How does animal cruelty affect us?

How does animal cruelty affect us?

The evidence of a link between cruelty to animals and violence toward humans is compelling. In fact, people who abuse animals are five times more likely to commit violent crime. Animal abuse, like many other forms of abuse, is about power and control over a helpless victim.

Is it illegal to kill animals in the US?

Typically, animal cruelty laws prohibit torture, mutilation, overworking, and killing any animal unnecessarily or cruelly. Some states require that the abuse be intentional or malicious, while others increase the penalties when the abuse is reckless or malicious.

Are there any laws against cruelty to animals?

A majority of anti-cruelty laws are limited to cases involving aggravated cruelty, torture or cruelty to companion animals. On January 1, 2016, the FBI added cruelty to animals as a category in the Uniform Crime Report, a nationwide crime reporting system commonly used in homicide investigations.

How is animal cruelty and abuse a systemic problem?

Animal cruelty and abuse is a systemic problem that often gets handed down from parent to child, boss to worker, and culture to culture. Most jurisdictions have animal control officers, and these members of law enforcement bravely investigate cases of animal abuse, prosecute the offenders, and rescue the animals.

How often are cases of animal cruelty reported?

The shocking number of animal cruelty cases reported every day is just the tip of the iceberg—most cases are never reported. Unlike violent crimes against people, cases of animal abuse are not compiled by state or federal agencies, making it difficult to calculate just how common they are.

Why are so many people involved in animal abuse?

Animal cruelty and abuse is a systemic problem that often gets handed down from parent to child, boss to worker, and culture to culture. There’s a reason most jurisdictions have animal control officers. These members of law enforcement bravely investigate cases of animal abuse, prosecute the offenders, and rescue the animals.