Introduction
Animal cruelty has always been a critical issue, not only in science, where animals are experimented on but also in everyday life. Many people do not even think about the torture inflicted on animals and how painful it may be. This can be for different purposes, such as scientific, as mentioned earlier, or simply for entertainment, although it is difficult to find anything funny about animal abuse. Therefore this topic needs to be investigated and specific arguments made as to why living beings should not be used for malicious purposes, but rather the opposite. They should be treated with kindness and understanding. To this end, this paper has been written and will outline the leading causes of cruelty to animals, their consequences, how to deal with the problem, and how important it is to look after pets.
Motivation for Animal Cruelty
A principal reason for animal cruelty is the owner’s cruelty towards others. Studies have shown that people who are cruel to their friends, family, or strangers are more likely to project their behavior onto an animal (Johnson 405). Very often, the cause is self-assertion at the expense of others, a demonstration of power and authority. Unfortunately, these cases are not isolated, and many of those who enjoy demonstrating their qualities through violence are criminals. There have also been cases where animal abuse has been used as an excuse to take revenge on a partner or as a means of manipulation in a relationship. There is no excuse for this method either, and hiding behind the back of a pet for your benefit is simply disgusting. Unfortunately, today’s children have completely forgotten how to live without smart gadgets. For them everything around them seems unreal, as if they are in a virtual world even in real life, where there are no consequences from wrong decisions made. However, it should still be understood that this is not a game, but life. In such cases, parents prefer to do nothing, because the child’s feelings are stronger and they should not be prevented from playing with animals, even if they might cripple them (Johnson 404). For the child, all this is no more than a toy, because he or she doesn’t understand what the problem is, but parents should have an understanding of reality, after all. Unfortunately, what should be is not what it is. This point will also be related to children, as they are the ones who pose the greatest threat to animals, as they are the most irresponsible people. It is no secret that children adopt their parents’ behavior and repeat it. There are situations where a domestic dispute between family members escalates into physical harm. In the eyes of the child, this looks like a regular thing, and they want to repeat it on someone weaker, most often an animal (Harman 34). We need to be able to shield the child from the negative example and try to focus more on positive thinking.
Corporal Punishment
A very controversial topic is the corporal punishment of a child for being cruel to animals. It would seem to make sense because the child can feel the pain the pet has suffered at his hands. However, this approach is entirely wrong, not only does it make no sense to physically punish children, but the child will also want to take revenge on the animal for what was done to them. This will only result in more mutilation, and the educational process will be of no use at all. One should realize that children are just copying the behavior of their parents or learning from other people. We need to find the root of the problem and eliminate it rather than deal with the consequences every time.
Main Solution
The best way to protect animals from humans should be their uniqueness. It is meant that everyone can now afford to get a pet, but they must feel responsible for what they do. It seems that the ideal solution would be the need for proof that a person can take a pet with them. The life of any creature is essential and priceless, so we need to appreciate what we get and be able to teach others responsibility for their actions. This would be a convenient step towards eliminating the problem of animal cruelty and improving the quality of animals’ lives.
Conclusion
To summarise the above problem, it can be said that solving it requires a rather drastic approach. As has been said, many people do not appreciate animals and treat them in a way that is not appropriate. Of course, it isn’t easy to judge children and their attitudes, as they are not yet formed as individuals and adopt everything from the outside world. It must also be understood that animals are subjected to tests of various medications that can be detrimental to their health or even their lives. Unfortunately, pets are valued far less than human life, even though they are both living beings. I am sure that in the future when there are fewer animals, people will value them more, but it is better to start respecting the life of any living creature now.
References
Harman, Alice. Animal Cruelty. Franklin Watts, 2020.
Johnson, Scott A. “Animal Cruelty, Pet Abuse & Violence: The Missed Dangerous Connection.” Foresic Research & Criminology International Journal, vol. 6, no. 5, 2018, Web.