Animal Cruelty Can Stop With You!

I recently saw a photo on Facebook that sickened me. Literally, I felt ill after seeing it. I have not been able to get the image of this poor dog out of my head. Apparently someone or some group of people dragged this dog from a car. I don’t know the full story. Don’t know if this was recent, what city/state, or if the people have been caught. What I do know is…we have to put a stop to animal cruelty!

According to an article titled Cruelty Connections (http://www.pet-abuse.com/pages/abuse_connection.php)

According to a 1997 study done by the Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) and Northeastern University, animal abusers are five times more likely to commit violent crimes against people and four times more likely to commit property crimes than are individuals without a history of animal abuse.

National Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Month is April…I felt like this could not wait until then.

Signs of Cruelty
Animal cruelty is more than just dragging an animal from a car or dog fighting. There are many different variations of abuse. The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) gives us some signs of abuse: (http://www.aspca.org/fight-animal-cruelty/how-to-recognize-cruelty.aspx)

• Fur infested with fleas, ticks or other parasites
• Patches of bumpy, scaly skin rashes
• Signs of inadequate grooming, such as extreme matting of fur, overgrown nails and dirty coat
• Weakness, limping or the inability to stand or walk normally
• Pets are tied up alone outside for long periods of time without adequate food or water, or with food or water that is unsanitary
• Pets are kept outside in inclement weather without access to adequate shelter
• Pets are kept in an area littered with feces, garbage, broken glass or other objects that could harm them

What You Can Do

Did you know that animal abuse is illegal in all 50 states? Believe it or not…you can help! Animals cannot speak for themselves. They need good hearted ambassadors like us to speak up for them. The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) has a few suggestions for reporting the abuse: (http://www.humanesociety.org/issues/abuse_neglect/tips/cruelty_action.html)

• Make the call: Most large municipalities have a local animal control department, animal shelter or humane society. Do an online search to identify the agency in your area, and program the number into your cell phone so you are prepared.
• Document the details: When you make the call, tell the officer as many details of the situation as you can—i.e., the location, date and time, and descriptions of the people and animals involved. Video and photographic documentation (even a cell phone photo) can help bolster your case. It’s also useful to give names of others who may have witnessed the incident.

Will you help us put an end to animal cruelty?  They are counting on you!

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