Be Kind, Dont be an Animal

Animal abuse is an important factor that we should consider to change the world.
Prevention of animal abuse will not only change the world for the animals but will also
save the potential criminals in our society.
Animal abuse is the intentional human act of torturing or murdering animals for
the mere thrill of doing so. It is sometimes done with no apparent reason or as
punishments for animals while some are done to release ones anger or frustrations in
life.
Animal abuse or cruelty can be categorized into two: passive cruelty and active
cruelty. Passive cruelty is when the animal is not receiving the attention that it deserves.
It might seem less serious but this must be taken seriously for it can result to terrible
pain and suffering for the animal, and ultimately death. Examples include starvation,
dehydration, untreated parasite infestations, inadequate shelter in extreme weather
conditions, and the failure to get medical care. Passive cruelty is sometimes due to the
owner's ignorance, so owners should know their responsibilities to their pets. Active
cruelty, on the other hand, is more well-known and disturbing. We can classify these as
the non-accidental injuries, this type of abuse involves purposefully inflicting harm on an
animal in order to feel more powerful or gain control. Active cruelty against animals
should be taken very seriously, since it can be a sign that a person has serious
psychological issues and may commit more acts of violence possibly against humans.
In our world today where technology has been more accessible, there were a
bunch of alarming animal cruelty that became exposed to public. One example is the
video of the willful acts of abuse to cows by the Leprino Foods, a dairy supplier in New
Mexico. The video shows workers hitting, kicking and punching cows with hands, boots
and sharp objects to get them into the milking parlor. The workers are clearly abusing
the cattle and causing distress for no reason. Animal abuse does not only happen
overseas, some abuse done locally also went viral. In June 2011, Jerzon Senador a
Filipino teenager caught attention in social media after he suspended his own puppy out
from the skin from its back on a clothesline and took photographs of it from different
angles to post on Facebook. While on 2013 a video of three teenage girls trampling a
puppy to death also went viral in the internet. This alarming incident made President

Benigno Aquino III to take action and approve a bill imposing stiffer penalties for
perpetrators of such vile acts.
People accustomed with the acts of torturing animals have sociopathic
tendencies. Sociopaths are people with a poorly-developed set of moral values. They
have little or no compassion for the sufferings of other beings. Because they lack a
conscience, they do not show guilt or remorse for the wrong that theyve done. On the
contrary, they may even feel proud of their wrongdoings.

It is hard to tell just what

drives people to harm innocent animals. According to a 1997 study done by the
Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals 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, says Pet-abuse.com. Most animal abusers find some sort of
fulfillment or power in torturing a victim they know can't fight back, which is why crimes
like rape and child molestation are committed. While not all animal abusers become
serial killers or rapists, it is important to take every case seriously. For example, Carroll
Edward Cole was a West Coast serial killer who may have murdered as many as 35
women in the 1970s and was executed in 1985. Based on Cole's testimony, his first
violent act was strangling a puppy. The Columbine school shooting is another example
of animal abuse as a precursor to human violence. Before killing 12 classmates and
then turning the guns on themselves, Eric Harris and Dylan Klebod had bragged to
friends about mutilating animals. If these acts had been reported to authorities and
taken seriously, these two young men might have been put in a proper facility and
helped, possibly avoiding the horrific massacre. It is therefore vital to report people who
hurt animals to give them the chance to change and treat their criminal potencies.
Prevention of animal abuse is not that simple. It takes the participation of the
government and its people. We should act as the voice for the creatures that do not
speak, for the creatures that are created ahead of time before us. We get a lot of
benefits from animals starting from the smallest feeling of comfort we get from them to
the profits of many large companies, for these we might as well pay them with care and
compassion for what they contribute to our lives.

Here in Philippines, President Benigno Aquino III has signed Republic Act 10631
or the act amending certain sections of Republic Act 8485 or the Animal Welfare Act of
1998.This law increased the penalties as well as the offenses counted for acts of cruelty
against animals. Under RA 10631, the abandonment of an animal in a person's custody
shall now be considered an offense. This, along with other acts of cruelty, neglect, and
maltreatment, shall be punishable by: Imprisonment of one (1) year and six (6) months
and one (1) day to two (2) years and/or a fine not exceeding One hundred thousand
pesos (P100,000.00) if the animal subjected to cruelty, maltreatment or neglect dies;
Imprisonment of one (1) year and one (1) day to one (1) year and six (6) months and/or
a fine not exceeding Fifty thousand pesos (P50,000.00) if the animal subjected to
cruelty, maltreatment or neglect survives but is severely injured with loss of its natural
faculty to survive on its own and needing human intervention to sustain its life; and
Imprisonment of six (6) months to one (1) year and/or a fine not exceeding Thirty
thousand pesos (P30,000.00) for subjecting any animal to cruelty, maltreatment or
neglect but without causing its death or incapacitating it to survive on its own.
Under the old law, violators are only punished by imprisonment of not less than
six months but not more than two years or a fine of not less than P1,000 but not more
than P5,000 or both. Also under the new law, the Secretary of the Department of
Agriculture shall deputize animal welfare enforcement officers from nongovernment
organizations, citizens groups, community organizations and other volunteers who have
undergone the necessary training. In the same manner, the Philippine National Police,
National Bureau of Investigation and other law enforcement agencies shall also
designate animal welfare enforcement officers. As such, animal welfare enforcement
officers shall have the authority to seize and rescue illegally traded and maltreated
animals and to arrest violators of this Act subject to the guidelines of existing laws and
rules and regulations on arrest and detention.
There are plenty of things normal citizens can do. The simplest action is to take
care of their own pets and educate others on proper animal care. Another easy way to
help is by donating to or volunteering at a local animal shelter. Volunteering doesnt
require a lot of time; simply going in a few hours a week wont take much time. Citizens

can also report incidents of animal abuse to the authorities to give the justice that the
animals deserve.
Stopping animal abuse will not only make the world safer for animals but also for
us humans. We can achieve the harmony between animals and humans if each of us
will do our parts. Changing how people treat animals can definitely change the world.

30 Shyra Nicole G. Nolido

IDPH

Preventi
on

Possible
Outcome

Anim
al
Abus
e

Types of
Animal
Cruelty

Outline:
Topic: Animal Abuse
Title: Be Kind, Dont be an Animal
Thesis Statement:
Animal abuse is an important

I.

factor that we should consider to change

the world. Prevention of animal abuse

II.

will not only change the world for the

people

animals but will also save the potential

criminals in our society.

Types of Animal Cruelty

a. Passive animal cruelty
b. Active animal cruelty
Possible Outcome
a. Violence
against

III.

Prevention
a. Laws
b. Participation

of

Community.
c. Government actions

the