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saying that animals are property and should be able to do what we please to them.

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A poll was held on this website to see how many people thought animal cruelty laws should be harsher. Most people voted yes and left comments, but there was only one comment for the opposing...

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good representations on how companies harm baby chicks

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Truth about the chicken meat industry.Animals

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representation of a man hurting a little dog by stepping on him and yanking him

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Disturbing video: SF man gets 3 years' probation for animal abuse of puppy

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Watch the latest video reports from FOX 29 News in Philadelphia.

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hurting a huskie to were it bleeds in the face

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chaining up a dog that looks like he hasn't been fed

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taping a dogs mouth closed so it can't bark to cause a ruckus

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locking a small monkey in a cage

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a starving dog with a good statement next to him

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how having many animals can hurt the animals

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A Complex Issue

Animal hoarding occurs when an individual is housing more animals than he or she can adequately care for. It is a complex issue that encompasses mental health, animal welfare and public safety concerns. Animal hoarding is defined by an inability to provide even minimal standards of nutrition, sanitation, shelter and veterinary care-often resulting in animal starvation, illness and death. In the majority of cases, animal hoarders believe they are helping their animals and deny this inability to provide minimum care.

Not everyone who has multiple animals is an animal hoarder. There are several signs that may indicate someone is an animal hoarder:

They have numerous animals and may not know the total number of animals in their care.

Their home is deteriorated (i.e., dirty windows, broken furniture, holes in the wall and floor, extreme clutter).

There is a strong smell of ammonia, and floors may be covered with dried feces, urine, vomit, etc.

Animals are emaciated, lethargic and not well-socialized.

Fleas and vermin are present.

The individual is isolated from the community and appears to neglect him- or herself.

The individual insists that all of their animals are happy and healthy-even when there are clear signs of distress and illness.

Every year in the United States, a quarter of a million animals fall victim to hoarding. Animals collected range from cats and dogs to reptiles, rodents, birds, exotics and even farm animals. Animal hoarding is covered implicitly under every state's animal cruelty statute, which typically requires caretakers to provide sufficient food, water and veterinary care. However, only two states, Illinois and Hawaii, currently have statutory language specifically addressing animal hoarding. In most cases, criminal prosecution of animal hoarding can be a difficult process and may not be the most effective route, since hoarders are often emotionally troubled rather than criminally inclined.

If you think someone you know is struggling with animal hoarding, pick up the phone and call your local humane law enforcement department, police department, animal shelter, animal welfare group or veterinarian to initiate the process of getting them-and the animals-the help they need.
Help the ASPCA Protect Animals from Hoarding

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Animal hoarding occurs when an individual is housing more animals than he or she can adequately care for. It is a complex issue that encompasses mental health, animal welfare and public safety concerns. Animal hoarding is defined by an inability to provide even minimal standards of nutrition, sanitation, shelter and veterinary care-often resulting in animal starvation, illness and death.

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interesting facts about animal abuse

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good facts about animal abuse

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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. However, we can use the information that is available to try to understand and prevent cases of abuse.

Who abuses animals?

Cruelty and neglect cross all social and economic boundaries and media reports suggest that animal abuse is common in both rural and urban areas.

Intentional cruelty to animals is strongly correlated with other crimes, including violence against people.

Hoarding behavior often victimizes animals. Sufferers of a hoarding disorder may impose severe neglect on animals by housing far more than they are able to adequately take care of. Serious animal neglect (such as hoarding) is often an indicator of people in need of social or mental health services.

Surveys suggest that those who intentionally abuse animals are predominantly men under 30, while those involved in animal hoarding are more likely to be women over 60.

Most common victims

The animals whose abuse is most often reported are dogs, cats, horses and livestock. Undercover investigations have revealed that animal abuse abounds in the factory farm industry. But because of the weak protections afforded to livestock under state cruelty laws, only the most shocking cases are reported, and few are ever prosecuted.

Organized cruelty

Dogfighting, cockfighting and other forms of organized animal cruelty go hand in hand with other crimes, and continues in many areas of the United States due to public corruption.

The HSUS documented uniformed police officers at a cockfighting pit in Kentucky.

The U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency has prosecuted multiple cases where drug cartels were running narcotics through cockfighting and dogfighting operations.

Dozens of homicides have occurred at cockfights and dogfights.

A California man was killed in a disagreement about a $10 cockfight bet.

The HSUS's investigative team combats complacent public officials and has worked with the FBI on public corruption cases in Tennessee and Virginia. In both instances, law enforcement officers were indicted and convicted.

Correlation with domestic violence

Data on domestic violence and child abuse cases reveal that a staggering number of animals are targeted by those who abuse their children or spouses.

There are approximately 70 million pet dogs and 74.1 million pet cats in the U.S. where 20 men and women are assaulted per minute (an average of around 10 million a year).

In one survey, 71 % of domestic violence victims reported that their abuser also targeted pets.

In one study of families under investigation for suspected child abuse, researchers found that pet abuse had occurred in 88 % of the families under supervision for physical abuse of their children.

To put a stop to this pattern of violence, the Humane Society Legislative Fund supported the Pets and Women's Safety (PAWS) Act, introduced to Congress in 2015 as H.R. 1258 and S.B. 1559 and enacted as part of the farm bill passed by Congress and signed by President Trump in 2018. Once fully enacted, the PAWS Act helps victims of domestic abuse find the means to escape their abusers while keeping their companion animals safe-many victims remain in abusive households for fear of their pets' safety.

State legislative trends

The HSUS has long led the push for stronger animal cruelty laws and provides training for law officials to detect and prosecute these crimes. With South Dakota joining the fight in March of 2014, animal cruelty laws now include felony provisions in all 50 states.

First vs. subsequent offense

Given that a fraction of animal cruelty acts are reported or successfully prosecuted, we are committed to supporting felony convictions in cases of severe cruelty.

49 states have laws to provide felony penalties for animal torture on the first offense.

Only Iowa doesn't have such a law.

Animal cruelty laws typically cover intentional and egregious animal neglect and abuse.

Changes in federal tracking

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. While only about a third of U.S. communities currently participate in the system, the data generated will help create a clearer picture of animal abuse and guide strategies for intervention and enforcement. Data collection covers four categories: simple/gross neglect, intentional abuse and torture, organized abuse (such as dogfighting and cockfighting) and animal sexual abuse.

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Facts, statistics and trends of animal abuse, animal cruelty and abused animals in the U.S.

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could be a topic. dogs running to win for their owner that would hurt them if they lose

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Every year, thousands of young and healthy Greyhound dogs are killed merely because they lack winning potential, were injured while racing or are no longer competitive. While racing has declined sharply in recent years as people have become more aware of the horrors associated with this sport, there are still 11 tracks operating in the U.S.

Racing Greyhounds routinely experience terrible injuries on the track such as broken legs, cardiac arrest, spinal cord paralysis and broken necks. They suffer off the track as well: Dogs caught up in this cruel industry spend most of their lives stacked in warehouse-style kennels for 20 or more hours a day, or are kept outdoors in dirt pens with minimal shelter. Most enclosures are not heated or air-conditioned. Many dogs suffer from fleas, ticks and internal parasites and are not provided basic veterinary care, human affection, or adequate sustenance.

While Greyhounds may live 13 or more years, they are usually 18 months to 5 years old when they are retired from racing because they are either deemed unfit to race after an injury or no longer fast enough to be profitable. While some of these dogs are sent to rescue groups, others are simply killed or returned to breeding facilities to serve as breeding stock.

While this is enough for most states to turn their back on the ugly practice, unfortunately Greyhound racing tracks still operate in six states: Arkansas, Florida, Iowa, Texas and West Virginia. While more than half of all active American tracks are in Florida, on November 6, 2018, the state's voters passed Amendment 13 to end Greyhound racing in the state. The measure, which passed with an overwhelming 69% of the vote, will phase out racing by the end of 2020, making it the 41st state to ban the cruel practice. In fall 2019, Arkansas's one active track agreed to stop operating by the end of 2022.

Greyhound racing attendance is dwindling nationwide as states pass laws ending or phasing out the sport and the public chooses not to participate in this cruel enterprise. Part of the decline of Greyhound racing can be attributed to the dramatic loss in profits-gaming facilities are losing money on these races, and state governments often wind up having to spend more to regulate the sport than they get back in revenue. Over the past decade, gambling on dog racing and Greyhound breeding has declined by 66% and 57%, respectively.

In February 2015, Greyhound advocacy group GREY2K USA and the ASPCA released the first-ever national report on Greyhound racing in the United States chronicling the thousands of Greyhound injuries and hundreds of Greyhound deaths in the seven states where tracks still operated at that time. The report, titled "High Stakes," was mailed to state lawmakers and opinion leaders to urge them to bring an end to this inherently cruel "sport." Some key findings from 2008-2015 include:

11,722 Greyhound injuries. More than 3,000 dogs have suffered broken legs and other injuries such as crushed skulls, broken backs, paralysis and electrocutions.

909 racing Greyhound deaths. The true number of deaths is likely higher as there are no verifiable statistics on the ultimate fate of Greyhounds who survive racing but are disposed of each year when injured or no longer competitive.

27 cases of Greyhound cruelty and neglect. This figure captures the number of dogs who were starved to death, denied veterinary care, or endured poor track kennel conditions. Additionally, 16 racing Greyhounds tested positive for cocaine.

2,200 state disciplinary rulings have been issued since 2008. Racing Commissions have a history of regulatory failures and industry attempts at self-regulating have proven to be ineffective.

More than 80,000 young Greyhounds have entered the racing industry.

It's bewildering that routine cruelty leading to the frequent deaths of dogs is considered a reasonable consequence of a legal sport. That it still happens is a national shame, and whether by market pressures or the power of our voices, it must end.
Help the ASPCA End Greyhound Racing!

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Every year, thousands of young and healthy Greyhound dogs are killed merely because they lack winning potential, were injured while racing or are no longer competitive. While racing has declined sharply in recent years as people have become more aware of the horrors associated with this sport, there are still 11 tracks operating in the U.S.

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a topic to talk about. dog chained up with an over sized chain

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The Criminal, Underground World of Dogfighting

Dogfighting is a type of blood sport in which dogs are forced to fight one another for the entertainment and/or profit of spectators.

Dogfighting is one of the most heinous forms of animal cruelty. Dogs used for fighting are typically raised in isolation, so they spend most of their lives on short, heavy chains. They are regularly conditioned for fighting through the use of drugs, including anabolic steroids to enhance muscle mass and encourage aggressiveness.

Although dogfighting is a felony in all 50 states and the District of Columbia, Guam, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, it continues to occur in every part of the country and in every type of community. In the past decade, the ASPCA has assisted with approximately 200 dogfighting cases in at least 24 states, and has impacted through rescue, consultations and investigations nearly 5,000 victims of dogfighting.

Fights can happen in a variety of locations ranging from back alleys to carefully-staged enterprises. Fights typically take place in a 14-20 square-foot pit designed to contain the animals. Fights can last just a few minutes or several hours, and both animals may suffer injuries including puncture wounds, lacerations, blood loss, crushing injuries and broken bones. Although fights are not usually to the death, many dogs succumb to their injuries later, and losing dogs are often discarded, killed or brutally executed as part of the "sport."

Dogfighting is often associated with other forms of criminal activity including illegal gambling and possession of drugs and firearms. By our estimate, there are tens of thousands of dogfighters in the U.S., forcing hundreds of thousands of dogs to train, fight, and suffer every year.

To learn more, visit A Closer Look at Dogfighting.
Help Us End Dogfighting Today
If you suspect dogfighting or other animal abuse is happening in your community, please speak up. Find out how to report animal cruelty.

How to Spot Signs of Dogfighting

It is important to be able to recognize the signs identified with dogfighting so that you can report any suspected dogfighting activity to your local authorities.

If you witness the following signs in your community and suspect dogfighting activity, you should consider contacting your local authorities immediately:

1. Dogs with multiple scars, possibly with lips or ears ripped off

2. Pit bull-mix-type dogs weighing approximately 40-50 lb.

3. Dogs on heavy chains, tethered to a tire axle or dog house/barrel

4. Dirt ring around the dog

5. Dogs chained inches apart from one another

6. Dogs chained or penned in a secluded area intentionally kept out of the public's view

Keep in mind that in urban communities like New York City, dogs used for fighting are often found living in secluded, indoor areas such as basements, where they are hidden from public view.

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Dogfighting is a type of blood sport in which dogs are forced to fight one another for the entertainment and/or profit of spectators. Dogfighting is one of the most heinous forms of animal cruelty. Dogs used for fighting are typically raised in isolation, so they spend most of their lives on short, heavy chains.