Animals everywhere are suffering the consequences of Animal Cruelty. From people hoarding animals and not giving them their proper needs to live, to people forcing their dogs to fight each other like boxers! (no pun intended) People everywhere are trying to put an end to Animal Cruelty. There are people everywhere still doing it.
Puppy Mills are a huge part of Animal Cruelty. A Puppy Mill is a commercial dog breeding company that, unlike responsible breeders, don’t check the healthiness of the animal they are breeding. This causes many dogs to go home with a family when they have a disease! Some Puppy Mill dogs are sold to Pet Stores, and are said to be as young as 8 Weeks Old!
Other Puppy Mill dogs are sold directly to the public. They are sold over the Internet, through newspaper ads, and at swap meets and flea markets. Illness and Disease are common in Puppy Mill dogs because of the mill’s lack of awareness towards the dog’s health when they breed. Some diseases puppies will get are Epilepsy, Heart Diseases, Kidney Diseases, Blood Disorders and tons more! There are still 2,000 – 3,000 USDA Licensed Puppy Mills selling pups!
Animal Hoarding is when someone of any gender, race, education, starts keeping animals and not giving them their necessities. It has not been understood why people hoard animals. Researchers say it has to do with obsessive-compulsive disorders. Animal Hoarders range in age, and could be a man or woman of any race or ethnic group. Not everyone with multiple animals is an Animal Hoarder. There is about 900 – 2,000 cases about Animal Hoarding in the USA, with a quarter-million animals falling victim.
Dog Fighting occurs in every part of the country. Dog Fighting is when two people who own dogs decide to make their dogs fight each other. Not just playing around fighting. Dogs will scratch and claw at the other dog. They have lost body parts during dog fights. Some people buy dogs just to have them fight. Some people even pick up strays to have them fight. There are different levels of Dog Fighting.
“Street” fighters engage dog fights at street corners, in alleys, even on a playground will they fight! The owners of the dogs start off the fight with a simple taunt such as “My dog can kill yours!”.
“Hobbyist” fighters are more organized, with one or more dogs competing in several matches a year as a sideline of entertainment.
“Professional” fighters often have a large number of dogs (as many as 50 or more). The owners earn money from breeding and fighting. If their dog wins, they get a high number of money ($100.00 or more).
These are just many types of Animal Cruelty. There are many more such as farmers selling animals to Burger King and slaughtering them for a burger! People also abuse animals in Circuses. The animals in circuses are sometimes abused. Former Circus employees have seen animals being beaten, whipped and denied food and water!
Animals in circuses also are a threat to public safety. At Circuses, animals have been known to jump into the crowd and crush and attack people! They also can escape from their cage and run around the town of the circus. If you see anyone abusing animals, call your local police department or the nearest ASPCA.
