AWARENESS ABOUT ANIMAL CRUELTY AND ITS ADVERSE EFFECTS ON LOCAL ANIMAL WILDLIFE AND STRAY ANIMALS

 

At least one animal, from around the world, is abused every 60 seconds. The great philosopher Albert Schweitzer believed that every living creature is equally deserving of our respect and empathy, this he called the reverence of life. By honoring this philosophical legacy, we can help save the lives of millions of animals.

Animal Cruelty: What and More Importantly, Why?

Animal cruelty is the act of causing pain and harm to animals, intentionally or unintentionally by neglecting due to lack of education or awareness. Animal cruelty comes in various forms, these forms being- direct physical abuse, hoarding of animals, psychological tormenting, neglect, exploitations by the cosmetic industry, fashion industry, entertainment industry and pharmaceutical industry. The number of animals that are victims of animal cruelty is estimated to be much more than what is officially recorded since a great deal of cases, unfortunately, go unreported. You can help change this by reporting crimes against animals and bringing them to justice. People put animals through abuse, selfishly for their own entertainment or leisure as can be seen in dog fighting which is when people put dogs to fights with each other, causing them serious injuries. It is one of the most brutal forms of animal abuse because it portrays how people derive pleasure from the pain of innocent lives. They also put animals through abuse because of a profit-making incentive especially in the factory farming industry. Animal cruelty can be demonstrated in inhumane factory farming practices where painful physical alterations like disbudding, castration and mutilations are performed without anaesthesia and the animals are kept in overcrowded spaces with inadequate care. In industrial farming and animal testing, animals are frequently treated as a means to make money rather than as living beings. Due to continuous exposure to cruelty, workers in these settings may become desensitised and out of touch with their humanity.

Negative Effects of Abuse on an Animal’s Psychological Well-being

When an animal is subjected to abuse, they develop feelings of aggression and fear. This makes it difficult for that animal to be around other animals or rehabilitate them. These behavioral changes cause complexities for rescue workers to find them a new, loving home because fear may manifest itself as erratic behavior in animals that have been abused in the past. Learned helplessness, a psychological state in which animals have learnt to behave helplessly after being exposed to repetitive harm, can also be observed as animals stop responding to positive changes in their surroundings and stop being like their old active selves.

Impact of Animal Cruelty on Local Wildlife and Stray Animals

Disruption of Local Ecosystem When activities such as poaching, trafficking of wildlife, poaching of certain animals in a specific geographical area are undertaken, it can lead to a decline in their population and disrupt the local ecosystem. This causes disbalance in the number of predator species and prey species and this disbalance can lead to immense suffering as they set on their quest for food and shelter, away from danger and pain. As a result of a chain reaction, plants, other animals and even insects are drastically affected.

Outbreak of a Health crisis

Animals who have experienced abuse or neglect frequently have untreated wounds, because of inaccessibility to healthcare, malnourishment, or health issues brought on by stress-inducing environments. These health conditions can increase an animal’s vulnerability to infections, which can then infect domestic animals, other stray animals and even people since these diseases can also possibly be zoonotic which means they can cross the species barrier. Because of animal cruelty, a disastrous situation is created.

How you can help end the needless suffering of animals

● Report the authorities: If you have witnessed an animal being abused, contact the authorities immediately, such as the local police, and try to gather proof in the form of images, videos, or witnesses.

● Get Help: You should get veterinary care for the abused animal and keep him/her from succumbing to his/her injuries.

● Awareness: Share this story with your local animal welfare organization and other channels, such as blog entries, and social media to reach a larger audience and advocate for kindness.

● Contact Animal Rescue: You should rehabilitate the injured animalinto a new, better home free from abuse by contacting animal rescue.

● Advocate for More Stringent Laws: Laws regarding animal cruelty are often not stringent which gives room for occurrences of these incidents to take place, by advocating for more stringent laws you will help reduce these unfortunate incidents.

● Choose Cruelty-Free Products: You should always try to purchase products that are vegan and cruelty free or not animal tested.

● Reducing Consumption of Products from Factory Farms: The products that are produced from factory farms are produced by ruthless practices that cause animals immense suffering and so, by not consuming these products you will take stand against these practices.

Stopping the Hate and Harm and Building a Better Future For Everyone

The animals borne and nurtured by the earth, a place that used to be a beautiful haven for them is now a place where they are endangered, where their habitats are constantly penetrated by human beings. Those who walked and evolved alongside them for over a millennia. Earthworms create channels for water and nutrients in the soil. Grass and plants are the food sources for herbivores.These creatures then generate carbon dioxide, which is used by the plants to grow and create oxygen, the gas that keeps us alive. Both earthworms and herbivores are equally important, no matter their sizes. Let’s stop viewing living creatures as more-valuable or less-valuable and recognize the integral part that they play in our ecosystem and coexist peacefully. By taking these measures, you are striving to build a world that is better for everyone living in it. There are thousands more animals that need to be saved for every one life that is saved. Your actions matter and create a significant change, paving a way for a world without animal cruelty.

-Dhanya Arora