Dear Future President,

Hello, my name is Kate Cusumano. I’m 13 years old and I attend Bernal middle school. I would like to address the problem of animal cruelty in America. Millions of lives are taken every year due to the damage humans have done. Animals do not deserve what humans do to them. They’re helpless and need care, not torture. There are many cruel things humans have done and are doing, like animal testing, factory farming, animal abuse, and hunting sport. I’d like to change these issues, and help make the world a more peaceful and better place by doing so.

The first issue I would like to address is animal testing. Animals are used as objects. How we test on them is cruel and inhumane. Helpless animals are forced to do things we don’t know are even safe. For example, they’re forced to inhale, eat, starve, dehydrate, be restrained, burn, be wounded to test how they heal, and other things which most all require pain. This is pure torture. Studies show that although animals are a lot like us, they are also a lot different from us. Testing on animals isn’t even trusting that the product is safe. We need to help these animals. There must be another solution to testing products. This issue needs your attention because if we do not take a step forward to change now, we may never will.

The next issue is factory farming. This is an issue that I care deeply about, more than any of the other issues because I think it’s the most serious and concerning. Animals are held captive and unable to live the life they were supposed to live due to humans holding them in cages and in tight compact places with other animals. Factory farming is cruel. Humans just use these poor creatures forced to take in chemicals and live in unhealthy environments to take what they give us? Food. And what do we give them in return? Misery and torture. This is so wrong in every single way. Want good, healthy food? I encourage you to make sure America goes organic, and factory farming becomes illegal. It’s not safe or humane for the animals or for humans.

Another problem I would like to inform you of is animal abuse and neglect. Animal cruelty can either be beating or harming them physically, or not caring for them and providing them with food, water and shelter, as well as love. When animals aren’t cared for and hurt by humans, they will be forever damaged. Animals need care and love, as well as respect to survive with humans. They depend on us to provide for them, we can’t just give up on them. They need us. If I were you, I would hire people to go out and check on animals to make sure they’re ok, and make the consequence for abusing animals much worse than it is now.

Lastly, I think hunting for sports is a serious issue. Animals get slaughtered every single year just for sport. This has lead to extinction of animals and has left some species endangered. There is no need for this cruel act, because the sport is just for what people think is “fun.” Now, it’s a different story if you actually need the animal for food, but if you kill an animal just to show off it’s head on your wall, I’d consider checking the studies on animal hunting. Millions of animals are killed every year legally and illegally just for the sport. Millions of lives are taken from their natural habitat, just so people could have their fun.To those who do hunt for sport, think again when you aim your gun, and think of what you’re damaging and taking away from the Earth.. You’re taking a life. I think that you should make the hunting sport illegal. It is unnecessary and very harmful to the Earth and environment.

I really hope you take these issues and highly consider to change them. Help save these dying and suffering animals. They need your help.

Thank you.

Sincerely,

Kate Cusumano