli, F., & Pagani, C. (2010). Investigating Animal Abuse: Some Theoretical and Methodological Issues. Anthrozoos,
23. Retrieved from http://web.ebscohost.com/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?sid=e56505eb-6f45-4ad2-899b-aa482e962b04%40sessionmgr104&vid=2&hid=126
European
Convention for the Protection of Pet Animals. (1987, November 13). Retrieved from http://conventions.coe.int/Treaty/en/Treaties/Html/125.htm
Miller,
D. A. (2008). The rights of
animals. San Diego: Greenhaven Press.
Society
for the Prevention of Animal Cruelty of Texas. Texas
animal cruelty laws. (n.d.) Retrieved from http://www.spca.org/page.aspx?pid=316
[Untitled
photograph of a caged lion]. Retrieved March 30, 2013, from:
http://www.greenprophet.com/2010/01/lebanese-circus-animal/