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.

Animal lovers ALERT!

6.3 million domestic animals enter shelters in the United States each year, with 3.1 million being dogs and 3.2 million being cats. 4.1 million animals are adopted from shelters each year, with 2 million being dogs and 2.1 million being cats. But, here's the tragedy...920,000 animals are euthanized each year, with 390,000 being dogs and 530,000 being cats. There were 132,216,000 U.S. households in 2024, 66% of which, or about 86.9 million families, own a pet. Folks, there's room for a lot more.

Abandonment is one of the cruelest of all animal issues, with actual abuse cruelty being the worst. How many times have you seen a stray cat or dog walking the streets and wondered where they came from? Sure, there is birthing going on in the wild, but millions of pets are turned out to survive on their own and, because they have been domesticated with care, it is sometime impossible for them to endure in this way. They end up as prey for larger animals or they starve to death of die from the elements. 

I have collected several examples of animals who have fallen on hard times...

An elderly deaf dog was chained to a fence in Asbury Park, New Jersey, earlier this week and left to freeze, officials said. The dog, who also suffers from arthritis, was "frozen half to death" in the 20-degree temperatures when a good Samaritan called the Monmouth County SPCA's cruelty hotline and officers were able to rescue him, MCSPCA said.

Jaina and Ivy, dedicated rescuers from Cats of San Bernardino, CA, stumbled upon an unusual sight while grabbing coffee. There, at the Starbucks entrance, was a small dog tied up with a sweatshirt knotted around her collar. Terrified and shaking, she was all alone, abandoned by those who should have cared for her. Jaina and Ivy, known for their work with cats, felt an instant pull to help this sweet dog in her moment of need.

Julie Saraceno's video showcasing shelter dogs at the Benton Franklin Humane Society in Washington picking their own Christmas gifts is nothing short of adorable. One now-viral clip, however, highlights one loving shelter pup named Finn who is in desperate need of a home.

Dog Spends 13 Years Waiting for a Home Before Meeting an Adopter Who Wants to Be His 'Best Friend.' Vito was in a shelter looking for a home before moving to Best Friends Animal Sanctuary in Kanab, Utah. A man with experience caring for wolves adopted Vito this year and now travels regularly with the dog.

At the West LA Animal Shelter, staff and volunteers are heartbroken for one of their canine residents — Monty, a 3-year-old large mixed breed. Ever since Monty arrived at the shelter back in December 2023, he’s been nothing but a spectator of other dogs’ happy endings. Monty has watched — and continues to watch — other dogs that came after him go home with their new families, while he remains unchosen. He’s so far not gotten a single adoption application, and the reason is soul-crashing: potential adopters consider him “too big.”

A dog who was abandoned and left to fend for herself is facing a third straight Christmas without a home to call her own. n some way, Indigo is lucky to be alive. A spokesperson for Kiss My Paws, the non-profit dog rescue located in Las Vegas, Nevada, that first shone a light on Indigo's situation, told Newsweek she was "found in a park across the street from an apartment community." "They did some digging and ended up finding out what apartment and the people had either moved or got evicted and left her behind. She had been there several weeks."

Hearts have broken for a shelter dog who has completely shut down from the world around him. Ollie, found as a stray and brought to a shelter in Madera, California, where thanks to overcrowding, "shelter dogs are not promised tomorrow." In a video to her TikTok account @crittersandcrystals on December 18, which has over 277,000 views, Ollie lies on a concrete floor, ignoring a bed with a blanket, and looks utterly depressed, as Helga described it as "the reality of a dog who knows they lost everything."

I Just Wanted to Live but This is What Happened...

 

...my forever family didn't want me anymore. Did you know that 47% of dogs and 42% of cats are abandoned by owners each year? The no-kill shelters try to save as many as possible--they strive for 9 out of 10--but approximately 1.5 million animals are euthanized annually. Broken down this is about 670,000 dogs and 860,000 cats. And do you really know what happens when you take your pet to a kill shelter?...

Typically, the holding period before euthanasia runs from five to seven days. However, it can be as short as 48 to 72 hours in some cases.

The answer is a combination of education, feral animal catch and neuter/spay, and supporting your local rescues and shelters so they can provide quality care for more animals. Think twice before abandoning a pet that is like another child to the family. Just imagine how they feel being dumped after believing they had their forever home.

All I wanted is to live but...

 

...my forever family didn't want me anymore. Did you know that 47% of dogs and 42% of cats are abandoned by owners each year? The no-kill shelters try to save as many as possible--they strive for 9 out of 10--but approximately 1.5 million animals are euthanized annually. Broken down this is about 670,000 dogs and 860,000 cats. And do you really know what happens when you take your pet to a kill shelter?...

Typically, the holding period before euthanasia runs from five to seven days. However, it can be as short as 48 to 72 hours in some cases.

The answer is a combination of education, feral animal catch and neuter/spay, and supporting your local rescues and shelters so they can provide quality care for more animals. Think twice before abandoning a pet that is like another child to the family. Just imagine how they feel being dumped after believing they had their forever home.

I Just Wanted to Live but This is What Happened...

 

...my forever family didn't want me anymore. Did you know that 47% of dogs and 42% of cats are abandoned by owners each year? The no-kill shelters try to save as many as possible--they strive for 9 out of 10--but approximately 1.5 million animals are euthanized annually. Broken down this is about 670,000 dogs and 860,000 cats. And do you really know what happens when you take your pet to a kill shelter?...

Typically, the holding period before euthanasia runs from five to seven days. However, it can be as short as 48 to 72 hours in some cases.

The answer is a combination of education, feral animal catch and neuter/spay, and supporting your local rescues and shelters so they can provide quality care for more animals. Think twice before abandoning a pet that is like another child to the family. Just imagine how they feel being dumped after believing they had their forever home.

All I wanted is to live but...

 

...my forever family didn't want me anymore. Did you know that 47% of dogs and 42% of cats are abandoned by owners each year? The no-kill shelters try to save as many as possible--they strive for 9 out of 10--but approximately 1.5 million animals are euthanized annually. Broken down this is about 670,000 dogs and 860,000 cats. And do you really know what happens when you take your pet to a kill shelter?...

Typically, the holding period before euthanasia runs from five to seven days. However, it can be as short as 48 to 72 hours in some cases.

The answer is a combination of education, feral animal catch and neuter/spay, and supporting your local rescues and shelters so they can provide quality care for more animals. Think twice before abandoning a pet that is like another child to the family. Just imagine how they feel being dumped after believing they had their forever home.

All I wanted is to live but...

 

...my forever family didn't want me anymore. Did you know that 47% of dogs and 42% of cats are abandoned by owners each year? The no-kill shelters try to save as many as possible--they strive for 9 out of 10--but approximately 1.5 million animals are euthanized annually. Broken down this is about 670,000 dogs and 860,000 cats. And do you really know what happens when you take your pet to a kill shelter?...

Typically, the holding period before euthanasia runs from five to seven days. However, it can be as short as 48 to 72 hours in some cases.

The answer is a combination of education, feral animal catch and neuter/spay, and supporting your local rescues and shelters so they can provide quality care for more animals. Think twice before abandoning a pet that is like another child to the family. Just imagine how they feel being dumped after believing they had their forever home.