Why Do People Abuse Animals?

For animal lovers, the idea of ​​harming a living creature is inconceivable. So they often wonder why people mistreat animals?

The reasons that can lead a person to abuse animals, especially when it comes to chronic behavior, are varied. There are certain reasons depending on the case, but in general there are three main reasons.

Out of unawareness

While it may seem unbelievable, most people who abuse animals don’t do it on purpose. In fact, many owners do not know the essential aspects of animal health, nor their basic needs and this creates situations of unconscious abuse.

• Some people do not realize that the housing they provide for their pets is not adequate and that different pets need different facilities. For example, sometimes they place the dog’s kennel in the garden or patio directly on the ground, without thinking that when it rains the health of the dog is put at risk.

• Many owners keep their dog chained or confined in a very small space, without realizing that this is a very cruel action. Likewise, people who try to train their animals with violence are to be condemned and educated. For example, some people train their dog through physical punishment and intimidation, because they believe it is the best way of training.

• Other people are cruel because they don’t pay attention. For example, it is common for inexperienced owners to forget to give their pet water for a few days or leave it in the car in the beating sun with the windows closed. The same goes for vaccinations and their respective schedule. Ultimately, some people harm animals even though they believe they are doing them good. For example, people who have so many animals that they can’t take care of all of them. These people suffer from what is called “Noah’s syndrome”.

Unfortunately, despite good intentions and love for animals, they are unable to take care of everyone and end up leaving them to live in less than ideal conditions, in dirty and unhealthy places.

However,  these issues can be improved with a little education, as if education about the needs of animals is increased, these situations are likely to be resolved quickly.

Occasional abusers

This group includes people who harm animals on purpose but do so on one occasion or for a very short period of time. For example, a group of children who harass a dog or throw stones at cats and birds.

These people are often very young and injure animals in response to unpleasant situations in their life. For example, children who are abused at school or at home or who do so under social pressure.

These abusers are generally angry with someone else (such as their parents) and hit a dog because they can’t hit the person responsible for their bad mood.

This group also includes people who commit malice against animals due to social pressures, such as to impress a group of friends.

However, intentionally harming animals, for whatever reason, is something to be taken very seriously. In most of the world, those caught in the act of violence against animals face very severe punishments, whether they are hefty fines or periods of imprisonment.

These are people, especially children or very young people, who need psychological and moral help to understand what situation these vandalism is causing in them. Normally, in fact, these children or these young abusers are victims of some abuse.

For pleasure or benefit

In the last group are the abusers who do it for pleasure or to obtain some (generally economic) benefit. In this group of people we find hunters, people who exploit animals in some show, those who use them in illicit actions and those who simply enjoy hurting or murdering animals.

These are people who harm animals because they enjoy causing them pain, and for feeling stronger. Many of those in this group would also harm people if they could. For this reason, they choose animals, as they are more defenseless than people and cannot report them.

We also remember people who don’t mind causing pain to a living being if they can profit from the situation.

Some of these people’s motivations include:

• Money (fights between dogs, sale of skins or other parts, etc. ..).
• The desire to have other lives under control (a person may harm their partner’s pet, to intimidate them).
• Using animals to harm others, as a way to feel more powerful.
• Enjoying the pain of others and violence.

People who belong to this group generally suffer from psychological disorders or have a criminal past.

They need the help of a professional or they will end up, one day or another, in prison, for cases of mistreatment of animals, people or related crimes.

Images courtesy of Mariano García-Gaspar.