Dear Next President of the United States of America,

I am writing to you in worry on the lack of education and action to ending animal cruelty. I feel as if this is a topic that is not highly advocated for. I wish to take a stand and voice my opinion to you in hopes of moving you to take action about this issue. This issue affects almost everyone across Earth. We are all bystanding an inhumane act and I would like to make a change. Animal cruelty is a serious problem that many people are ignorant to, which furthers the need for a change about the situation.

There are many subcategories to animal cruelty that need different forms of changes. The most common form of animal cruelty is neglect. This is not providing the basic care for a household pet. This may seem minute compared to mutilation or forced fighting, but it can be equally as inhumane. Long, extended periods of neglect can end in a painful, suffering death. People buy a dog or a cat or any other domestic animal and are cruel enough to not feed them, to keep them outside, or keep wounds untreated. Animals are found frozen to death in the winter, suffocated in cars during the summer, and left with nothing but skin and bones from starvation. I urge you to take light of this issue and make a change. Thirty two percent of all The laws do not suffice to protect the animals. They have no voice, you must speak for them. Animals do not deserve the terrible way of life that is brought upon them. Another form of animal neglect is dog fighting. This is when people force dogs to fight each other for the owner’s enjoyment. You must see how this is sickening. This is a felony in America, but it still goes on. Dogs are mauled to death by other dogs because they are forced to. If there is no winner, the dogs are usually shot, beaten or tortured by their owner. Bait animals are used to train the dogs. Those animals are stolen kittens, puppies, rabbits and other innocent animals. Don’t you see how wrong this is? People are defying the law and doing this as a hobby! Further action needs to be taken. You as a President need to use your higher platform to advocate for them, since they cannot for themselves. The last form of animal cruelty isn’t considered animal cruelty. Using animals in a circus should fall under that category considering the inhumane ways it has. The law sets guidelines on how the circus animals are treated, but those rules are not followed. Animals are used for our own entertainment their own expense. It may be fun to watch for some, but the animals are suffering. They are being starved, caged, and beaten. They live almost their whole life in a cage or chained, if not performing. These elephants, tigers, and monkeys did not ask to act or play or do tricks for our amusement. Why do us humans have the right to do such a thing? I ask you to look into this and make it known that the may be fun for viewers, but not for one of the animals out there performing.

There are many studies that correlate animal abuse with domestic violence. A study conducted from 2001 to 2004 by the Chicago Police Department concluded that 65% of the people arrested for animal related crimes, had a previous arrest for violence against another person. You can see how this causes concern. Animal cruelty is a sign of something potentially much worse occurring. During the four year period that seven school shootings occurred from 1997 to 2001, every single shooter had admitted to committing abuse on an animal (By the Time an Animal Hoarding Situation Is Discovered, the Unsanitary Conditions and Lack of Care May Have Killed a Large Number of the Animals and Compromised the Health of Dependent Children or Elders in the Household. "Animal Cruelty and Human Violence." RSS. N.p., n.d. Web. 30 Sept. 2016). Can’t you see how this shows a real threat to humans? If the sympathy for the animals isn’t enough, think about the people that are being affected by the same people that abused the animals.

You must be wondering what you can do to prevent animal abuse since it is already illegal. However, some sentences are unbelievably short considering what the charge is. In Maryland, cruelty to animals is considered a misdemeanor and results in just 30 days of jail time ("Maryland Cruelty to Animals Statutes." MARYLAND CRUELTY TO ANIMALS STATUTES. N.p., n.d. Web. 30 Sept. 2016). The abuser gets a month in jail and the innocent animal gets a lifetime of fear and flinching. My plan I propose to you is to look into the sentencing and fines to animal cruelty. From your perspective, I could see how this is not your top priority, so I am just asking you to scrutinize the laws and see if they are logical and fair. If you feel changes need to be made, it will benefit animals across the world.

Now I have to include that solving these problems will not end all animal cruelty. There are cruel acts upon animals that aren’t illegal. It is a norm to eat animal products. This saddens me because it is instilled in our lives. It’s in makeup, clothes, shoes, nail polish, perfume and thousands of other products. Using a product that has some part of an animal in it is inevitable. I am asking you to make it possible to live a life without hurting animals. I am asking you to be aware that there is more cruelty than we see. I am asking you to not be ignorant. I am asking you to try to make a change. It doesn’t end with neglect, dog fighting, or circuses. To be a great nation, we must be great people. As Mahatma Gandhi said, “The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated”.