Prevention Of Cruelty To Animals Month

Discussing The Month Long Holiday That Aims To Stop Animal Cruelty Before It Happens

April is widely celebrated as the beginning of Spring! However, the month of April is also celebrated for being Prevention Of Cruelty To Animals Month. This special month-long holiday aims to raise awareness about animal abuse and make efforts to stop it. This article will cover everything you need to know about this important educational pet themed holiday and how you can get involved. 

The History Of The Holiday

Prevention Of Cruelty To Animals Month was first observed by the A.S.P.C.A. in 2006. Since then, this amazing holiday has been observed and celebrated worldwide for over 17 years. The A.S.P.C.A. originally created this holiday as a way to bring the subject of animal cruelty to the forefront. Animal cruelty happens everyday, yet many people don’t talk about it. This holiday challenges people to think, talk, and do something about animal cruelty. 

The Importance Of The Holiday

This is a very important holiday for both animals and animal lovers. Animal cruelty has been happening throughout human history for thousands of years and it still happens to this day (2023). Animal cruelty is a huge problem and we as a society can only solve this problem by acknowledging and discussing it. Prevention Of Cruelty To Animals Month forces people to rethink and reevaluate the way we treat animals everywhere. 

Examples Of Abuse

It’s truly sad that animal abuse still occurs today. However, the only way to stop animal abuse is to address where and why it is happening. Here are a few examples of modern day animal cruelty that still exist today.

Factory Farming:

One of the biggest contributors to animal cruelty today occurs on modern day industrial farms. According to Animal Agriculture Alliance, factory farms are defined as farms that have large numbers of livestock which are raised indoors and in conditions that focus on maximizing production at minimal cost. These factory farms, or concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFO’s), have become necessary as they provide the majority of America’s meat & dairy products.

However, the living conditions on these factory farms are usually very poor. These farm animals are often confined to small spaces, subjected to growth hormones & genetic manipulation, and never get to experience fresh air or grass. While the whole world becoming vegetarian isn’t the best option, we strongly recommend reconsidering where your meat & dairy products come from. Try and purchase products that are labeled free range, pasture raised, organic, grass fed, and certified humane.    

Neglect:

A very common form of animal cruelty/abuse in pets is neglectfulness. Owning a pet is a huge responsibility and sadly some people simply aren’t capable of caring for them properly. Although the intentions may be good, neglectful pet owners often fail to meet the basic requirements that pets need such as clean water, nutritional diet, regular exercise & stimulation, and a comfortable living space. The best way to solve this is to further educate pet owners on what their pets need to be happy and healthy. 

Hoarding:

Hoarding pets has become an increasingly bigger problem over the past decade. In most cases, the hoarding pet owner just wants to help the animals they bring into their home. However, this often results in overcrowded and unsanitary living conditions. Pets are living animals that should be treated as family members, not as a collection. Hoarding is a behavioral disorder and should be addressed with counseling and psychiatric therapy. 

Illegal Animal Fighting:

One of the cruelest forms of animal abuse is the practice of illegal animal fighting. Ancient Romans enjoyed pitting exotic animals like lions and tigers against each other for sport in the infamous coliseum. Sadly, that barbaric practice continues today with people forcing animals like dogs and roosters to fight one another for sport. As this is a form of illegal gambling, law enforcement has been cracking down on this more over the past several years. Any information regarding illegal animal fighting should be given to your local law enforcement to help put an end to this inhumane practice. 

How You Can Get Involved

The best way for you to get involved with Prevention Of Cruelty To Animals Month is to help spread the word about the holiday itself. Share this article with others and give a shout out about Prevention Of Cruelty To Animals Month on social media. By telling others about this holiday, we are starting the conversation about animal cruelty and how to put an end to it.

Keep Reading!

We hope this article was both helpful and informative to you! If you enjoyed this article, be sure to check out our other pet themed holiday articles under the blog section of the official My Dog Walker & Pet Sitting website. We’re certain you’ll find something that peaks your interest!