Animal cruelty and abandonment are both detestable and punishable

All 50 U.S. states have laws against animal cruelty, which typically include provisions against animal abandonment and neglect. The detestable part goes without saying. If you caught someone being cruel to an animal, animal lover or not, you would most likely step in and do something. Should you see someone abandon an animal, most of us would contact authorities to rescue the discarded pet. Some of us would do the usual check for ownership and, if none, get a vet checkup and take the animal home. It depends.

The Iditarod is an example of cruelty to dogs, defined as an annual sled dog race in Alaska, also known as the "Last Great Race," which takes place on the Iditarod Trail, a historic trail system connecting towns in inland Alaska. This is what PITA says about the race...

"As many as half of the dogs forced to run the Iditarod will never finish the grueling 1,000-mile race—succumbing to exhaustion, illness, or injury as they are forced to pull heavy sleds through treacherous terrain in freezing temperatures. Some dogs won’t make it back alive."

Another kind of animal cruelty is dog fighting...

In all states, it is against the law (and often a felony) even to attend a dog fighting

 

event, regardless of direct participation. According to authorities, dog fighting is increasingly practiced by gangs, and is linked to other unlawful activities, such as illegal gambling.

These are probably the most serious cases of animal cruelty, along with cockfighting. This "sport"  is illegal in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and all U.S. territories. It is also a federal crime. More facts...

• 40 states and the District of Columbia have made cockfighting a felony
• 43 states and the District of Columbia prohibit being a spectator at cockfights
•  20 states prohibit the possession of cockfighting paraphernalia

The above is to illustrate that laws are in place to protect animals. The question is, in just how many instances do authorities act? And also, on how many occasions does the cruelty occur in a secluded environment, as an example, the owner ...

• Keeps the animal on a chain, unable to exercise, often in freezing weather
• Doesn't feed the animal to the point of starvation
• Physically/mentally abuses the animal

And then there is abandonment, an act that can be as bad as the worst cruelty. Here are the stark facts...

Each year, 6.5 million dogs, cats, and other former pets are abandoned or lost in the U.S. and end up in shelters. Out of these, only 3.2 million are adopted, and many return to shelters within a year of being rehomed.

This story is from the Calhoun County Animal Center in Michigan that discovered a 16-week-old puppy dumped at the facility in freezing and snowy conditions on the morning of February 19. From CCTV footage, the driver stops in front of the animal center, dumps the dog out and takes off. Tiger was taken into the center and quickly found his forever home. Fortunately authorities were able to locate the abandoner and charges were filed. You can read the article here.

Red, the cat was 12-years-old, a husky orange tabby found walking the streets by a woman

named Alex. She could tell he wasn't just another stray so she took him to a vet and from a chip found his former owner. When Alex contacted the person, she learned they had moved and didn't want the cat anymore. She stepped up to the situation and decided to adopt Red. He shares the house--in a separate bedroom until his health is cleared by the vet--with the family's other cat and a dog and is getting along just great. Read the article here.

According to a surveillance video, this time in Surprise, AZ, a dog was pushed out of the back seat of a vehicle on a dead-end street, when someone is actually heard saying, "Bye-bye." The back door of the car is closed and it speeds off. The dog was taken in by a neighbor and was found to be malnourished. Having a video of the car with its license plate clearly visible, the Surprise Police Department is now looking for the person responsible for abandoning the dog. Read the article here.

We had a stray orange, tabby, male come to our door in California. After checking the best we could in those days, we brought Thoreau--named that because he was so laid back-- in with our other cats. Thoreau befriended everyone, knew no stranger, and was a real calming member of our household. Unfortunately, Thoreau caught feline immunodeficiency virus from a cat brought into our house by a pet sitter. Since then we have taken in more strays since they seem to be attracted to my wife.

I did a post back in February of 2022, People Have More Humanity Toward Animals Today I believe that even more so today when I see the stories on the Internet about every kind of animal you can imagine being rescued by good people. These good samaritans are to be lauded, but as you can see, above, there is still work to be done. I have chosen a selection of my posts on animals over the years you can read here. In the meantime, love and care for your pet like a member of the household. He or she will love you for it.