Animal abuse does not get reported as often as it happens. Many animals are mistreated in places that are not seen at all. Although, this information is not encouraging, there are still actions you can take to help abused animals in 2024.
Here are 25 animal abuse facts that you should be aware of:
1. 65% Of animal abuse is inflicted on dogs
(Source: Fabiosa)
Dogs are one of the most out of control domestic animals on the planet. Man's best friend, being a popular animal to have, is the most likely to be abused.
69 Million households in the U.S. own a dog. Because not everyone spays and neuters their dogs, their is an overpopulation problem that leads to this abuse issue.
2. Every 60 seconds there is an animal suffering abuse
(Source: PETA)
It is estimated that every minute there is an animal being mistreated. State laws try to prevent this abuse and some areas of the U.S. are better than others.
Don't turn a blind eye to animal abuse if you see it. Call your local animal control if you see suspicious behavior with people and the animals they care for.
3. In the u.s. alone, 10 million animals are abused to death each year
(Source: PETA)
This number may seem like a lot but this is actually lower than the amount of animals abused to death annually. Many illegal animal trades create cruel environments that lead to neglect, underfed animals, and horrific injuries.
4. There are over 10,000 puppy mills in the u.s.
(Source: Fabiosa)
Puppy mills are a huge issue for the mistreatment of dogs in the U.S. Dog breeders create unsafe environments for the animals they raise and can create unhealthy genetic mutations from inbreeding.
Choose a rescue dog at your local shelter to reduce the amount of stray dogs. This is the best thing you can do to stop dog cruelty.
5. 50% of rescue pit bulls are euthanized
(Source: Fabiosa)
Pit Bulls are not innately violent but there are many illegal dog fighting organizations that breed pit bulls to kill. A large number of pit bulls are put down based on this stigma.
One of the solutions to this problem is to stop breeding these animals all together.
6. There is a 1.8% chance of lifetime animal abuse in adults
(Source: NIH)
Men are the most likely people group to abuse animals around the world. Many of these abusers have domestic violence cases against them already.
7. 97% of all animal abuse comes from farms
(Source: LCA)
On farms, animals are not seen as important living creatures. These animals are seen as products like meat, eggs, milk, fur, etc. Many of these animals are born and die in small spaces, being mistreated, drugged, bred, and killed.
Maximizing profits is the main goal of animal farms and that is made apparent by the way they mistreat their animals.
8. Cows living on dairy farms produce 10 times more milk
(Source: LCA)
In a natural setting, cows only produce milk when pregnant. For the dairy industry, they need constant product from their cows. Farmers will inseminate cows just to keep the milk coming, producing 10 times more milk and putting much unnecessary stress on the mother.
Try non-dairy options to help cut back on cow mistreatment. There are plenty of plant based milk and cheese options that don't injure cows and their udders.
9. In U.s. Laboratories, over 100 thousand dogs are used in tests every year
(Source: USDA)
Laboratories in the U.S. will take a rescue dog from a shelter and do experiments on them. They will expose these dogs to harmful chemicals and toxic materials before human trials can commence.
Dogs are tested more than most animals because there are so many stray dogs that have no where else to go.
10. Delaware has the most animal cruelty case reports
(Source: ATI)
113 animal cruelty cases are reported per 100,000 people in the State of Delaware.
Illinois has some of the best laws against animal cruelty. Other states that handle animal cruelty well are California, Maine, Oregon, and Rhode Island.
11. Over 75% of reptiles die within the first year of becoming a pet
(Source: WAP)
Reptiles such as snakes, pet lizards, turtles, and others usually die within the first year of becoming someone's pet. Many of these pets are acquired from the wild and these animals are not suited for domestic life.
12. circus animals almost always live there whole lives there
(Source: ATI)
96% of the animals that are taken by the circus stay there for their entire lives. Many are tortured and trained to perform acts counter to their nature.
These circus animals are put in highly stressful scenarios that induce premature death. Living in cages and traveling puts unnecessary stress on these animals.
13. 126 big cats have been reportedly abused and killed in U.S. circuses since 1990
(Source: ATI)
The mistreatment of big cats in U.S. circuses is a problem. Behavioral issues plague many of these big cats, acting out due to a lack of space.
26 people have been killed by these cats since 1990. These cats are hit with sticks and drug around by chains. These practices are not monitored by the government.
14. Fishing gear injures or kills 650,000 marine mammals every year
(Source: BBC)
Dolphins, manatees, other species of whales and more are killed or injured by gear meant to catch fish. This poses a serious problem for the continuation of some of these marine mammal species.
Over 100 million sharks are killed every year just for their fins. It is used to make shark fin soup.
15. over 35,000 elephants are poached every year for ivory
(Source: BBC)
The illegal ivory market is still thriving in this day and age. Elephants are killed every year for the trade, pushing the species even closer to extinction.
There are plenty of poachers and there are more elephants being killed for their ivory tusks than there are elephants being born.
16. Shark fin soup kills over 100 million sharks annually
(Source: Animal Matters)
100 Million is a devastating amount of sharks to be killed for a soup. The practice is illegal and yet the demand for shark fin soup is driving millions of sharks to early deaths.
17. Artificially raised fish make up 50% of the world's fish diet
(Source: ASPCA)
Fish are beings that feel fear, suffering, and pain. Aquaculture is a simple way to generate a large amount of fish in a sustainable amount of time. This makes it an easy target for profit efficient tactics that hurt these creatures.
These fish live their whole lives in small spaces just to be eaten. Being bred to be fed is a huge problem with animal abuse.
18. 115 million animals are used in laboratory experiments around the world
(Source: PETA)
Animals like rats, mice, birds, and other small creatures are not even counted when talking about the animal abuse happening around the world in laboratories.
The U.S., China, The U.K., France, and Germany are the biggest offenders of animal abuse in laboratories.
19. greyhound owners drug their dogs for races
(Source: HSUS)
In Florida, nearly 500 Greyhounds have tested positive for drugs such as novocaine, cocaine, oxycodone, and more toxic drugs.
Greyhounds are kept in small cages and suffer injuries often. Thousands of Greyhound abuses and deaths go unreported and although this racing is illegal in 40 states, there are still people participating illegally.
20. 6.5 million animals enter shelters every year in the U.s.
(Source: ASPCA)
Dogs and cats can breed and create exponential amounts of offspring. Spaying and neutering dogs and cats is the best thing you can do to keep stray animal numbers down and limit animal abuse.
Here are 18 facts about animal shelters that you should know about.
21. in the u.S., 10 million animals die from abuse every year
(Source: PetPedia)
This number is most likely under reported due to the number of animal neglect cases that are unknown. There are plenty of ways to help reduce this number but many of these cases come from laboratories experimenting on these animals.
22. animal hoarding causes 250,000 deaths annually
(Source: ALDF)
Hoarding is a mental illness that is completely treatable. When hoarding latches onto animals it creates space for animal neglect.
If you see a household or back yard that has a lot of animals, give a quick check to make sure they seem healthy and happy. Many animal hoarding cases go unreported and the animals living in these conditions can develop terrible diseases.
23. The horse meat industry has killed over 100,000 in the U.S.
(Source: HSUS)
The number of horses slaughtered for meat has gone down in recent years but the number is still to high for horses that are completely healthy. Once the horse has lost the ability to work properly for the owner, there is often a premature killing of the animal.
24. 6,000 tigers are held captive in china for traditional medicine
(Source: WAP)
Big cat farming is a huge problem in china. Tigers are a species that could easily become extinct in the wild but they are still poached for making traditional medicine.
25. There is active animal cruelty and passive animal cruelty
(Source: Animal Matters)
Violence against animals that is intentional is considered an active animal abuse. Physically harming an animal on purpose falls under this category.
If an animal is not properly fed, hydrated, or housed this is considered passive animal cruelty.
What can you do to stop animal abuse
With animal cruelty, there is a lot you can do to help out. Here are just a few ways you can help abused animals.
- Try adopting a pet instead of buying one from a breeder/puppy mill. This will go a long way to stop overpopulation that leads to inhumane conditions.
- Care for your own animals. Be mindful about your own critters and be sure to give them the proper care that they deserve. Here's how you can help stray cats.
- Donate to animal rescue charities like these:
- Report animal cruelty when you see it. Call the Animal Humane Society or your local animal control.
- Eat less meat sourced from big farms.
Donate a car to help rescue animals
If you want to support animal rescue charities like Animal Haven and Secondhand Hounds, follow these 3 easy steps:
- Give us a call at 1-888-969-4857 or visit our online donation form.
- We'll reach out to you within 24 hours of the next business day to set up your free towing, almost anywhere in the U.S.
- Once your car donation is processed, we'll mail you a tax-deductible receipt.
Help rescue animals receive proper veterinarian care, nutritious food, no-kill shelter, and adoption services with an easy vehicle donation.
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