For many years, the rate of abuse to animals and pets has been getting higher and higher. You may wonder why people who decide to own a pet treat them so badly? What possesses them to hit them, not feed them, and leave them out in the cold? It kills me inside to know that people can neglect them so much, when they don’t do anything to deserve it. It sounds really bad, but unfortunately there are many ways people abuse their pets. One example, is the disturbing and bloody sport of dog fighting. Animals such as Pitbulls, Boxers, Beagles, and even Chickens, are bought, put in a small arena, and are trained to fight one another to the death. You may recognize the 2007 case of the Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Vick. Forensic evidence which found carcasses and skeletal remains of numerous Pitbulls, helped convict the football star of operating a competitive dog fighting ring.
Websites such as the ASPCA or even your local humane society can give you information on how you can get involved in helping save these animals’ lives. They even give some good tips on how to care for your new dog or cat. Donate money, volunteer at shelters, or even adopt a pet. At Dodd, students can join the club Speaking for the Speechless which holds events to donate money to animals in need. Because animals are my passion and after losing my dog, Alice, that wasn’t even two years old yet, I hope that one day people in the world won’t treat their pets like prisoners, but like actual members of the family.
~Gabriella Amodei