“ We need, in a special way, to work twice as hard to help people understand that the animals are fellow creatures, that we must protect them and love them as we love ourselves.”(Cesar Chavez). Animal abuse is when someone hurts an animal or does not care for it responsibly. The average number of animal abuse or cruelty cases reported in the media each year is 1,920. One solution to animal abuse is teaching children to have compassion and empathy towards their furry, feathered, and finned friends.

It is against the law to be cruel to or harm animals. Animal abuse can have drastic affects on society. For example, stray and abandoned pets can breed feral animals. Feral animals look domestic, but were raised without human contact. They prey on small animals and birds. According to National Geographic News, more than 70 million feral cats in the United States kill hundreds of millions of birds and over a billion small animals each year. People who abuse animals often lead to participating in violent situations. According to HSUS, “Seventy-one percent of domestic violence victims will bring to attention that their abuser also targeted their animal.” People who partake in animal cruelty are often lonely or antisocial. The American Psychiatric Association says that physical cruelty to animals is a symptom of a mental disorder. This can lead to antisocial or solitary behavior.

One solution to animal abuse is to teach children how to properly treat animals while they are still young. Children that are raised with animals are more likely to treat those who are different from them with kindness and compassion. According to the National PTA Congress, “Children trained to extend justice, kindness, and mercy to animals become more just, kind, and considerate in their relations to each other.” People that grow up with animals are also less likely to be violent with people. FBI profilers, psychiatric professionals, law enforcement officials, and child advocacy organizations all say that people who hurt animals may eventually direct violence toward humans. Albert deSalvo, the Boston Strangler, was found guilty of killing 13 women. As a child, he shot arrows through dogs and cats he had trapped. Owning a pet as a child can also increase their confidence and teach them about responsibility. Kids can gain confidence by having the responsibility of caring for a pet. Children as young as three years old can manage simple tasks such as filling the pet’s water and food bowls. As they get older, they can also groom and walk their pet.

Animal abuse is when someone hurts an animal or does not care for an animal responsibility. It is against the law to be cruel or to neglect an animal, even if it is your own pet. One solution to this problem is to teach children how to treat animals properly while they are still young. This is important because they will show compassion and love towards animals. As adults, they will treat those who are different with respect and empathy. I would like the future president to make animal abuse illegal. In most jurisdictions, animal cruelty is most commonly charged as a misdemeanor offence. I want this to change and be completely against the law.