"Then God made the wild animals of the earth after their kind, and the cattle after their kind, and every thing that moves upon the ground after its kind. And God saw that it was good" (Genesis 1:25). This world is made up of an amazing variety of living things, all of which have a role in different eco systems. Every single day in our society, animals are forced to fight for survival because of neglect and cruelty from humans. God gave us the responsibility to take care of the animals because we are the stewards of this earth.  Some people believe that animal cruelty is people intentionally being mean or neglectful of animals that are domesticated pets, but there are many forms of animal cruelty. Some forms of animal cruelty are taking place that many people are not aware of.   Animals are sometimes used for testing by pharmaceutical and cosmetic companies.  These animals are forced to endure pain and discomfort and to live in conditions that are inhumane.  Some animals are raised for the purpose of human consumption in conditions that are completely unacceptable and then killed in horrific ways. Humans are classified as animals and share many of the same feelings.  Both humans and animals experience pain and discomfort, have emotions and behave similarly. Dr. Lynn Sneddon's studies tell us:  " ...  Research has provided evidence that monkeys, dogs, cats and birds can show signs of emotional pain and display behaviors associated with depression during painful experience" (Sneddon, 10). With that being said, animal cruelty, such as laboratory experimentation, mistreating animals that are raised for food consumption and abuse of domesticated animals by their caretakers and mistreatment of circus animals should be stopped, it is inhumane, morally and ethically wrong.

Imagine being a defenseless animal and not having any choice but to be used in a laboratory for experimentations. Animals' rights are not a consideration when they are used for experimentation. These innocent, powerless animals are poisoned, blinded, burned, shocked and usually killed. Not compassionately put to sleep, but a slow painful death. The animals used in experimentation are deprived of every thing that would be natural for them. They are locked in tiny little cages for hours leading to social isolation and loneliness. In an article titled Animal Testing and Medicine, Rachel Hajar states, "In recent years, the practice of using animals for biomedical research has come under severe criticism by animal protection and animal rights groups. Laws have been passed in several countries to make the practice more 'humane'" (Hajar, 2). One of these animal rights groups is the New England Antivivisection Society. This organization claims, "Every year in the U.S., over 25 million animals are used in biomedical experimentation, product and cosmetic testing, and science education. This includes -- dogs, cats, ferrets, rabbits, pigs, sheep, monkeys, chimpanzees, and more. However, the majority of animals in labs (over 90 percent) are rats, mice, and birds"(NEAVS, 2016). OLAW, or the Office of Laboratory Animal Welfare, is responsible for regulations that protect laboratory animals.  These regulations are guidelines about the care and treatment of laboratory animals and require that a veterinarian inspect and report on facilities annually. According to the NEAVS, an organization that was founded in 1895 for the purpose of protecting animals, "Overall, the law which provides for minimizing pain and suffering and replacing animal use with alternatives is weak and inefficient, allowing egregious practices to continue." (NEAVS, 2016) Animal experimentation wouldn't be so terrible and cruel if it was just trying out some shampoo or testing makeup on the creature, but it's so much worse. 

Not only does the experimentation itself constitute cruel treatment of animals, but also cruel is the way the animals are treated while living in the laboratories. They are confined to small cages for most of their lives, they are often isolated and given little or no love, care or attention.  These animals get their skin burned off, get stuff injected in their eyes leading to blindness and sometimes they even get their bones smashed. After the painful experimentation they get thrown back into a cage to suffer without any pain medications, or treatment. PETA, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, an organization that is known for their commitment to animal welfare reports, "They shake and cower in fear whenever someone approaches, and their blood pressure spikes dramatically. After enduring a life of pain, loneliness, and terror, almost all of them will be killed" (PETA, 2). However, many people believe that animal testing is necessary for the protection of human lives. Many medical advancements have been made by testing on animals before treating a human being.  They feel that animal lives are not as important as human lives and they believe animals should not have the same rights as humans.  I do believe a human life is more important than, for instance a cat's life.  I also believe that testing medical procedures on animals first is sometimes necessary. However, it is our moral and ethical duty to treat these creatures with love and care while using them in our laboratories. There is a need for increased regulations regarding the treatment of these animals and enforcement of these regulations. The USDA should play a greater role in protecting these animals. 

Another form of animal cruelty would be how people treat animals that are raised for human consumption. These animals lead a miserable life. They start their lives at a factory or farm, where their living conditions are often deplorable and end their lives at a slaughterhouse. According to In the Belly of The Beast by Paul Solotaroff, "each year, an estimated 9 billion broiler chickens, 113 million pigs, 33 million cows and 250 million turkeys are raised for our consumption in dark, filthy, pestilent barns." (Solotaroff, 2013) Large factory farms are concerned with making money, not with an animals' well being.  "Approximately 95% of factory-raised animals are subject to deplorable conditions such as overcrowding, hunger, thirst and sometimes-fatal weather extremes. Many times, they are kept conscious or even skinned alive during the process of slaughtering" (Adams, 6). These animals are subjected to unnecessary pain and discomfort and then we use them as our primary food source. Whether it is broken bones from being packed together like sardines, or getting boiled, beheaded or smashed alive, there are many different, all equally heinous, torturous acts that take place in the slaughterhouses. Cattle are usually drilled in the head and then left to bleed to death because they don't want a lot of damage done to the body. These animals die a slow and painful death while able to feel every ounce of pain. "Although cattle are supposed to be rendered unconscious before being killed, workers frequently do not successfully 'stun' the animals. As a result, conscious, struggling cows are hung upside down. Their throats are then cut" (Factory Farming, 12). They lay there for hours alone and suffering. Meanwhile, these terrible acts are happening right in front of all the other animals.   I can only imagine the psychological trauma that these gentle creatures endure. 

Chickens and turkeys are another primary food source for Americans. According to Dr. Davis of United Poultry Concerns, "The US poultry industry in particular is 'not interested in the humaneness' of the slaughter process" (Davis, 12). Chickens and turkeys are crammed into small cages, transported in the backs of trucks in often extreme weather conditions, ripped from their cages, hung upside down from their small legs, stunned with an electric current to immobilize them, their necks are cut and then they are dropped into tanks of scalding water.  This is unacceptable treatment.  To my opposition, I realize these animals are just chickens and turkeys and that they are a primary food source for most of us, but the least we, as a society, can and should do is treat them with dignity and care. Factory farmers should provide them with suitable, comfortable and healthy living conditions. New methods of slaughter that are humane and less stressful for the bird should be implemented and enforced by the USDA. Currently, "there are no federal welfare laws governing the raising, transport, or slaughter of poultry in the United States"(Davis, 8).  There should be stricter regulations, rules and laws that demand better treatment of defenseless animals. I understand that we have to eat and that animals are placed here for us to be able to live, but we need to treat them in a much more humane way.  The bottom line is that the more meat the big factory farms can produce, the more money they make.  Because of this low cost, high volume production, the meat is also less expensive for the consumer. No living being should have to experience what these animals go through, and we as the consumer, need to demand more humane treatment throughout the entire food production process.

The form of animal cruelty that is closest to home for most of us is when pet owners mistreat or neglect the animals that are their responsibility. Too many animals die from being mistreated, neglected or abandoned by their caretakers.  We have all seen the horrific commercials showing images of dogs, cats, and horses that have been abused, neglected and or abandoned.  When you adopt an animal and take it into your home you are committing to taking care of that animal for the rest of its life.  Animal abuse should be taken more seriously than it is and the punishments for those who commit crimes against animals should be harsher. There are many situations involving the neglect and abuse of domestic animals. Some of the main problems are hoarding, neglect, abuse, dog fighting, puppy mills, and the slaughter of horses. The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals that was chartered in 1866 claims "Since then, hundreds of laws have been enacted on the federal, state and local levels, providing protections to many species of animals"(ASPCA, 1). The ASPCA is still working hard to better protect animals, but more legislation and harsher penalties for those found guilty of animal cruelty are needed.  Currently, in South Carolina, charges of animal cruelty can be punishable by up to five years in prison or monetary fines. The problem is, many of these crimes go undetected and unenforced. 

Some domestic animals are seen as possessions to their owners.  They are used as service providers, such as herding dogs, sled dogs and hunting dogs. Some animals are used for entertainment purposes.  Horse racing, cock fighting and dog fighting are considered entertainment to some.  The dog fighting case of professional football player, Michael Vick brought a lot of attention and awareness to the issue of dog fighting.  Although dog fighting and other forms of animal entertainment have been going for centuries, because of his high profile status, people heard the story.  Most of us were shocked and appalled by the extreme violence.  Vick and his wingmen had over fifty pit bull dogs that they bred, trained to fight and fought.  Many were abused and many were killed, either through the fighting process or at the hand of Michael Vick himself.  He killed the non-performers in vicious and callous ways. He hung, drowned and beat to death some of the dogs.  "Following the Michael Vick dogfighting case, laws in Virginia  --  and across the country  --  were strengthened to aid state-level animal cruelty prosecutions" (Williamson, 2015). More still needs to be done because "The average [jail time] is six months, but if you look at those numbers, you'll see it's hard for me to even get two months" (Williamson, 2015). Harsher penalties need to be given to those who mistreat and abuse animals, only then will these sick minded individuals stop their cruel treatment of defenseless animals. 

Another way animals are used as entertainment that many people don't realize is abusive and morally wrong is through circuses. Animals such as elephants, lions, tigers, bears and horses are often the main event at traveling circus shows. These large animals are forced to live in and travel in confined quarters that are nothing like their natural habitat. According to the organization PAWS, People Helping Animals, "Virtually 96 percent of their lives are spent in chains or cages [and] 11 months a year they travel over long distances in box cars with no climate control; sleeping, eating, and defecating in the same cage"(PAWS, 2). The animals are then forced to perform in an environment that is certainly stressful and scary for them, and often endure physical abuse during training. Paws also states, " ...  these animals are trained using extreme "discipline" such as whipping, hitting, poking, and shocking with electrical prods" (PAWS, 4). Currently the USDA regulates and inspects zoos circuses and marine mammal parks. These traveling shows and entertainment facilities are regulated under the Animal Welfare Act that "provide only vague, very minimal standards for keeping animals for exhibitions" (e.g. the AWA prohibits subjecting animals to "trauma, overheating, excessive cooling, behavioral stress, physical harm and unnecessary discomfort of animals in circuses and elsewhere, but never defines the terms)" (Niedrich, 2010). Most recently, because of pressure from the public and animal rights groups, Ringling Brothers Circus will be phasing out their elephant acts. Their last show involving elephants will be in 2018. This is a step in the right direction but they will still be using other exotic animals in their shows and there are other circuses that are still using elephants. Ringling Brothers claims that, "No other institution has done or is doing more to save this species" (Brand, 2015). Many traveling shows that use exotic animals for entertainment argue that they are helping the species by learning about them and exposing them to people. 

The humane treatment of animals begins at home.  We need to teach our children to love and respect animals as feeling beings.  We need to start by raising children in loving and nurturing environments and showing them by example how to treat the animals of the Earth.  People who abuse animals are often themselves victims of abuse and are more likely to harm other people as well.  According to The Animal Legal Defense Fund, "Abusers of animals are five times as likely to harm humans" (Animal Cruelty and Domestic Violence,1).   I have a hard time comprehending how anyone can be cruel or neglectful to another living thing.  Something must be done to stop it.  

Cruelty to animals has been going on for hundreds of years.  We can help stop animal cruelty by being watchful and vigilant.  People need to be on the look out for and report if they suspect animal cruelty is happening.  For the household pets, the poor souls who find themselves in laboratories for research, and the cattle, pork and poultry that are raised for food, the only way to help them is to pass stricter legislation about the treatment of animals and create harsher penalties for those who abuse and neglect them.  Mark Twain was born in 1835 and died in 1910.  He is best known for his written word.  He was also a huge advocate for the humane treatment of animals.  He once said, "Of all the animals, man is the only one that is cruel. He is the only one that inflicts pain for the pleasure of doing it -The Lowest Animal" (Twain). We need to continue the work of all those before who have struggled to improve the treatment of animals.  Laws need to be passed and enforced.  It is our duty as humans, citizens and God's creatures to take care of all God's creatures.

Humans have exhibited cruelty towards animals for thousands of years. Through the years some progress has been made with legislation and organizations defending the rights of animals. In the United States, animal cruelty and neglect exists in laboratories for scientific experimentation, on factory farms where our animal based food sources are raised and butchered, in homes where domesticated animals are meant to be cared for and loved, and other venues where animals are used for entertainment. The USDA and the AWA require minimal standards of treatment for these animals but more humane treatment requirements are needed, as well as more enforcement of these requirements and harsher penalties for those who don't comply. 

