Animal welfare is a pressing issue that is persistent across the globe. The way in which an animal is treated should be considered and prioritized by tending to both the physical and mental needs of the animal. By neglecting your duties as a pet owner, you are drastically affecting the life of another being in a cruel way. People all around the world are mistreating animals, leaving them helpless and forced to fend for themselves. These animals do not have a voice, so it is our duty to have one for them.
So, what’s really going on? A countless number of animals, well into the millions, across the globe are being abused or mistreated. The definition of abuse tells us that this treatment of an animal is cruel and violent. This includes, but is not limited to: neglect, underfeeding, beating, dogfighting, and film making. Not only is direct contact abuse important, but also actions such as letting an animal go on the streets because you are unable to care for it anymore. Simply forgetting to feed an animal for the day is considered mistreatment. Something to think about while attempting to understand animal abuse is: how would you treat another human? If you wouldn’t even consider doing this to human, it is almost always abuse to an animal.
The issues with animal welfare lead to broader implications about a society who abuses animals. It has been statistically proven that individuals who abuse animals have a higher chance of living a life involving abusing others and other severe crimes, including murder. While this is not the case for every person who mistreats an animal, it is extremely common and says a lot about who we are as a society. By improving how we treat animals, we are setting society up for an improved and more promising future. If being nicer to animals who deserve to be treated equally can make the world a better place, there should be no question as to whether or not we should take this action.
There is a value that I see in animal welfare that goes beyond my love for animals. I have been extremely interested in animal welfare since I was a child, always finding a piece of my heart with animals in need. This passion stems from the loss of my beloved dog at a young age. Ever since, I have made it my mission to help animals who need it by raising money and awareness. Society as a whole is in a perfect position to help and should do so because a little goes a long way. Although animal abuse across the world may never be completely stopped, there are so many ways to help that could drastically improve animal welfare as a whole. These include donations of food, money, and supplies, as well as raising awareness and having a voice. By spreading the word about animal welfare and acting on the issue, we can see immense changes to our world as a whole. Animal welfare matters not only because the animals deserve to be treated fairly, but also because it is our duty to care for the other creatures on this earth. By helping animals in need, we are also improving society in many ways, and this is extremely important.
There are so many amazing animal rescue organizations across the world; however, a primary focus of my fundraising efforts has always been with Best Friend’s Animal Society. This is an amazing non-profit organization that has a sanctuary in Utah, housing over 1,600 homeless animals. Their advocacy includes ending puppy mills, protecting community cats, ending breed discrimination, and taking action for all animals. They have an amazing group of volunteers and supporters nation-wide who all want the same thing: to save the lives of animals. When considering making a donation for animal welfare, it can be extremely overwhelming because there are so many different organizations that you can help. I love Best Friends because they rescue animals nation-wide and bring them to a little piece of heaven on earth. By visiting the sanctuary, you can volunteer your time or even adopt an animal. Other ways to help include donations of food, toys, and money to the organization. Any amount helps, and I encourage you to take a moment out of your day to support these animals who need it most. A little donation goes a long way, and as Best Friends so rightly puts it: save them all.
If you have any questions about animal welfare, donations, or Best Friends, please feel free to email me at: ciara.reidlawalabama@gmail.com
Or, visit https://bestfriends.org for more information.
This article was written by Ciara Petronzio, the chief legal assistant at the Reid Law Firm. Ciara is a junior at the University of Alabama and is pursuing a degree in Psychology with a minor in Criminal Justice on the Pre-Law track. She plans to graduate in May of 2019 and attend law school following graduation.