Animal abuse

Nothing justifies animal cruelty

It is gut wrenching, unconscionable and plain wrong. There simply is no acceptable explanation that can justify any kind of animal abuse, yet, day after day we hear through the media that many loving pets are mistreated, or worse, ended up being killed.
Animal cruelty covers a wide range of actions, or lack thereof, and the reasoning or justification used by the abusers varies extensively. Passive cruelty is characterized by neglect such as malnutrition, dehydration, severely overgrown nails, or parasitic infestations. Also is it abusive to allow an animal's tight collar to grow into its skin. Like humans, animals need adequate shelter, especially during extreme weather conditions, and it is also wrong not to seek veterinary care when an animal needs medical attention, because of illness or injury.
Leaving dogs chained in the yard without access to food and water is a neglectful act. In this, and some other mild cases, educating the pet owner may be enough to stop the cruelty as the abuse may be the result of ignorance or stupidity. If it is not, the pet owner should face criminal charges. Also, in severe cases, the exigent circumstances may require that the suffering animal be removed from its home immediately; it may need urgent medical attention.
When it comes to active cruelty, malicious intent is implied. In these situations, a person intentionally causes harm to an animal. Deliberate cruelty is often extremely disturbing and one has to consider that the abuser may have serious psychological problems. These disturbed individuals may perform acts like, shelter animals in deplorable conditions, extreme starvation, and deadly animal fights for sport. Some hardhearted people will beat, kick, hit or physically abuse animals, or have them crammed into tiny cages in overcrowded conditions. Others will even slowly poison their pet, or leave tumors and other illnesses purposely untreated to see their effects on the animal.
People who are cruel to animals commonly have psychological or emotional problems. They cannot deal with their personal issues, so find other means to alleviate their frustration, such as animal cruelty. Many times an abusive parent or domestic partner may threaten to kill a household pet to intimidate family members, even force them to engage in sexual acts. These criminals flex their power and make it clear that if the blackmailed victims reveal previous torture or current abuse, their pets will die. Perpetrators of animal brutality will also portray themselves frequently as compassionate animal lovers and respected members of the community. They cleverly hide their mistreated pets behind closed doors, or secretly operate puppy mills in their backyard barn.
There are signs and symptoms that can be observed in most abused animals. Watch out for wounds on the body and patches of missing hair. The animal appears extremely thin and starved, is limping, has scars and bruises, or seems tick or flea infested. Other indicators may be dirty, matted, and smelly fur, as well as people-shy animals, or pets who appear to be afraid of their owner. Animal abuse is a felony and should be reported to the authorities. Please, set a good example for your children and others, and help prevent animal cruelty.

By: Irida Sangemino