Animal Cruelty Cases
The shocking number of cruelty cases reported daily in the media is only the tip of the iceberg. Most cases are never reported, and most animal suffering goes unrecognized and unabated.
Although there is no national reporting system for animal abuse, media reports suggest that it is common in rural and urban areas. Cruelty and neglect can also cross socio-economic boundaries.
Based on media reports, we can review animal cruelty in terms of:
Most common victims
Horses
Livestock
Domestic violence
Legislative trends
Unless otherwise noted, the following statistics are compiled from pet-abuse.com.
Most Common Victims
In media-reported animal cruelty cases, dogs—and pit bull-type dogs, in particular—are the most common victims …show more content…
*some cases involved multiple species
Horses
•According to the American Horse Council, Americans own more than 9 million horses, up from more than 6 million in the mid-1990s. Backyard breeding fueled the boom in pet horses. Of the more than 2 million Americans who own horses, more than one-third have a household income of less than $50,000. [1]
•Neither the total number of horse neglect cases nor the percentage of total animal abuse cases classified as horse neglect has risen since the closure of all U.S. horse slaughter plants.
Livestock
As HSUS investigations into slaughterhouses and cattle auctions have revealed, animal abuse abounds in the factory farm industry. Despite increased feed prices, we found no indication in the news media that the number of livestock neglect cases is increasing, other than a few shocking, high-profile cases. This may, however, simply be a reflection of the weak protections afforded to livestock under state animal cruelty …show more content…
The HSUS estimates that nearly 1 million animals a year are abused or killed in connection with domestic violence.
Statistics:
•About 2,168,000 women and men are physically assaulted by an intimate partner in the U.S. every year (U.S. Department of Justice, 2000).
•63% of U.S. households own a pet (APPMA, 2006).
•71% of domestic violence victims report that their abuser also targeted their animal (Ascione, 1997).
•In 2007, 7% of media-reported animal cruelty cases either occured in the context of a domestic dispute or involved a person with a history of domestic violence.
Legislative Trends
•47 states currently have felony provisions for animal cruelty. (Those without are Idaho, North Dakota, and South Dakota.)
•Before 1986, only four states had felony animal cruelty laws.
•42 of the 47 state felony animal cruelty laws were enacted in the last three decades: 13 were enacted between 1986 and 1996, and 28 more were enacted between 1997 and
Although there is no national reporting system for animal abuse, media reports suggest that it is common in rural and urban areas. Cruelty and neglect can also cross socio-economic boundaries.
Based on media reports, we can review animal cruelty in terms of:
Most common victims
Horses
Livestock
Domestic violence
Legislative trends
Unless otherwise noted, the following statistics are compiled from pet-abuse.com.
Most Common Victims
In media-reported animal cruelty cases, dogs—and pit bull-type dogs, in particular—are the most common victims …show more content…
*some cases involved multiple species
Horses
•According to the American Horse Council, Americans own more than 9 million horses, up from more than 6 million in the mid-1990s. Backyard breeding fueled the boom in pet horses. Of the more than 2 million Americans who own horses, more than one-third have a household income of less than $50,000. [1]
•Neither the total number of horse neglect cases nor the percentage of total animal abuse cases classified as horse neglect has risen since the closure of all U.S. horse slaughter plants.
Livestock
As HSUS investigations into slaughterhouses and cattle auctions have revealed, animal abuse abounds in the factory farm industry. Despite increased feed prices, we found no indication in the news media that the number of livestock neglect cases is increasing, other than a few shocking, high-profile cases. This may, however, simply be a reflection of the weak protections afforded to livestock under state animal cruelty …show more content…
The HSUS estimates that nearly 1 million animals a year are abused or killed in connection with domestic violence.
Statistics:
•About 2,168,000 women and men are physically assaulted by an intimate partner in the U.S. every year (U.S. Department of Justice, 2000).
•63% of U.S. households own a pet (APPMA, 2006).
•71% of domestic violence victims report that their abuser also targeted their animal (Ascione, 1997).
•In 2007, 7% of media-reported animal cruelty cases either occured in the context of a domestic dispute or involved a person with a history of domestic violence.
Legislative Trends
•47 states currently have felony provisions for animal cruelty. (Those without are Idaho, North Dakota, and South Dakota.)
•Before 1986, only four states had felony animal cruelty laws.
•42 of the 47 state felony animal cruelty laws were enacted in the last three decades: 13 were enacted between 1986 and 1996, and 28 more were enacted between 1997 and