Domestic Animal Abuse

Countless amounts of domestic animals die each year in the United States from animal cruelty and abuse. Animals will always be a subject to abuse and cruelty, but we can lessen the numbers. Animal torture is caused by humans who are ignorant or mentally unstable, and should go through a minimum of ten years of prison.

This sentencing is not in the least bit harsh for the crime committed. In reality, domestic animal cruelty is only a step lower than human cruelty. This does not mean, however, that it is less important or not as sick minded. To carry out such a crime, these individuals clearly are in a lack of vital human characteristics such as compassion and the fact that these people are out on the streets with no more than a fine and/or a maximum of five years in prison as a punishment is not only exceedingly disturbing but it is also worrisome. It is evident that these unlawful citizens need medical help, but we cannot rely on their insanity as an excuse for the painful murder they commit. For this reason, the penalty should be doubled in hope of ending the suffering.

However, this will have no effect if the public remains uneducated on the actual laws. The difficulty with today’s society is many of us are ignorant and uninformed, and consequently insensible to the subject. There are currently regulations in every state stating that the unnecessary killing, harming, torturing, beating, neglecting, and abandoning animals, or depriving them of suitable food, water or shelter is illegal and the owner can be charged in court for these crimes. Citizens are oblivious to these federal laws and do not see that it is a crime. The penalty of murder, for instance, is known all over the world as death or a life sentencing and, hence, the crime is not so often carried out in the world. If more people knew about domestic animal cruelty and that it is considered as a federal offense, less people would commit the deathly felony. The preliminary step towards ending the aggression is to let people know it is a federal crime and there is a punishment.

Humans are defined to be superior to all other beings on earth. Many people argue that since animals are not at such a high intellectuality they are, therefore, inferior. This makes animal cruelty acceptable for many. What needs to be understood, however, is that though animals may not be as intelligent as humans (so we believe), they can feel pain just as well as humans and they are living, feeling beings. It is therefore by no means tolerable to purposely inflict pain on these living beings.

Nevertheless, numerous pets are being tortured daily. The sentencing, however, is inefficient and quite mild most times. For instance, on October 21, 2007 a 22-year-old North Dallas man set his dog on fire because he was angry by the fact that she would not mate. The sentencing was a meek four years of prison. The dog suffered before dying ten days later.

Domestic animal abuse is a problem not many people think about. In truth, it is morally wrong, disturbing, illegal, and it occurs daily. If we raise the court ruling to a minimum of ten years, we can get that much closer to the end of animal cruelty. Animals cannot speak for themselves or be understood, but we know they are in pain from the mistreatment. It is part of our duty as citizens of the world to help their silent voices be heard and make the earth a better place for tomorrow’s children to come, human or not.