What is animal cruelty and how can we stop it for good article

Did you know that World Animal Day is October 4? In honor of this special occasion, we want to inform you about what you can do to stop animal cruelty. These tips will help you to recognize when an animal is being mistreated, tell you where to report the problem, and show you how to fight this kind of abuse in other ways as well.

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What can I do to help stop animal cruelty?
Change your lifestyle
Support animal rescue groups and charities
Report animal cruelty when you see it
Set a good example
Other steps you can take to stop animal cruelty
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The only way we can truly stamp out cruelty to animals is if all of us are vigilant and willing to do our part.

Recognizing cruelty

According to the Humane Society, there are two kinds of animal cruelty: direct violence and neglect. Unfortunately, unless you witness something happening, it’s not always clear when something constitutes neglect. Here are some signs to look for:

Direct violence. Signs include open wounds, multiple scars, limping, or difficulty walking. Many dogs that suffer direct violence will also display behaviors such as hiding, walking with their head down and tail between their legs, or cringing when people approach, but since those can also occur for other reasons, those behavioral signs alone shouldn’t be taken as definitive proof that a dog is being hurt.
Neglect. Most people don’t go so far as to actually lay hands on their dog to hurt them. But what happens with far too many owners is just as bad: they neglect the needs of their dog. Signs of neglect include injuries or illnesses that linger untreated, poor living conditions (including filth and dangerous objects near the dog and being left outside in bad weather), bones being visible through the skin, and extremely poor grooming.

Reporting cruelty

So what do you do if you notice an animal that appears to be suffering from one or more of these issues? Call your local animal welfare agency immediately.

In most areas, someone from the local animal control agency, humane organization, or animal shelter will be responsible for investigating and enforcing the local anti-cruelty laws, but if you don’t know who’s in charge in your city or town, you can always call the local police non-emergency number to find out who to report the cruelty to. Also, in many locales, 311 connects directly to city services, who will know where to direct you.

Fighting cruelty

Of course, the best way to fight cruelty is to teach as many people as possible how their pets should be treated — and what they should never ever do. Parents and educators should teach children how to safely and humanely interact with animals at an early age, as well as how they can tell if an animal is being harmed and what to do about it.

You can help spread the word by utilizing your own community to do so. For instance, you can share messages about proper treatment of animals on your social networks or offer to teach a class at your local elementary school or even pre-school.

Beyond this, people need to stand up for what they believe in when they witness animal cruelty and take a stand by reporting the behavior. The more often that abusive individuals are punished, the less likely others are to do the same thing.

Have you ever reported a case of animal cruelty? Share your experience with us in the comments below.

Overview

As doting pet parents, it's hard to fathom how someone could harm a defenseless animal — but it happens a lot. An estimated 10 million pets pass away from animal abuse annually in the US, but millions more fall victim to unreported abuse.

Animals can't speak for themselves, so we, as animal lovers, have to be their voice and protect them. In this article, we'll explain how you can help prevent the mistreatment of animals and provide ways to advocate for animals, both locally and on a larger scale.

What can I do to help stop animal cruelty?

Most animal lovers want to do their part in stopping violence against animals but are unsure where to start. Here are some things you can do.

Change your lifestyle

A simple way to take a stand against animal cruelty is to stop supporting companies that practice it. Make the effort to do business with vegan brands that don't test on animals, and look for the Leaping Bunny cruelty-free logo when in stores.

However, "vegan" doesn't always mean cruelty-free since these products may still be tested on animals — keep this in mind, especially when browsing cosmetics, body care, and household cleaning products.

You might also want to try adopting a vegan lifestyle. Going plant-based is often the most challenging lifestyle change for people since animal products are so ingrained in our food culture. If you're unable or unwilling to go 100% vegan, try taking small steps to reduce your consumption of animal products, like cooking one vegetarian meal per week.

Another option is to shop organic and ethical. Several popular healthy grocery chains, like Whole Foods, have strict ethical guidelines for sourcing animal products.

Support animal rescue groups and charities

A great way to help stop animal cruelty is to show support for your local animal rescues and charities. Donate if you can, or if you don't have extra funds to spare, consider volunteering.

Donations don't have to be monetary, either — animal rescue groups will equally appreciate old blankets, dog food, and toys. Volunteering at animal shelters and rescue groups is a free way you can contribute and give rescue animals the love they deserve. Even just promoting these organizations on social media can help spread awareness for the cause.

Report animal cruelty when you see it

If you happen to witness animal cruelty, make sure you report it to the appropriate authorities ASAP. In cases of extreme abuse, time is of the essence, so the sooner you call, the better odds the animal has.

You may want to consider reporting the incident to both law enforcement and your local humane society. Take pictures or videos of the abuse if you can. Video and photographic evidence will strengthen the case and help police prosecute the offender to the fullest extent.

Set a good example

Lead by example when it comes to the treatment of animals. Teach your kids to respect animals and demonstrate the proper way to handle and care for them. Encourage your children to advocate for helpless animals and step in when they see animal abuse.

Other steps you can take to stop animal cruelty

Here are some other steps to take to stop animal cruelty on a local level.

Foster pets

Fostering rescues is a free and rewarding step you can take to help stop animal cruelty. Most animal rescues will provide foster parents with all the food and supplies the animal needs while they search for their forever families.

Related: Do You Have What It Takes to be a Foster Pet Parent?

Spay or neuter your pets

Spaying or neutering your pets is crucial for preventing unwanted animals that often end up in shelters or fall victim to animal abusers. Most cities offer low-cost spay and neuter programs to help low-income families afford these procedures.

Many cities also have free trap-neuter-release programs to reduce stray populations in areas with feral cat colonies. If you live in an area with a large number of stray cats, contact your local animal control or humane society to see what options are available to you.

Get political

Send letters to your state representatives encouraging them to push for harsher punishments for animal abusers. Signing petitions is another great way to bring animal rights issues to the attention of local lawmakers. If you're unsure where to start, check out Change.org, which has tons of petitions against animal cruelty that you can sign right from your phone — it's a free way to advocate without even leaving home.

We hope this article gives you the courage to take legal and moral steps to help stop animal cruelty and become an animal activist. Report animal abuse if you see it, set a good example for others, and raise your children to advocate for voiceless animals. These small steps can make a huge impact for animals in need.

For information on how to donate to homeless pets, organize a trap-and-neuter program in your area, help stop poaching, and end animal testing, check out the resources below.

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By Rachael Bale, ANIMALS Executive Editor

It may sound surprising, but animal cruelty is only just becoming a federal crime. The PACT Act (“Preventing Animal Cruelty and Torture”) passed unanimously in both houses of the U.S. Congress, and President Trump is expected to sign it. The soon-to-be law makes it a felony to do a number of sickening things to animals.

Each state already has felony animal cruelty laws, but PACT fills some gaps, covering crimes on federal property or perpetrators who traveled across state lines, Humane Society’s Tracie Letterman told me.

The move also is important for public health. Animal abuse is clearly linked to other violent crimes, such as domestic violence, assault, and sex crimes. The FBI now tracks animal abuse because it could be a warning of more violent acts.

Today we know all animals feel pain. It’s clear they think and feel, as well. As conservationist Carl Safina told Nat Geo:

Life is very vivid to animals. In many cases they know who they are. They know who their friends aree eand who their rivals are. They have ambitions for higher status. They compete. Their lives follow the arc of a career, like ours do.

Today in a minute

Flipper, indeed: How creative are bottlenose dolphins at finding food? They “punt” fish up in the air, then eat the stunned prey when they hit the water. Stephanie Garza, a University of Florida biologist, calls it “fish whacking,” Nat Geo’s Douglas Main reports.

Destroyed no more: Retired police K-9s in Texas used to be treated as “surplus” equipment, meaning they had to be auctioned off or even euthanized when they retired. Last week, Texans voted to change the law, letting the loyal dogs be adopted by the handlers or others, the Washington Post reports.

Where chimps and humans clash: Desperate chimpanzees in western Uganda raided a family’s crops, took jackfruit from their tree, and killed their two-year-old son. Losing their habitat to farmers, chimps have killed at least two other children in the area since 2014.

Why so many songbirds? An extra chromosome may have allowed songbirds to diversify, Scientific American reports. They make up roughly half of the 10,000 bird species.

Your Instagram photo of the day

Kelp at the end of the world. In Argentina's remote Thetis Bay, giant kelp forests harbor one of the most magnificent marine ecosystems on the planet. Climate change, writes Enric Sala, hasn’t made a permanent mark here—yet.

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Overheard at Nat Geo

Make way for ducklings. We search out wildlife from all over the world. Sometimes wildlife comes to us. Every year, a pair of mallard ducks visits National Geographic’s headquarters to lay eggs and hang out in our courtyard fountain. Sometimes, however, the ducklings hatch early, when the Washington winter is still occasionally frigid. We added a ramp to help the ducklings get out of the fountain, and one year, an editor brought a box and a heating pad to help the ducklings make it through, Natasha Daly writes. This spring, they shared space with goslings.

Come back tomorrow for Whitney Johnson on the latest in photography. If you’re not a subscriber, sign up here to also get Victoria Jaggard on science, Debra Adams Simmons on history, and George Stone on travel.

One last glimpse

Long time, no see! A camera trap in southern Vietnam has captured a photo of the silver-backed chevrotain, a rabbit-sized species last seen in 1990. Also known as the Vietnamese mouse-deer, the fanged animal was spotted tiptoeing through the forest. “I was overjoyed,” An Nguyen of Global Wildlife Conservation told National Geographic.

This newsletter has been edited and curated by David Beard. Have an idea or a link? I’d love to hear from you at . Have a great day, and thanks for reading!