What Is Animal Abuse?
What is animal abuse?
August 2, 2010
Comp I
Mr. Smith
Animal abuse has become a very alarming problem across the country in today’s society. Every day, animals are being neglected and abused and it is rapidly growing in our country. Just knowing the signs of animal abuse and neglect can help make a difference to the animals.
Animal abuse or cruelty is the harm, suffering or infliction on an animal for purposes other than self defense. “Animal cruelty can be to deliberately abuse or just simply the failure to take care of the animals that you own” (“animal abuse and”, n.d). Cruelty to an animal can be done in a lot of different ways and can have a lot of different consequences that will follow. There are two types of animal cruelty, passive or omission and active or commission. “The first is Passive cruelty or acts of omission cruelty. Passive cruelty can be described by cases of neglect, where the crime is caused by a lack of action instead of the action itself” (Gianotto, 2001). Some examples would be: “starvation, dehydration, parasite infestation, a collar growing into the skin of the animal, not having proper shelter for the weather conditions, and finally, not seeking veterinary care” (Gianotto, 2001) when the animal is in need of medical attention. Some of these things many may not have been thought of as being forms of cruelty, but they are very true and many people may have been responsible for a couple of these, not knowing that they were hurting the animals. But does that make them an abuser? It certainly does not, if it has only happened once and the situation that the animal is in has changed. To the true activist, this is criminal and very wrong. “ If the investigator of the department feels that the cruelty occurred out of ignorance, they may feel the need to educate the pet owner on the matter, then come back later to see if any improvements were made in the situation”( Gianotto, 2001). There are even times the animal has
August 2, 2010
Comp I
Mr. Smith
Animal abuse has become a very alarming problem across the country in today’s society. Every day, animals are being neglected and abused and it is rapidly growing in our country. Just knowing the signs of animal abuse and neglect can help make a difference to the animals.
Animal abuse or cruelty is the harm, suffering or infliction on an animal for purposes other than self defense. “Animal cruelty can be to deliberately abuse or just simply the failure to take care of the animals that you own” (“animal abuse and”, n.d). Cruelty to an animal can be done in a lot of different ways and can have a lot of different consequences that will follow. There are two types of animal cruelty, passive or omission and active or commission. “The first is Passive cruelty or acts of omission cruelty. Passive cruelty can be described by cases of neglect, where the crime is caused by a lack of action instead of the action itself” (Gianotto, 2001). Some examples would be: “starvation, dehydration, parasite infestation, a collar growing into the skin of the animal, not having proper shelter for the weather conditions, and finally, not seeking veterinary care” (Gianotto, 2001) when the animal is in need of medical attention. Some of these things many may not have been thought of as being forms of cruelty, but they are very true and many people may have been responsible for a couple of these, not knowing that they were hurting the animals. But does that make them an abuser? It certainly does not, if it has only happened once and the situation that the animal is in has changed. To the true activist, this is criminal and very wrong. “ If the investigator of the department feels that the cruelty occurred out of ignorance, they may feel the need to educate the pet owner on the matter, then come back later to see if any improvements were made in the situation”( Gianotto, 2001). There are even times the animal has
References: Animal abuse and neglect. (2010) Retrieved 7 31, 2010, from http://www.humanesociety.org/issues/abuse_neglect/ Animal rights. (2010). In Encyclopedia Britannica. Retrieved July 29, 2010, from Encyclopedia Britannica Online: http//search.eb.com/eb/article-257090 Gianotto, A. (2001). www.pet-abuse.com/pages/animal_cruelty.php. Retrieved 7 31, 2010, from Pet-abuse.com: www.pet-abuse.com/pages/animal_cruelty.php Mercer, I. (2003). WorldNet daily. Retrieved 7 31, 2010, from worldnetdaily.com: norightsforanimals.wnd.com/news/article.asp?article_id35022 Petrinovich, L. (1999). Darwinian, dominion: animal welfare and human interests. Cambridge, Mass, USA. stevecat511. (2002). zootoo.com. Retrieved 7 31, 2010, from zootoo.com: www.zootoo.com/journalsjlegislation/animal crueltyfactsstatisticcan_stevecat511