Animal Abuse and Neglect

Animal Abuse and Neglect

Helping Out Our Furry Friends

A prevalent issue in our society, and one that is commonly overlooked, is the abuse and neglect of animals. Every day, countless animals are being neglected or abused without any way for them to speak for themselves. These helpless animals suffer from starvation, deprivation of shelter, anxiety, physical injuries, illnesses, and even death. Additionally, the occurrence of animal abuse in a household can be strong indicators of other problems including abuse of children and spouses (Carlisle-Frank, & Flanagan, 2006). While this serious issue is far from being resolved, progress is being made thanks to animal rights activists and non-profit organizations such as the Humane Society and the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA). By supporting their efforts, solutions can be found to put an end to the abuse of innocent animals.

In today’s society, more American households have pets than have children (American Humane Association, 2013). A major factor in this is the animal’s ability to bring us joy. In return for the joy that a pet brings to one’s life, an animal merely expects proper shelter, adequate food, and some attention in return. In fact, an animal confined to a home depends on their human companions to provide these necessities for them. Unfortunately, this is not always the case. So why is animal abuse and neglect such an issue? One reason is because the animal lacks the ability to properly defend itself. Additionally, the issue of animal cruelty is not one that is taken seriously by all of American society. While each city or state documents countless incidents of abuse and neglect each year, there is no official national database for recording animal abuse cases (American Humane Association, 2013). This further indicates our nation’s overall lack of concern about the grim issue of violence and neglect towards animals. Furthermore, many cases each year...