Cruelty to animals is reprehensible in many ways. What does animal cruelty really look like and what does it mean for the animals?
There are generally two types of animal cruelty, neglect and intentional cruelty (passive and active violence). Both types can cause immense suffering for the animals and lead to death.
Willful cruelty means intentionally/knowingly inflicting pain and harm on animals with fatal consequences for the animal such as:
- Painful injuries from hitting, hitting, kicking, etc.
- Pain and fear caused by punishment-based training methods or devices (in dog training) or by forcing animals to exhibit unnatural behavior
- immeasurable suffering caused by the exploitation of animals for entertainment in racing and combat
- agonizing death by poisoning or inhumane killing
- Physical and psychological trauma from sexual assault
Cruelty through neglect often occurs out of ignorance and is associated with irresponsible animal husbandry. Neglect could be remedied if pet owners better understood their pets’ needs and how to meet them. Neglect occurs through:
- insufficient supply of water and food
- inadequate living conditions
- Sedentary lifestyle and positive human interaction