Animal Crimes

      Animal crimes are no laughing matter.  Everyday thousands of animals are treated poorly and killed because of capitalism or because some sick-minded person is walking around in our society.  The egregious treatment of animals is illegal in every state and the District of Columbia.  The punishments for the abuses and killing of animals is problematic, however.  Most of the crimes against animals that are discovered receive small jail/prison sentences—if any at all—minor fines, or hardly any confiscation of animals.  In fact, many animal cruelty cases never get attention from the legal system—or media—as they should, with the exception to some high profile cases. 

      The professionals who specialize in the animal welfare field have identified five types of animal cruelty as the most commonly prosecuted animal-related cases.  They are: neglect, animal fighting, intentional harm or death, abandonment, and bestiality.  

       The aftermath of these crimes is something that needs to be discussed too.  Many animal shelters and law enforcement agencies in this field are left to their own devices—and are underfunded—for saving animals.  This needs to change.  Non-profit organizations and animal law enforcement departments need more and better resources for helping animals who have been abused.  More secure places to bring the victims (animals) to and veterinarian help, that is.  Defunding overfunded street-crime departments and allocating money to animals saviors can be done, and needs to be done.   

       Accountability for breeders, pet stores, animal fighters, slaughter houses, livestock farms, product makers, research organizations, and the deranged people who harm animals for no good reason needs to become a priority in the political spectrum.  More politicians and law enforcers have to speak up about these atrocities in other words.  If they do not, not much will change.  Accountability for people and businesses that purchase items that come from terrible animal owners and terrible animal-related business services needs to be reigned in on as well.  The criminal justice system can show the public that these animal crimes are not in our best interest, and that tolerating these poor human behaviors will no longer be condoned.  

      In contrast, we all use animal items and byproducts, but the legitimacy of it needs to be maintained.  The food and fashion industries need to be re-examined, as well as the animal research field, especially.  Specifically, no animal should suffer before it is sacrificed for the good of humans.  Farms need to be cleansed from barbaric practices like fattening and other unnatural injections or having animals live in cramped quarters.  The fashion industry should not be condoning the killing of wildlife or domesticated animals for desired chic attire during fashion seasons.  Regarding animal research, more external research on creating products without harming or killing animals should be done and must be mandated by law.  The evolution of animal welfare laws for research purposes—as well as in other animal welfare facets—has been stagnant for many years now.  Research organizations need to be heavily monitored so that gross misconduct and cruelty does not occur.  If an animal’s life can be saved via alternative mechanisms, it is the right thing to do.    

                           Source:  Public Domain