Animal abuse is defined as a deliberate infliction of psychological pain, distress, deprivation, or death of an animal by human beings. Animal abuses occur every time human beings fail to meet the animals basic needs. In general, animal abuses comprise of all intentional, socially, and unacceptable behaviors that threatens the welfare of our fellow animals.
Such behaviors include kicking, throwing, malicious killing, use of animals for research and entertainment, and neglect and failure to provide an animal with adequate food and veterinary care. Notably, in our factory farms millions of animals such as dairy cows, sheep, pigs, and chickens suffer extremely in the production of food, clothing, and other animal products for human consumption. Surprisingly, many individuals in our society are unaware of these sufferings inflicted on animals.
In the USA, 70% of all human foods comprises of animal products. These animal products are produced behind closed barn doors that house the animals producing them. Before the 20th century, cattle, pigs, and poultry in the USA used to roam in green pastures. However, the increase in human population has forced farm factories to confine these animals to specific cages to meet the ever- increasing demand for animal products.
Most meat products are produced in farm industries that confine, mistreat, and deny the animals their natural behavior needs. Although these practices should be unlawful, amendments to the Animal Cruelty Act have seen animals excluded from being treated fairly. As such, these farm factories are almost free to subject their animals to severe suffering with the intention of increasing their products.
Dairy cows
In developed countries, industrialization of agriculture has seen dairy cows being exploited to meet the increase in demand for milk (Schmid 1). As compared to the dairy cows reared 60 years ago, modern dairy cows have been demeaned from cattle to objects. Currently, dairy cows produce 3 times the milk they could have produced at that time.
This has been made possible through modern technologies that have focused on improving the animals udder size and production. Currently, dairy cows are confined in barns or drylot feed yards. In these cages, the animals are confined indoors for the whole year denying them their right to roam and feel the heat of the sun (Rimas & Evan 12).
More often, lactating cows are restrained in stalls forcing them to stand in between manure and a mixture of storm water. Dairy farms have adopted genetic selection and selective feeding programs with the aim of increasing milk production. It should be noted that cows bodies do not adapt quickly to the high-grained feeds fed to them in the farm factories. Therefore, these feeding methods should be blamed for the increase in metabolic disorders among the dairy cows.
Because of being fed and raised in an unnatural environment, these animals have become more vulnerable to the cattle disease that they would have resisted unrestrained. Among the diseases that these cattle have become vulnerable to is mastitis. According to the veterinary experts, millions of dairy cows suffer from the disease causing them to endure painful infections of their udders.
After birth, calves are separated from their mothers. Thereafter, male calves are castrated, or killed for veal (Burros 1). Given the fact that these calves are not given opportunities to live their normal lives, human beings should feel compassion for such animals. On the other hand, female calves are raised in special stalls until they are mature enough to be impregnated.
In their stalls, these animals are subjected to intense suffering through removal of extra teats, tail docking, and dehorning. In the US, it is estimated that thousands of dairy cows calves succumb to scours and diarrhea.
Chickens
Just like the dairy cows, chickens are subjected to intense suffering in the poultry farms. By being subjected through battery farming methods, chickens are forced to live in tiny cages that do not allow them to turn around. In these cages, the birds cannot stretch their wings, walk around, or sit comfortably while laying eggs (Ginzburg 1).
To avoid birds from fighting one another, their beaks are cut off using sharp metals through painful enduring processes. Some animal activists have real footages of poultry workers mistreating these animals. In these footages, some workers have been captured handling the birds in hostile ways, shoving the birds into their cages, and crushing the birds feet in the cage doors.
Through these footages, it is heartbreaking to imagine the kind of suffering chickens undergo through in their cages. According to some articles, when a bird limb is stuck in the cage parts, the bird is immobilized and if the animal is not rescued in time, it will die a slow painful death.
With these kinds of heartbreaking deaths that chicken endures in their poultry farmers, it is high time that consumers should be concerned with the welfare of these animals and campaigned against their inhumane treatments. In the USA, 97% of all the eggs consumed are from chickens reared in cages. The above percentage is disturbing considering the extent of suffering endured by birds reared in battery cages.
Pigs
In farm industries, pigs are the other victims of animal suffering. Immediately they are born, they are forced to bear agonizing surgical procedures such as tail docking and castration (Bdale 1).
Afterwards, they are denied their chance to be with their mother by being taken away and locked in crowded enclosures. While pregnant, their mothers are locked up in tiny cages for up to 16 weeks. Usually, the cages are so small that the animals cannot walk around or turn around. In the cages, these animals have to endure boredom and depression.
Prior to giving birth, the animals are relocated to smaller cages referred to as farrowing crates (Bdale 1). When they give birth, the piglets can suckle from outside the farrowing crates. Since their mother is trapped between the tiny cages, the piglets can hurt her nipples without her defending herself.
Based on the above real experiences, it is heartbreaking to imagine the extent of pain pigs have to endure through to meet the pork demand. Human beings should realize that pigs feel pain, undergo through stress, and suffer just as our pets. Therefore, we should look for better ways of reducing and ending the suffering, we have subjected pigs in our factory farms.
An example of an organization aimed at reducing animal suffering
In the USA, several organizations have been formed to attempt to reduce the suffering of animals in farm industries. American Humane is such an organization formed with the aim of safeguarding children and animals welfares.
This nonprofit organization has been concerned with the way animals are being treated in our farms. Currently, through its extended programs the organization is engaged in trying to improve farm programs. Through this program, the organization aims at ensuring that farms certified under their programs meet the required animal welfare standards.
Despite the relentless efforts of such organizations to end animal suffering, billions of animals continue to die and suffer from the inhumane conditions of our factory farms. According to underground investigations, most animal products for human consumption are the products of horrific deaths.
It is facts that as long as human beings are going to depend on animal products for consumption animal suffering will continue to persist. In this regard, animal activists, governments, and the consumers should be committed to preventing, ending, and denouncing animal suffering. Equally, appropriate regulations should be formulated to lessen the suffering and improve the welfare of these animals.
Researchers should work tirelessly to ensure they design appropriate facilities for farm animals. These facilities should be stress free and enhance the welfare of the animals. Similarly, appropriate slaughtering methods should be designed to reduce the pain endured by animals in slaughterhouses.
In conclusion, human beings should note that they are morally obligated to let animals enjoy the brief lives before they are slaughtered. As such, it will be more appropriate if animal farms allowed these animals to roam freely in their habitats. Equally, animal slaughterhouses should adopt ethical means of slaughtering these animals.
Likewise, if we humans preach and practice civilized morals in our society, animal suffering in our farm factories should be put to an end because animals have every right to enjoy their existence as we humans.
Bdale, David. Factory Farms Revealed: Animal Abuse and Cruelty | The Last Newspaper. The Last Newspaper | Rowan University Comp 1 Fall 2010 Hodges. Version 1 . N.p., 13 Oct. 2010. Web.
Rimas, Andrew, and Evan D. G. Fraser. Beef: the untold story of how milk, meat, and muscle shaped the world . New York, NY: William Morrow, 2008. Print.
Schmid, Ronald F. The untold story of milk: the history, politics and science of natures perfect food : raw milk from pasture-fed cows. Rev. and updated. ed. Washington, DC: NewTrends Pub., 2009. Print.
The debate about animal rights is a controversial among those that support the notion that animals have rights and those who hold the reverse notion. Some people oppose the use of animals in medical research because they say that violates the rights of the animals and amounts to animal cruelty. The others say animals have no rights and hence can be used in medical research. This paper will look at the comparisons between two articles; Why animals have no rights by Carl Cohen and All animals are equal by Peter Singer.
Both authors agree that animals and human beings suffer. Therefore, both should be treated with consideration to avoid unnecessary sufferings. Carl, a speciesist says animals suffer. Peter Singer says that animals suffer and certain kind of treatment can cause an animal to feel pain thus there it is important to treat the animals well.
The two authors differ on the use of animals in biomedical research. Carl argues that the use of animals in biomedical research is important and necessary. The bio medics use the animals to test for drugs and even though they inflict pain on the animals it does not mean they are being cruel to them.
The benefits of such laboratory research on the animals outweigh the sacrifice of some animals because drugs that help to cure human beings and other animals are developed. On the contrary, many people would suffer and die from diseases without a cure if animals were not used in the laboratory to run tests for drugs. The drugs developed have helped to alleviate pain, improve quality of life and eliminate some terrible diseases yet such drugs would never be developed without the use of animals (Cohen, 1986).
In contrast, Peter argues that the use of animals in medical research is cruel. He says that the use of an animal in a test to save human beings is immoral and just as the experimenters would not perform the tests on an orphan human infant even if that could save thousands of human beings so they should not perform the tests on animals because they suffer just like a human being would suffer. Therefore, there should be no discrimination between animals and human beings because animals have rights (Singer, 1989).
Carl says that” rights in general: they are in every case claims, or potential claims, within a community of moral agents” (Cohen, 1989, p.865). Thus, only human beings possess rights because they are the only ones capable of making moral claims and can or do against another human being.
Animals are not capable of any moral capability therefore they do not have rights. He urges that because animals lack the ability for moral judgement thus speciesism is alright and they can be used in medical research. On the contrary, Peter urges that animals have rights and appear to be able to enjoy life hence they should be allowed to live and not be used in medical laboratories and as food. He is against speciesism.
In conclusion, animals should be treated with consideration. I share similar views with those of Carl because I believe animals should be treated well, but they should be used in medical research because the benefits are huge and help humankind in dealing with diseases. Furthermore, animals are a source of food for many people and compliment other sources of food.
Dogfighting is an illegal activity that involves a lot of criminal activity and animal abuse. Besides the Dogs involved in the actual dog fight, other small animals are killed in the process as they are used as bait. Criminal activities include gambling which in many cases result in murder among other criminal activities.
Introduction
Dogfighting is a battle where two dogs are specifically trained and bred from an early stage to fight. They are placed in a pit to fight each other for gambling and the entertainment of spectators. The fights could last for more than one hour. Dog fights normally end when one or both dogs cannot continue. At the end of the fight, the dogs suffer serious injuries that could lead to death. In most cases the owner of the losing dog abandons the injured dog to die slowly from the injuries it obtained during the fight.
The injuries inflicted to and obtained by the dogs participating in the fights are usually very severe and critical. The dogs use their strong jaws to inflict deep wounds, severe bruising and even breaking of bones to each other. Most of the dogs die after the fight due to loss of blood, dehydration, exhaustion and infections as Destreza observes “It can be anywhere from one to 45 dogs. The biggest one was one bust where we took in 178 dogs in two days. Typically, they either are recently fought and all chewed up, crusty, still bleeding, all the way to just having old scars. ……”
Dog Training
Training process of the dogs, involves other smaller animals like rabbits, cats and smaller dogs. These animals act as training bait and are often killed in the process. They are used as enticement so that they can test the dog’s fighting instincts. These animals are obtained by false pretense from animals shelters while others are stolen. The Dog usually goes through a lot of suffering as dog trainers believe that the more the suffering the dog undergoes, the more it is likely to win.
Various techniques are used to train the dogs. The dogs are trained to run on the treadmill to increase endurance and dog’s cardiovascular strength. In other instances, the dog is chained to one beam of a treadmill while a bait in form of a small animal is hanged on another side of the treadmill beam. The dog then made to chase the bait by running in circles chasing the bait. It is only after the training session that the dog is given the small animal it was pursuing. “They’ll suspend animal hides from poles. I’ve seen them with rabbit fur, all kinds of stuff. The dog jumps up and hangs on it. It gets them used to biting into the fur of another animal.” Louisiana trooper Mack Dickinson.
The dog’s back legs and jaw muscles are strengthened by making the dog jump and hang over a large pole attached to a spring hanging down where tire is attached. To build the strength of the neck and upper body, the dogs are fixed with heavy chains that have massive weight which hangs around their necks. The dogs are then made to run with the heavyweights attached. Dogs are also given drugs, vitamins supplements that provoke and stimulate them to fight. Some of them are vitamin B-12, cocaine and steroids.
The dogs are trained against one another and also against older dogs which are more experienced. Early stages of training involve encouraging the dogs to pounce at each other and engaging in quick, controlled fights known as rolls; the dogs are then challenged against stronger dogs to test their firmness or readiness in the face of exhaustion and impending defeat as the fight draw closer. If the dogs pass the test, they are ready for the fight.
Dogfighting is popular in many countries and it is practiced both legally and illegally. In those countries where it is illegal, it is because it is believed to be directly related to other crimes and violence in the community. This is because most of the criminal activities like gambling, gang violence, drug distribution and even homicide. Due to the spectators betting on their preferred dog which leads to producing large sums of money, firearms and other dangerous and crude weapons are common during a dog fight. “If you are raiding a dog fight in progress, it’s usually a bunch of guns, money and drugs all over the floor, because nobody wants to get caught with it.” Quote Sandy Christiansen, President of the Spartanburg Humane Society and a dogfighting consultant.
Dogfighting however has some effects on both people and animals in the community. This is because the dogs used for fighting are extremely dangerous and aggressive towards people and other animals. There is an increased risk of attacks on both other animals and people. Children are at greater risk because of their small body size and a fighting dog might perceive a small child to be another animal thereby attacking the child. Some spectators even take their young children to the events and this is dangerous since it can promote insensitivity to the suffering of animals, interest in violence and lack of respect.
Those involved in dogfighting go to extensive lengths to avoid being detected by law enforcers and this causes investigations to be quite difficult, expensive and dangerous. In other instances the law enforcers are frustrated because of clear law on dogfighting as Sergeant David Hunt from Ohio says “It’s not uncommon for a case to drag on for a year. Obviously, you have to house the dogs for those periods of time. They’re considered evidence of a criminal operation. We’ve spent $1.2 million for house fighting dogs from 2002 to 2007”.
Spectators are also involved in crime because they provide much of the profit associated with dogfighting. This business is kept alive through the money generated by admission fees and gambling. They are willing participants who support a criminal activity through their paid admission and attendance.
Many animal activists are of the opinion that those dogs rescued from dog fight should be rehabilitated as one animal controller suggest, “I think the important thing for people to know is that these dogs are victims and we need to include them in our circle of compassion.” Diane Jessup, a pit bull owner and a retired animal control officer in Washington State.
Dogfighting should be a felony offense worldwide as it yields large profits for participants and the penalties associated with this offense convictions are not a sufficient restriction. Dog fighters merely absorb these fines as part of the cost of doing business. The cruel nature of dogfighting should be punished severely because it is an intentional and cruel practice.
Reference
Dog Fight. 2008. Web.
Dogfighting, a booming business. 2008. Web.
Inside the blood sport of dogfighting. 2008. Web.
Fighting dog breeds. 2008. Web.
Mary Randolph (2005) Every Dog’s Legal Guide, Elsevier Publishers, United States.
Richmond SPCA is a non-profit organization dedicated to rescue, care, adoption, training, and education of animals. It was founded in 1891 and has recently celebrated the 125th anniversary of protection and advocacy of community’s animals. The organization is currently situated in Richmond, Virginia. While it is not affiliated with private animal welfare organizations, Richmond SPCA closely collaborates with municipal organizations in order to ensure that all animals in need receive proper treatment and find a home. During the last several years, the organization displayed a steady growth in all performance indicators. In order to sustain growth, Richmond SPCA provides humane education to children in the community.
Current Situation
The mission of Richmond SPCA is to promote the principle that every life is precious (Richmond SPCA, n.d.a). In order to safeguard its mission, the organization runs several services, all of which aim at promoting the value of life and enhance the well-being of animals.
Veterinary Clinic
Despite the steady increase in a number of cases, the veterinary service of the organization displayed an increase in successful instances of treatment: 28% for external parasites, 15% increase in respiratory infections, and 3# increase in internal parasites. Of the top ten conditions treated, only one saw a decrease in treatment (Starr, 2017). According to the survey, the population finds the services inexpensive and cost-effective (Richmond SPCA, n.d.b).
Training services
The organization ensures constant training for shelter pets. During the last year, animals received more than 2,500 hours of training by shelter staff and an additional 2,800 hours provided by volunteers (Starr, 2017). In addition, almost 90 classes are taught to the pet owners in what amounts to more than 11,000 hours of instructions. Such strategy strengthens the bonds with the animals and decreases the likelihood of later abandonment and submission to shelters (Starr, 2017).
Trap Neuter Return
A program run by the organization provides the opportunity to vaccinate and neuter community cats free of charge. In the last year, more than 1,000 stray animals were treated in this way (Starr, 2017). The free nature of the program has been shown to enhance voluntary participation and improve the stray animal situation (Levy, Isaza, & Scott, 2014).
Adoptions
The FY16 saw a dramatic increase in adoptions by the population – 3848 animals found their new home (Starr, 2017). This is roughly 200 more than the previous year’s number and is consistent with a steady trend demonstrated in the last five years. Despite the constant growth, Richmond SPCA reported the remained of more than 370 pets waiting for adoption, which indicates the need for further improvement (Starr, 2017).
Future Implications
To further engage the population, the organization promotes involvement through several channels.
Volunteer Programs
The Running Buddies program encourages volunteers to take shelter dogs for a run as a part of the shelter animal training program. According to the report, more than 4,000 miles was run by the dogs in 2016 as a result of this program (Starr, 2017). The activity is expected to promote physical exercise and positively impact the community health.
Children’s Programs
Richmond SPCA organizes several children camps, including Dogs with Jobs camp, where the participants can witness demonstrations of dogs at service of community organizations such as Ems and Fire Department (Starr, 2017).
Birthday parties hosted at the shelter strengthen bonds with animals and promote humane values of the organization.
Bus tours and community visits organized by Richmond SPCA provide children with relevant information on the current situation with stray animals, highlight common misconceptions associated with the topic, and outline benefits of pet adoption.
The said activities are expected to raise awareness on stray animal issues among the younger generation and have a long-term effect of decreased animal abandonment rate (Tardif-Williams & Bosacki, 2015). At the current rate, we can expect an observable improvement in the nearby years.
About Us
“The Richmond SPCA, founded in 1891, is a non-profit, no-kill humane organization dedicated to the principle that every life is precious. The Richmond SPCA is a national leader in humane care and education, having developed numerous lifesaving programs and services including those dedicated to adoption, rehabilitation, sterilization and education” (Richmond SPCA, n.d.a, para. 1).
References
Levy, J. K., Isaza, N. M., & Scott, K. C. (2014). Effect of high-impact targeted trap-neuter-return and adoption of community cats on cat intake to a shelter. The Veterinary Journal, 201(3), 269-274.
Starr, R. R. (2017). Fiscal year 2016 annual report. Web.
Tardif-Williams, C. Y., & Bosacki, S. L. (2015). Evaluating the impact of a humane education summer-camp program on school-aged children’s relationships with companion animals. Anthrozoös, 28(4), 587-600.
In most parts of the world, animals are treated as if they do not have any form of rights. As such, they are treated with cruelty, for example, being left in the cold at night and without any form of shelter. If the animal falls sick they are left to suffer until their death. In most parts of the world, especially the second world countries, the animals are sometimes left unfed for days due to the high level of poverty.
When there is a natural calamity like droughts, the condition becomes even worse for the cattle and other domestic animals. Due to the extensive unfairness to the animals, the Veterinary department of most developed countries has established laws concerning the treatment care and support that animals have to be accorded with. They first established a database that can put in place the details of almost all the domestic and wild animals in the world.
The use and constant support of the animals every day is something that requires dedication from the person involved. At some point, people dedicate their time, give time, and sacrifice in their life just to be able to provide. At this time of the animal’s life, they may need care.
On a more pragmatic analysis, to be able to the extent these services to more animals that are in need. We are supposed to open up an animal abuse registry so that; the malnourished and poorly treated animals can be treated as soon as possible. In poorly developed nations, animals suffering from simple diseases or even cuts end up dead due to the negligence they go through. If only people could be more considerate of the animals, more could be saved through the establishment of more animal support facilities by the government.
Although numerous organizations, such as ASPCA and Last Chance for Animals, are doing their best to eradicate animal cruelty, it continues to be a pattern within some areas. Therefore, creating a community-based approach is likely to prompt a more effective change. The proposed program will seek to raise awareness about animal cruelty within the target community, provide guidelines for spotting it and addressing it appropriately, raise money for animal rescue, and encourage citizens to adopt rescued animals after gaining crucial knowledge about caring for them properly.
Since the described program represents a relatively new concept of managing a global issue on a community level, the budget percentages should be based on the 50/30/20 rule as the principal approach toward financial management. The specified framework requires spending 50% on key costs and necessities, using 30% to address major wants, and utilizing the remaining 20% for debt and savings (Stylianou et al., 2019). The 50/30/20 approach will help to prioritize milestone tasks such as building awareness, providing animal healthcare, paying rent, and educating the community.
In addition to financial assets, the program will also require volunteers, who will support the program and offer their assistance in rescuing animals, building awareness, and promoting education among citizens, convincing them to adopt pets. It is suggested that local pet owners, veterinarians, and enthusiasts should be invited to participate. Given that the approximate population of the target community is around 400 people, it is recommended that at least 20 people (5%) should be involved. While it is unreasonable to expect that a larger number of people will be interested, ensuring that at least 5% of the population is invested will help to promote knowledge actively and target the remaining part of the community. It is believed that, once the key milestones are reached, at least 100 animals (5 animals per volunteer) will receive the necessary care.
Reference
Stylianou, A. M., Counselman-Carpenter, E., & Redcay, A. (2019). Developing a financial literacy program with survivors of intimate partner violence: The voices of survivors. Social Work, 64(4), 311-320.
Research has proved that animal cruelty has been on the rise for the last two decades due to the increase of human population globally. The competition between animals and human beings for survival has influenced animal cruelty. In most cases, animals are trained through intimidation as they are severely beaten up like they don’t have feelings. A good example is presented in animals performing in circuses like the elephants that spend close to 23 hours every day in chains.
American scientists subject animals into dangerous complications while they use them to test new inventions especially in the medical arena. Like 25 million vertebrates in America are used to perform medical tests per year (Lockwood, 1998). Various researches indicate an increased rate in animal cruelty thus necessitating the need for viable measures to be taken accordingly by the relevant authorities.
Literature Review
In this paper I will discuss the different cause’s animal cruelty and their impacts on social, culture as well as environment. Animal cruelty is an ethical question as well as being of potential economic concern. This will be deliberated upon in this paper to determine how cruelty affects the economic growth and undermines ethical standards. In the body also I will be tackling and providing evidences concerning general causes of animal cruelty.
In the second part of the body, I will be more specific on the effects of animal cruelty in respect to ethics. I will base my argument on the number of unnecessary deaths in animal parks and reserves. I will show the dangers of neglecting animals including the most prevalent one where extinction can be a possible result.
Other general effects of animal cruelty will also feature in my discussion. The third part of my research involves solutions and recommendations to address the issues of animal cruelty. I will split my recommendations into social, cultural, environmental and ethical solutions to solve the issue. I will also offer legal solutions that can be used to deal with this issue.
Socio-cultural and environmental causes of animal cruelty
Animal cruelty includes every aspect of human behaviors that have a negative impact on animals or threaten the life and wellbeing of an animal. This encompasses intentional and unintentional behaviors that affect the animals. Human activities most of the time undermine the harmonious existence of animals in so many aspects.
Animal cruelty can be described as physically causing harm to an animal or deprive an animal of the basics needs such as food, water, shelter the freedom to interact with other animals that is animal socialization and subjecting an animal to torture ( Ingrid, 1999). Other ways through which animal cruelty can take effect are when animals are denied veterinary care. Animal cruelty has been categorized as a form of disorder and unstable behavior seen in people who have been subjected to violence.
Some of the abuses animals are subjected to include dog fighting and cock fighting. Animals are subjected to painful identification marks which are put using extremely hot metals on the surface of their bodies. This is done without a pain relievers or anesthesia. Animal cruelty is seen especially while an animal is being taken to the slaughter house. If the animal is injure on the way or it becomes tired, they ear bitten up and moved unassisted due to the fact that they are headed to death.
Other abuses included breading animals for food consumption. A good example is that of broiler chicken that are raised to grow fat through genetic modifications. This is done not considering the effects it has on the birds and animals generally but with the selfish human ambition to impress buyers. Electric cattle prods have been in use for a long time now. This is an electric gadget that used to induce an electric shock on cattle to make them move.
This gadget transmits electric currents on the animal’s body and even though the voltage is very low to kill, it is enough to cause pain on the animal. Social causes of cruelty are the most reported forms of animal cruelty. People with mental disorders are mostly prone to mishandling animals though most of time unknowingly. This may include causing harm to the animal without really intending to do so.
For example, due to mental inability to weigh and reason out, a mentally challenged person may chain his or her pet dog with a very short chain. What the person does not understand is the fact that the dog needs to move freely around the compound. This kind of behavior is quit cruel and unfair to the pet.
Immaturity is another cause of cruelty where by children goes around throwing stones at animals on the way. Small boys are especially notorious with this behavior. Whenever a child sees a strolling dog or cat for that matter, the first thing that goes into their minds is to pick a stone and chase the animal away.
However there are other individuals who will intentionally cause harm for various reasons with the cruelest one being to derive satisfaction. The most vulnerable animals are the small domesticated animals which most of the times cannot defend themselves. Most of these offenders just enjoy the feeling of dominance hence they keep on harming the animals. With the current increase in population, there has been mounting pressure on land.
Humans are pushing away animals from their habitats due to lack or limited space for human existence. The human race is encroaching into land set out to host wild animals. The population of wild animals is also growing with their land growing smaller due to human encroachment.
This is also mounting pressure on the animal’s existence since they too are growing in numbers. In the process of encroachment, humans are destroying animals shelter and to some extent sources of food (Matas, 2008). This is cruelty and if allowed to go on it will pose a very negative effect to the existence and survival of wild animals. Domesticated animals as well are living in difficult conditions that do not favor their wellbeing at all costs.
Most of the domesticated animals include dogs, cats, chicken, cattle, goats and many others. These animals really require space to play and exercise in an open air. But instead, they are confined in small structured holding where they not even play or move around. This limits and infringes their rights as animals. Some extreme conditions are that the structures used to hold the animals are not well taken care of in terms of decency and cleanliness.
Most of them are unventilated dark places in the back yards where no living thing can confidently survive. In the event that an animal gets sick or feels unwell, medical attention is not easily accorded and sometimes the animal might even die out of an illness that could have been otherwise dealt with. However, animal credulity is not always intentional and in some instances, it happens due to economic factors that are beyond the owner’s ability to solve.
In a situation where an individual owns a pet but he or she cannot afford to provide the medical attention and nutrition needs of the dog, then cruelty may occur though it would be beyond the owner’s ability to address the issue. This is most likely to be seen in the third world countries where the people are not financially capable of financing some the required rights of an animal.
Veterinary services are normally very expensive and may be out of reach to many people in the third world countries. Poverty levels in these countries cannot allow an owner of a pet to even think about thee pets health needs as he or she has enough already to think about with regards to his or her financial needs that are even hard for him.
Effects of animal cruelty with special focus on the ethical effects
Animal cruelty has many adverse effects on both the environment and human existence. Focusing mostly on ethical effects, I will base my focus on the use of animals in general. My fundamental objection to the use of animals is influenced by the rampant genetic modification of animals to achieve scientific discoveries.
I specially target this practice considering the fact that the use of animals for such practices contravenes the whole idea of ethics in general not to mention professional and social ethics. Animals just like humans have interests and reasons to live. Compromising the lives of animals to satisfy human interests is just unethical and cruel in all angle of justification. I do not believe that human interests should be put above the interests of animals.
Causing animal’s pain is unacceptable and very cruel to even think about. Genetic modification has been the worst activity that has seen the suffering of animals at the expense of human interest. Genetic modification is unnatural way of altering the DNA formula in an individual living thing. With the widely accepted reasoning that justifies the DNA modification of animals to achieve solutions to human problems, there is one major setback; the results and long-term effects of the modification to the modified animal.
The harm that the modified animal will be exposed to is the main concern of ethics. Changing the genetic makeup of an animal goes as far as to replicate the alterations to its progeny and so on and so forth. This may even give rise to totally different species’ characteristics changing the whole identity of the animal. This might cause other accrued effects that may have global effects. Genetic engineering undermines the integrity of animals with the practice causing welfare problems in animals.
Techniques used to genetically modified animals are to greater extents harmful to the animals. This includes gene deletion which alters the general characteristics of an animal. Animal cruelty has many negative effects on human the animals themselves. Causing injury to animals can adversely affect the animal by increasing aggression (Pierce, 2007).
A dog for example that has been mistreated becomes more aggressive and unfriendly to people due to fear. This makes the animal very hostile and hence affecting its normal welfare.
By physically assaulting animals, several harms can occur; the animal may lose reproductive fitness if its reproductive parts are tampered with during the assault, the animal might develop digestive malfunctioning and nutrition disorders due to loss desire for food, physically assaulting an animal can also result into increased stress hormones in the animal as well as increased heart rate and consequently blood pressure goes up.
Although more than 42 states have in recent times prepared some systems to define animal abuse crimes, anti-cruelty laws are varying extensively from state to state. In the meantime, most public prosecutors are reluctant to charge or impeach animal cruelty offenses equated to other crimes, with the exception of situations where the crimes are extreme.
The unwillingness emanates from a range of aspects comprising of real or apparent inadequate means to do so; inexperienced staff; partial or substandard investigations; pressure from the public to pay attention on other crimes; and prejudice against taking animal exploitation seriously as a violent crime.
Solutions and Recommendations to animal cruelty problems
Social education on how to treat and handle animals with care should be incorporated in schools and strict measures should be taken to ensure that students uphold them. The authorities should provide the public with toll free numbers for reporting cases of animal cruelty. Most of the time people can see offenders carry out a crime but people do not know what cause of action they can take in regards to reporting the felony.
Sometimes an offender is mistreating his or her own pet but no one can ask them to stop. This can be averted if the relevant authorities can offer help by providing the public with ways and means through which the public can reach them with ease. The public can be more alert and vigilant to watch around the neighborhood for such law offenders. Animal cruelty in most circumstances happens because nobody is watching around and stopping offender.
It is evident even on the streets you can see children throwing stone on a dog and no body passing by can stop them of caution them let alone calling the relevant authorities. Some of the abuses animals are subjected to include dog fighting and cock fighting. Animals are subjected to painful identification marks which are put using extremely hot metals on the surface of their bodies (Weisner & Sheard1993).
This is done without a pain relievers or anesthesia. Animal cruelty is seen especially while an animal is being taken to the slaughter house. If the animal is injure on the way or it becomes tired, they ear bitten up and moved unassisted due to the fact that they are headed to death. Other abuses included breading animals for food consumption. A good example is that of broiler chicken that are raised to grow fat through genetic modifications.
This is done not considering the effects it has on the birds and animals generally but with the selfish human ambition to impress buyers. Electric cattle prods have been in use for a long time now. This is an electric gadget that used to induce an electric shock on cattle to make them move (Weisner & Sheard1993). This gadget transmits electric currents on the animal’s body and even though the voltage is very low to kill, it is enough to cause pain on the animal.
Social causes of cruelty are the most reported forms of animal cruelty. People with mental disorders are mostly prone to mishandling animals though most of time unknowingly. This may include causing harm to the animal without really intending to do so. For example, due to mental inability to weigh and reason out, a mentally challenged person may chain his or her pet dog with a very short chain. What the person does not understand is the fact that the dog needs to move freely around the compound (Reimer, 2007).
This kind of behavior is quit cruel and unfair to the pet. Immaturity is another cause of cruelty where by children go around throwing stones at animals on the way. Small boys are especially notorious with this behavior. Whenever a child sees a strolling dog or cat for that matter, the first thing that goes into their minds is to pick a stone and chase the animal away. However there are other individuals who will intentionally cause harm for various reasons with the cruelest one being to derive satisfaction.
The most vulnerable animals are the small domesticated animals which most of the times cannot defend themselves. Most of these offenders just enjoy the feeling of dominance hence they keep on harming the animals. With the current increase in population, there has been mounting pressure on land. Humans are pushing away animals from their habitats due to lack or limited space for human existence. The human race is encroaching into land set out to host wild animals.
The population of wild animals is also growing with their land growing smaller due to human encroachment. This is also mounting pressure on the animal’s existence since they too are growing in numbers. In the process of encroachment, humans are destroying animals shelter and to some extent sources of food. This is cruelty and if allowed to go on it will pose a very negative effect to the existence and survival of wild animals.
Domesticated animals as well are living in difficult conditions that do not favor their wellbeing at all costs. Most of the domesticated animals include dogs, cats, chicken, cattle, goats and many others. These animals really require space to play and exercise in an open air. But instead, they are confined in small structured holding where they not even play or move around.
This limits and infringes their rights as animals. Some extreme conditions are that the structures used to hold the animals are not well taken care of in terms of decency and cleanliness (Gruen, 2011). Most of them are unventilated dark places in the back yards where no living thing can confidently survive. In the event that an animal gets sick or feels unwell, medical attention is not easily accorded and sometimes the animal might even die out of an illness that could have been otherwise dealt with.
However, animal credulity is not always intentional and in some instances, it happens due to economic factors that are beyond the owner’s ability to solve. In a situation where an individual owns a pet but he or she cannot afford to provide the medical attention and nutrition needs of the dog, then cruelty may occur though it would be beyond the owner’s ability to address the issue. This is most likely to be seen in the third world countries where the people are not financially capable of financing some the required rights of an animal.
Veterinary services are normally very expensive and may be out of reach to many people in the third world countries. Poverty levels in these countries cannot allow an owner of a pet to even think about thee pets health needs as he or she has enough already to think about with regards to his or her financial needs that are even hard for him.
Considering the numerous scientific studies, it is imperative to note that emotional harm actually hurts more than the physical harm does and this is true also to animals as well. Animal cruelty has many adverse effects on both the environment and human existence. Focusing mostly on ethical effects, I will base my focus on the use of animals in general.
My fundamental objection to the use of animals is influenced by the rampant genetic modification of animals to achieve scientific discoveries. I specially target this practice considering the fact that the use of animals for such practices contravenes the whole idea of ethics in general not to mention professional and social ethics. Animals just like humans have interests and reasons to live. Compromising the lives of animals to satisfy human interests is just unethical and cruel in all angle of justification.
I do not believe that human interests should be put above the interests of animals. Causing animal’s pain is unacceptable and very cruel to even think about. Genetic modification has been the worst activity that has seen the suffering of animals at the expense of human interest. Genetic modification is unnatural way of altering the DNA formula in an individual living thing.
With the widely accepted reasoning that justifies the DNA modification of animals to achieve solutions to human problems, there is one major setback; the results and long-term effects of the modification to the modified animal. The harm that the modified animal will be exposed to is the main concern of ethics.
Changing the genetic makeup of an animal goes as far as to replicate the alterations to its progeny and so on and so forth. This may even give rise to totally different species’ characteristics changing the whole identity of the animal.
Social education on how to treat and handle animals with care should be incorporated in schools and strict measures should be taken to ensure that students uphold them.
References
Gruen, L. (2011). Ethics and animals: an introduction. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press.
Ingrid, N. (1999). You can save the animals: 251 ways to stop thoughtless cruelty /Ingrid newkirk. Rocklin, CA: Prima publishing.
Lockwood, R. (1998). Cruelty to animals and interpersonal violence: readings in Research and application / edited by Randall Lockwood and frank R. ascione. West Lafayette, Ind: Purdue University Press.
Matas, R. (2008). Man found guilty of microwaving a cat. New York, NY: Oxford University Press.
What are the causes and effects of animal cruelty? What is the impact of animal abuse on the environment and society? How to stop it? Find the answers below.
Animal abuse means acts of neglect or violence that cause the pain and suffering of domestic and wild animals. With the development of modern civilization, this problem and the attention to it have been continuously increasing. According to Tanner (2015), today, “condemnation of cruelty to animals is virtually unanimous” (p. 818). Despite the public disapproval of animal abuse, little is being done when the cases occur. Moreover, numerous acts of animal neglect are not generally considered as cruel due to the lack of awareness in society. Therefore, it is vitally important to understand the negative impact of animal maltreatment on society, particular individuals, and the animals to realize the seriousness of the problem and take decisive actions.
Impact & Causes of Animal Abuse: Presentation of the Problem
Humans stand in the most dominating position among all the species of Planet Earth. They are the ones who run farms, circuses and decide whether to buy, adopt, or abandon a pet. The influence of humans has even spread onto wild animals as they can kill them while hunting or destroy their environment. According to Cooper (2018), domestic animals and pets exist exclusively at human mercy. However, this should not mean that people are free to do anything they want to animals, but, instead, signifies the responsibility of humans for treating animals properly. Although the use of farm animals for food, leather, and fur is not considered cruel by most of society, the practices that provoke unnecessary suffering and pain should not be tolerated.
It should be mentioned that animal maltreatment commonly appears in two forms – passive and active. Passive cruelty is the act of making animals suffer without vicious motives, usually for commercial purposes. Hurting animals in such a way does not imply aggression from humans; nevertheless, such acts show irresponsibility from people in their attitude to animals. This type of animal cruelty comprises such phenomena as inhumane farming, training animals for entertainment shows, neglect, starvation, and abandonment. Acts of animal maltreatment are considered illegal in the US. However, they often happen throughout the country as it is difficult to prove them and to find out who is guilty.
As the reasons for passive cruelty often lie in ignorance or indifference, active cruelty means deliberate and aggressive actions against animals to hurt and torture them. Acts of violence against animals are studied more thoroughly by scholars from various fields of study as they touch different aspects of social life such as psychology, psychiatry, education studies, and criminalistics. Cruelty as a psychological issue, especially at a young age, is a subject of concern for parents and teachers, as such acts speak for psychical disorders.
Animal Cruelty Causes
The history of relationships between humans and animals is thousands of years long. Our predecessors used animals for food and work as we do now, but initially, this use was motivated by necessity. Today, people are not as much dependent on animals, as there are various sources of food, and they do not need to put animals to work as machines are more effective than horses or oxen. Despite this, the exploitation of animals has only increased with the development of civilization. The question is, what makes people act cruelly towards animals if it is not a necessity.
Several reasons cause people to be cruel to animals today. First of all, commercial motives should be mentioned as the desire to maximize profit from farming leads to animal exploitation, such as factory farming. Testing products on animals is also a step in pursuit of commercial goals. Entertaining shows with animals, such as circuses or bullfighting, were initially present in many cultures. However, the main reason that they are still present despite the modern-day awareness is that they bring money.
Secondly, ignorance and indifference are the reasons that mostly cause violence towards pets. Some people use cruel types of training or inhumane procedures such as declawing of cats without knowing that they hurt their pets. Other people do not care about pets and neglect them. For example, they can leave a cat or a dog at home alone for several days without food and water, or leave them freezing outside at night. Irresponsible treatment is illegal and should be punished, but such cases are rarely reported.
Sheer aggression is probably the most clamant reason for cruelty to animals. Psychologists who study the nature of delinquent behavior claim that there is no specific type of aggression aimed at animals. As Hoffer, Hargreaves-Company, Muirhead, and Meloy (2018) claim, it is possible to predict the violence to humans by assessing the abuse of young people to animals. Their research shows that, in most cases, animals become victims only because they are weaker and cannot protect themselves from human rudeness.
Animal Cruelty Effects
From the ethical point of view, cruelty to animals should not be tolerated. It is illegal to make animals feel pain or suffer, and it should be punished. However, punishment, as it is rare and weak, is not a deterrent to animal abuse. That is why the awareness should be raised about the effect of cruelty to animals on society. After taking the first look at commercial maltreatment of animals, it seems that there is no negative influence on society, as people seem only to benefit from it.
Nonetheless, factory farming can lead to the transmission of infections among animals. Such outbreaks of diseases transmitted through products of animal origin are registered in the US almost every year. In addition to this, the exploitation of animals, especially with entertaining purposes, leads to cultural and ethical degradation of society.
Indifference and ignorance of pets can have disastrous outcomes for them, as in the result of such treatment, many of them die, starve or become abandoned. Children, raised in families where cruelty to animals is tolerated, have the perception that it is a norm and are likely to continue this tradition. As a result of abandonment, cities are flooded with stray animals, which negatively influence the welfare of residents.
Psychologists say that there is a direct link between violence to animals and people (Bright et al., 2018). Deliberate, aggressive behavior to animals has been self-reported by numbers of juvenile offenders, as the study shows. According to Bright, Huq, Applebaum, and Hardt, animal abuse is a sign of delinquency: “Compared to the larger group of juvenile offenders, the children admitting to engaging in animal cruelty are younger at the time of the first arrest” (p. 287). Reporting and assessing such incidents is necessary, as it can serve for prediction and prevention of further aggression against humans.
Conclusion
The analysis of the effect cruelty to animals has on the society shows that there are numerous negative consequences of such acts, as there are no animal abuse cases that have absolutely no outcomes. The effects on humans are different, but the effect on animals is always the same – creatures capable of affection and devotion are suffering and dying. Viewing animals only as objects can not lead to effective and happy co-existence, whereas compassion and care provide mutual gain.
References
Bright, M. A., Huq, M. S., Spencer, T., Applebaum, J. W., & Hardt, N. (2018). Animal cruelty as an indicator of family trauma: Using adverse childhood experiences to look beyond child abuse and domestic violence. Child Abuse & Neglect, 76, 287–296. Web.
Cooper, D. E. (2018). Animals and misanthropy. London, UK: Routledge.
Hoffer, T., Hargreaves-Company, H., Muirhead, Y., & Meloy, J. R. (2018). Violence in animal cruelty offenders. New York, NY: Springer Nature.
Tanner, J. (2015). Clarifying the concept of cruelty: What makes cruelty to animals cruel. The Heythrop Journal, 56(5), 818–835. Web.
Animal abuse is defined as a deliberate infliction of psychological pain, distress, deprivation, or death of an animal by human beings. Animal abuses occur every time human beings fail to meet the animals’ basic needs. In general, animal abuses comprise of all intentional, socially, and unacceptable behaviors that threatens the welfare of our fellow animals.
Such behaviors include kicking, throwing, malicious killing, use of animals for research and entertainment, and neglect and failure to provide an animal with adequate food and veterinary care. Notably, in our factory farms millions of animals such as dairy cows, sheep, pigs, and chickens suffer extremely in the production of food, clothing, and other animal products for human consumption. Surprisingly, many individuals in our society are unaware of these sufferings inflicted on animals.
In the USA, 70% of all human foods comprises of animal products. These animal products are produced behind closed barn doors that house the animals producing them. Before the 20th century, cattle, pigs, and poultry in the USA used to roam in green pastures. However, the increase in human population has forced farm factories to confine these animals to specific cages to meet the ever- increasing demand for animal products.
Most meat products are produced in farm industries that confine, mistreat, and deny the animals their natural behavior needs. Although these practices should be unlawful, amendments to the Animal Cruelty Act have seen animals excluded from being treated fairly. As such, these farm factories are almost free to subject their animals to severe suffering with the intention of increasing their products.
Dairy cows
In developed countries, industrialization of agriculture has seen dairy cows being exploited to meet the increase in demand for milk (Schmid 1). As compared to the dairy cows reared 60 years ago, modern dairy cows have been demeaned from cattle to objects. Currently, dairy cows produce 3 times the milk they could have produced at that time.
This has been made possible through modern technologies that have focused on improving the animals’ udder size and production. Currently, dairy cows are confined in barns or drylot feed yards. In these cages, the animals are confined indoors for the whole year denying them their right to roam and feel the heat of the sun (Rimas & Evan 12).
More often, lactating cows are restrained in stalls forcing them to stand in between manure and a mixture of storm water. Dairy farms have adopted genetic selection and selective feeding programs with the aim of increasing milk production. It should be noted that cows’ bodies do not adapt quickly to the high-grained feeds fed to them in the farm factories. Therefore, these feeding methods should be blamed for the increase in metabolic disorders among the dairy cows.
Because of being fed and raised in an unnatural environment, these animals have become more vulnerable to the cattle disease that they would have resisted unrestrained. Among the diseases that these cattle have become vulnerable to is mastitis. According to the veterinary experts, millions of dairy cows suffer from the disease causing them to endure painful infections of their udders.
After birth, calves are separated from their mothers. Thereafter, male calves are castrated, or killed for veal (Burros 1). Given the fact that these calves are not given opportunities to live their normal lives, human beings should feel compassion for such animals. On the other hand, female calves are raised in special stalls until they are mature enough to be impregnated.
In their stalls, these animals are subjected to intense suffering through removal of extra teats, tail docking, and dehorning. In the US, it is estimated that thousands of dairy cow’s calves succumb to scours and diarrhea.
Chickens
Just like the dairy cows, chickens are subjected to intense suffering in the poultry farms. By being subjected through battery farming methods, chickens are forced to live in tiny cages that do not allow them to turn around. In these cages, the birds cannot stretch their wings, walk around, or sit comfortably while laying eggs (Ginzburg 1).
To avoid birds from fighting one another, their beaks are cut off using sharp metals through painful enduring processes. Some animal activists have real footages of poultry workers mistreating these animals. In these footages, some workers have been captured handling the birds in hostile ways, shoving the birds into their cages, and crushing the birds’ feet in the cage doors.
Through these footages, it is heartbreaking to imagine the kind of suffering chickens undergo through in their cages. According to some articles, when a bird limb is stuck in the cage parts, the bird is immobilized and if the animal is not rescued in time, it will die a slow painful death.
With these kinds of heartbreaking deaths that chicken endures in their poultry farmers, it is high time that consumers should be concerned with the welfare of these animals and campaigned against their inhumane treatments. In the USA, 97% of all the eggs consumed are from chickens reared in cages. The above percentage is disturbing considering the extent of suffering endured by birds reared in battery cages.
Pigs
In farm industries, pigs are the other victims of animal suffering. Immediately they are born, they are forced to bear agonizing surgical procedures such as tail docking and castration (Bdale 1).
Afterwards, they are denied their chance to be with their mother by being taken away and locked in crowded enclosures. While pregnant, their mothers are locked up in tiny cages for up to 16 weeks. Usually, the cages are so small that the animals cannot walk around or turn around. In the cages, these animals have to endure boredom and depression.
Prior to giving birth, the animals are relocated to smaller cages referred to as farrowing crates (Bdale 1). When they give birth, the piglets can suckle from outside the farrowing crates. Since their mother is trapped between the tiny cages, the piglets can hurt her nipples without her defending herself.
Based on the above real experiences, it is heartbreaking to imagine the extent of pain pigs have to endure through to meet the pork demand. Human beings should realize that pigs feel pain, undergo through stress, and suffer just as our pets. Therefore, we should look for better ways of reducing and ending the suffering, we have subjected pigs in our factory farms.
An example of an organization aimed at reducing animal suffering
In the USA, several organizations have been formed to attempt to reduce the suffering of animals in farm industries. American Humane is such an organization formed with the aim of safeguarding children and animals’ welfares.
This nonprofit organization has been concerned with the way animals are being treated in our farms. Currently, through its extended programs the organization is engaged in trying to improve farm programs. Through this program, the organization aims at ensuring that farms certified under their programs meet the required animal welfare standards.
Despite the relentless efforts of such organizations to end animal suffering, billions of animals continue to die and suffer from the inhumane conditions of our factory farms. According to underground investigations, most animal products for human consumption are the products of horrific deaths.
It is facts that as long as human beings are going to depend on animal products for consumption animal suffering will continue to persist. In this regard, animal activists, governments, and the consumers should be committed to preventing, ending, and denouncing animal suffering. Equally, appropriate regulations should be formulated to lessen the suffering and improve the welfare of these animals.
Researchers should work tirelessly to ensure they design appropriate facilities for farm animals. These facilities should be stress free and enhance the welfare of the animals. Similarly, appropriate slaughtering methods should be designed to reduce the pain endured by animals in slaughterhouses.
In conclusion, human beings should note that they are morally obligated to let animals enjoy the brief lives before they are slaughtered. As such, it will be more appropriate if animal farms allowed these animals to roam freely in their habitats. Equally, animal slaughterhouses should adopt ethical means of slaughtering these animals.
Likewise, if we humans preach and practice civilized morals in our society, animal suffering in our farm factories should be put to an end because animals have every right to enjoy their existence as we humans.
Bdale, David. “Factory Farms Revealed: Animal Abuse and Cruelty | The Last Newspaper.” The Last Newspaper | Rowan University Comp 1 Fall 2010 Hodges. Version 1 . N.p., 13 Oct. 2010. Web.
Rimas, Andrew, and Evan D. G. Fraser. Beef: the untold story of how milk, meat, and muscle shaped the world . New York, NY: William Morrow, 2008. Print.
Schmid, Ronald F. The untold story of milk: the history, politics and science of nature’s perfect food : raw milk from pasture-fed cows. Rev. and updated. ed. Washington, DC: NewTrends Pub., 2009. Print.
Many people think that they are superior to animals. People think they are real masters of all animals. Nonetheless, many thinkers, writers, poets, artists and even ordinary people know that this assumption is absolutely incorrect.
People cannot be superior as they are simply tiny elements in the Universe. Italian authors Leopardi, Calvino, Morante and Pirandello considered this issue in their works. These authors claimed that animals had to endure lots of violent actions. People use animals for their needs. However, this cannot be right.
The authors stress superiority of animals which are perfect creatures living in accordance with the rules of the universe. The present paper dwells upon the authors’ standpoints concerning the relationships between animals and people. The present paper focuses on the authors’ ideas that animals, being superior creatures, have to endure a lot of sorrows caused by people, though some exceptions still exist.
For instance, Elsa Morante (1912-1985) portrays people’s attitude towards animals in her works. This author lived in the twentieth century. This was the time when people thought there could be no limits for humanity: people landed on the Moon, people created sophisticated machines. Of course, many still think that people are superior to animals. Nevertheless, many understand that those discoveries mean nothing and they do not give any right to harm animals.
Many people understand that animals are equal to people. For instance, Morante describes such kind of relationships in her novel stressing that a man believes that his dog is a member of his family (489). In fact, such relationships are not rare. Animals are always helpful and supportive and, fortunately, many people can see that.
Nevertheless, some people take advantage of animals’ supportiveness, loyalty and trust. For instance, Luici Pirandello (1867-1936) describes such kind of relationships in his works. Pirandello was a modernist who lived during a very different historical period.
Essentially, fascism existed in a very specific historical period. Born in Sicily he lived and studied in Germany. He wrote lots of short stories and few novels but he is most famous for the plays, modernist view of identity is his focus (relativism). He also believed that human identity was always in motion because time changed people.
According to him although the imitation of nature should be simple and “nude”, he agrees that it should also be complete. He depicts everything in a great detail in his very special way. Thus, he depicts people’s intentions to take advantage of animals. For instance, he describes a man who tries to earn money making animals (birds and an old she-donkey) suffer (Pirandello 60).
However, the man is punished for his cruelty. The saint comes to save little creatures of God. Interestingly, the saint is talking about saving the man’s soul as well: freeing birds means salvation for the man. However, the man is not ready to understand that animals should be respected. Pirandello considers this in one short story “The Bat”. Here Pirandello proves that people can never ‘enslave’ animals totally (“The Bat” 27).
Thus, the bat does not follow the director’s instructions. Though the director wanted to use the animal, the animal proved its superiority. It is possible to state that Pirandello makes it clear that animals follow their own laws and convention which are out of people’s reach.
This idea was suggested by Italo Calvino (1923-1985). He was a post-modernist who fought against the Nazi. He later became a classic of new realist literature and he wrote about his experience. He chose new books that could be published. He won a lot of literary awards and he was very optimists about the future of Italy in 1956. And he started writing fantastic novels. He gave Italians something else than war to think about.
In many ways, Calvino’s visual poetic brings together his interests in visual arts and literature, in human and the natural sciences. As far as the relationships between people and animals are concerned, Calvino articulates the idea that animals follow some universal laws. The author stresses that everything is perfect in nature (Calvino 21).
However, he also tries to draw the line between human society and animals. Notably, he draws parallels between people’s behavior and animals’ actions. The author stresses that all those actions cannot be understood by people as the latter are not aware of basic conventions of the nature (Calvino 21).
This author does not make some major assumptions on the nature of the relationships between people and animals. It is possible to state that he simply observes the life. Notably, he notices that there is some order in the world of animals. The author argues that human society lacks such an order. Though, it is important to note that the author does not focus on superiority of animals (or people). It seems it is not important for the author. He simply strives for harmony in relationships between people and animals.
However, it is possible to claim that Giacomo Leopardi (1789-1837) is the greatest supporter of the idea that animals are superior to people. The author yearns for freedom. He could not move freely and that was the reason why he loved birds so much. These creatures have the power of vision and hearing and they can see everything from above. Admittedly, birds have always been compared with angels and good spirits. This is an archetypal believe. It is but natural that Leopardi articulates these ideas.
Apart from this, he reckons that birds’ singing is better than human laughter (Leopardi 357). He also states that animals are joyful in all their operations and they can move freely (Leopardi 353). The relationship between people and animals is central in his writings. A description of living beings as shapes, even when painted in color, is not as effective in capturing life as a description of them in action.
The relationship between nature and human beings and their groupings into societies raise a number of questions relevant to individual and social happiness, the subject of innumerable treaties during the Enlightenment, and Leopardi’s pivotal concerns. He believed that human life is a form of anguish – and yet leads to anguish because one’s potentially infinite desire for pleasure is bound to remain unsatisfied.
If human life is unhappy, why do people care to perpetuate it? Why are there human beings in the cosmos? What are they there for? One of the strengths of Leopardi’s poetry is that the personal and private becomes comprehensible to people in all its significance and force. That is a quality of the best lyric poetry, a quality also found in Leopardi’s letters.
Perhaps, the main obstacle for readers who look for common ground between Leopardi and their own experience is not just the pessimism or the intensity of introspection.
It is the claim that his view of life is true. In his writings he asserts that there is no way that human beings are able to know the ultimate nature of the universe. Leopardi throws down a challenge to his readers with which they continue to find it hard to come to terms. He uses his own life as a type of general truth, suggesting that the history of his reader’ lives would, in essentials, look no different.
To sum up, the Italian authors claim that the relationships between people and animals have always been really difficult. The authors state that people have always tried to be masters. The authors depict people’s desire to take advantage of animals and nature. These authors describe different instances of relationships between people and animals.
Fortunately, there are some cases when people think that animals are equal to them. The authors also claim that animals live in accordance with their own conventions which cannot be understood by people. More so, the writers stress that animals are perfect creatures as they manage to live in harmony with nature.
Leopardi, Giacomo. Essays and Dialogues. Berkeley: University of California Press, 1983. Print.
Morante, Elsa. History: A Novel. South Royalton: Zoland Books, 2000. Print.
Pirandello, Luigi. “The Bat”. Modern Italian Short Stories. Ed. Marc Slonim. New York: Simon and Schuster, 1954. Print.
“Set the Fire to the Straw”. Tales of Suicide: A Selection from Luigi Pirandello’s Short Stories for a Year. Ed. Giovanni R. Bussino. New York: Branden Books, 1988. Print.