No Foolin’ about Animal Cruelty

 

April always starts off with a light-hearted tone, thanks to April Fool’s Day on the 1^st. But there is nothing light-heated about animal abuse and April is Animal Cruelty Awareness month. 

According to pet-abuse.com there are around 1,000 reported cases of animal abuse in the United States each year.   In their 2010 report, listing 21 different abuse categories, California was listed in 15 of those categories; 4 of which California was listed in the top 6 highest number of cases and 8 of which California was listed in the top 2 highest number of cases.  These categories include: beating, burning- caustic substance, choking/strangulation/suffocation, fighting, hanging, hoarding, kicking/stomping, and mutilation/torture. The statistics also show that dogs are the number one victims in these crimes, with cases three times the number of cases involving cats (which are the second most abused animal reported).

These statistics aren’t meant to depress you or upset you (though they can easily do both), they are meant to inform you and make you aware so that one day you might make a difference to an animal. 

 

You may have read about or heard of the organization named ASPCA before. Because they are a strong authority in the pet community it’s kind of hard to miss them; but do you know who they are and what they do exactly? ASPCA stands for The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. The ASPCA was the first humane organization in the western hemisphere and they“work to rescue animals from abuse, pass humane laws, and share resources with shelters nationwide.”- ASPCA website.  The ASPCA investigates animal abuse day in and day out, but they work mostly off of tips from the public.  In other words, it all starts with you educating yourself on what to look out for. 

 

Courtesy of the ASPCA and our own local animal services, here is a list of signs and symptoms of animal abuse that you should look for in your neighborhood:

·         Tick or flea infestations (conditions left untreated can lead to death)

·         Wounds on the body

·         Patches of missing fur

·         Extremely thin, starving animals

·         Limping

·         An owner striking or otherwise physically abusing an animal

·         Dogs who are repeatedly left alone without food or water, often chained in the yard

·         Dogs who have been hit by a car, or show signs listed above, and have not been taken to a vet

·         Dogs who are kept outside without shelter in extreme weather conditions

·         Animals who cower in fear or act aggressively when approached by their owners

·         Animal hoarding

·         Any person, maliciously and intentionally maims, mutilates, tortures, wounds, or kills a living animal

·         Any person overrides, overloads, overworks, torments, or deprives an animal of necessary food, water, or shelter

·         Any person intentionally, for amusement or gain, fights any animal against another animal

·         Any person permits an animal to go without veterinary care for an injury

 

Check back later this week for ways to stop and prevent animal abuse.