Animal Hoarding

Animal hoarding is keeping a large number of animals as pets without having the ability to properly care for them, while at the same time denying this inability. Compulsive hoarding can be characterized as a symptom of mental disorder rather than deliberate cruelty towards animals. But it usually ends up with the pets being harmed due to the inability to properly care for them. Hoarders are deeply attached to their pets and find it hard to let the pets go. They usually don't understand that they're hurting them and they usually believe that they're providing the right amount of care for their pets.

Health effect on the animals
There are many health effects that animal hoarding can cause. The failure to provide basic care for their animals results in disease and often death. The most common health issues involved are malnourishment, overcrowding, and neglect. Consequences of hoarding are long lasting and continue to affect the animals even after they have been rescued and provided with better care.

Lack of food and water is common in animal hoarding. The consequence of this is starvation and death. Malnourishment also increases diseases and the animals are often in advanced stages of sickness. Plus, when there's not much food, animals may resort to aggressive behavior in competing for the little amount food.

Overcrowding is also an animal health problem in hoarding situations. The number of animals found in hoarding cases range from dozens to several hundreds, and even to over thousands of animals. Animals are confined to houses and this leads to lack of living space and spreading diseases.

Neglect is another huge effect on these animals. Lack of veterinary care is one the most neglected things. This is because the owner refuses to acknowledge the bad health conditions of their animals and are scared they will be forced to give up custody of them. As a result, diseases are left untreated and become worse. Poor sanitary conditions for the animals also come with neglect. To add to that, animals suffer from a lack of socialization caused by an absence of normal interaction with other animals. 

Health effect on humans
Animal hoarding also causes many health problems for the people involved. Common health problems include poor sanitation, fire hazards and zoonotic diseases.

The first issue is how unsatinary animal hoarding can be. The animal's wastes will be riddled all over the house. In addition to severe odors that people dislike, animal waste creates serious health risks through the spread of parasites and high ammonia levels. A high ammonia level is life threatening to humans. The animal's waste also puts residents at risk of getting food related illnesses and parasites. Insect and rodent infestation can follow and worsen hoarding conditions. 

Hoarders usually collect large numbers of objects in addition to animals, making less space. The clutter takes away movement around the house and gives a higher risk of accidents.  Fire hazards are another problem. The clutter prevents a fire escape plan and serves as fuel to fire. 

Another human health issue is the risk of zoonotic diseases. Zoonotic diseases are human diseases transmitted to any other vertebrate animal. It's common for domesticated animals carry zoonotic diseases and humans involved in animal hoarding situations are at a big risk of catching one. Zoonotic diseases that may come from animal hoarding situations include rabies, salmonellosis, catscratch fever, hookworm, and ringworm. 

In my opinion, it's sad that people face this terrible mental health issue. It's also sad for the animals. I wish these people would get help but sadly they can't see the pain they're causing to themselves, other people and these poor animals. It's unbelievable to think some people own over a thousand animals especially in such poor conditions. Animal hoarding can be compared to puppy farms but I think animal hoarding has more emotions behind it because the owners think they're doing good. Also, animal farms only have these animals for the money. I hope one day the people who are affected by this will seek help.

SOURCES:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Animal_hoarding
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/animal-hoarding-1.900744

Owning Exotic Animals

Some animals aren't meant to be owned since they're not meant to interact with humans. Not only can they hurt you but you can hurt them too. People may argue that dogs were once wild and now 1 in 3 homes own a dog. But, experts predict that it took thousands of years before dogs were domesticated and they now they s depend on humans for food, shelter, veterinary care, and affection. Wild animals are not domesticated simply by being captive born or hand-raised.

You're hurting them
My first reason will be that you can harm them. Some people don't have the room and resources to care for an exotic pet. Their nutritional and social needs are demanding to meet and, in many cases, are unknown. For example, species of monkeys can travel many  miles per day, and some people aren't prepared to cover that distance with the pet. It's also difficult to tell if some species are ill and laws against owning exotic pets could keep people from taking them to the vet. Plus, owning exotic pets may cause extinction. If everyone started taking these wild animals from their habitats, it could lead them to die out.  Captive breeding wouldn't be a solution to this because it does not take the wild out of wildlife. An example of owning a wild pet would be Justin Bieber's boa he brought to the 2011 Video Music Awards. It may look cool as a baby but when it grows up these pets show bad behaviors like biting, scratching, and unpredictable aggressive attacks. Not to mention he auctioned it off. The good news is it went to a zoo.

They can hurt you 
My second reason is that they can harm us. Exotic animals carry diseases that can spread to people. Some of these include rabies, ringworm, tuberculosis, and measles.  The herpes B virus commonly found among macaque monkeys can be fatal to humans and tens of thousands of people get Salmonella infections each year from reptiles or amphibians, They can also mess up the ecosystem in neighborhoods, releasing diseases on plant life and acting as predators that can decrease a local animal population. Exotic animals often grow to be larger, stronger, and more dangerous than owners expect. Even small monkeys and small cats such as ocelots can inflict serious injuries, especially on kids.

In my opinion, I don't think owning an exotic pet is a good idea. No one would like to be taken away from their home and put in a new environment. It's dangerous because if they ever do return to the wild they'll have no clue what to do. Plus, it could lead to people getting hurt whether it be from a attack or a disease. I think it's better to own a house pet because it won't take up your life and you can easily  provide for it, They should only be owned if the person is rehabilitating the animal or they have been trained and have the dedication to care or it.


SOURCES:
https://www.dosomething.org/news/exotic-animal-no-nos-why-owning-cool-pet-hurts-them-and-you
http://www.digitaljournal.com/article/320939
http://www.humanesociety.org/issues/exotic_pets/facts/

Animals in Sports

Humans aren't the only ones who do sports. Animals don't do the same sports as us of course but they require the same amount of work. Animals sports are a form of working animals. Many animals in commercial sports are highly trained. The most common animals are dogs and horses. In this post, i'll be writing about 2 major animal sports: racing and fighting.

Racing

Racing is the the most popular form of animal sport, especially horse and greyhound racing. Some racing events involve humans as riders while others have the animals race alone. Some racing includes harness racing, dogsled racing and chariot racing. Racing events are a common way to gamble, with billions of money spent. This is one of the reasons why some countries have made this sports illegal. Some people who race horses will dangerously drug or abuse their horses. To make things worse, many retired horses are killed. As for the greyhounds, many end up with sickness and injuries like broken legs, heatstroke, and heart attacks. They are extremely sensitive to temperature because of their lack of body fat and thin coats but yet they're still forced to race in extreme weather conditions. I don't believe in animal racing. It is cruel to make an animal do all this training and running just for entertainment. Horses ankles can't take all that running especially with people on them. It is also terrible that some people they drug them, abuse them and don't care about their well being. No animal deserves this.

Fighting

Dog fighting is one of the most common types of animal fighting but there are also others like rooster fighting. Dog fighting is a type of sport where people pit two game dogs against one another in a ring or pit for the entertainment of others. Game dogs are dogs that are selectively bred and conditioned from a young age to develop certain traits and abilities for fighting. Some of the abilities include maintaining the attack during a fight despite ripped flesh, exhaustion, dehydration and broken bones. Dog fights are between two dogs and doesn't end until another dog is declared the winner, a dog jumps of the pit, it can no longer harm the other or one dies. The loser, if not killed, is usually killed by the owner.  It has been illegal in Canada since 1892 but the current law requires the police to catch people during the the act, which is often difficult. I am against animal fighting for it is just terrible to pin to animals against each other. Especially with the goal of death. I don't get how someone could find this entertaining, I would find it disturbing. I wish Canada would change their law because finding people in the act is hard. Hopefully with time the law changes. It could save many animals lives.
Sources:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Animals_in_sport
http://www.peta.org/issues/animals-in-entertainment/cruel-sports/greyhound-racing/
http://www.peta.org/issues/animals-in-entertainment/animals-used-entertainment-factsheets/horseracing-industry-drugs-deception-death/

Myths vs. Facts on Animals Cruelty

In this blog, I'm going to be saying if common animal cruelty statements are a myth or fact. I will then be saying my opinion on the statement. Some people listen to what others say without even checking if it's true. This could lead to people doing things wrong without even knowing or not knowing the reality of certain things. Hopefully I can clear things up for someone who doesn't know if these statement are a myth or a fact.

Statement 1: Leaving your pet in the car for only a short period of time on a hot day won’t hurt it. 

Myth: On a day of 78 degrees Fahrenheit, the temperature inside a parked car can go to between 100 and 120 degrees in just minutes. On a day of 90 degrees, the temperature of the car can reach as high as 160 degrees in less than 10 minutes.

Opinion: I think people shouldn't take their pet with them if they know they'll be stopping for a long time at a place where animals aren't allowed.

Statement 2: There aren't any alternatives to animal tests.

Myth: There are many cheaper and faster alternative methods that have more accurate information. These include artificial human skin and robotic technology that can screen thousands of chemicals at once using cells grown in the lab.

Opinion: I think these methods are much better than using animals. They hurt no one and are more accurate. I don't know why companies wouldn't take advantage of these alternatives. They seem much better.

Statement 3:  A lot of circus animals aren't nurtured their whole lives.

Fact: The animals move from circus to circus. Some circuses don't even provide regular veterinary care. Animals who aren't obedient or who have grown too old to perform may be sold or given to zoos, roadside attractions, research laboratories, or private individuals.

Opinion: The circus might be entertaining but it isn't for the animals. I don't like how they are basically thrown away when they are no longer needed. They could have at least been sent somewhere to help them get back to the wild since they probably don't know how to live in the wild.

Statement 4:  Whale species are facing extinction due to poachers and human consumption. 

Fact: Whales are targeted by poachers for their meat and byproducts. Many species are being hunted to near extinction. There are only 100 West Pacific grey whales remaining and the remaining blue whales of the Atlantic only make up 1% of their original population.

Opinion: I find it sad that so many whales species are near extinction. There should be laws protecting them. One of the endangered species include killer whales. In the future, I will be making a post dedicated to a documentary of them being captured for marine mammal parks.

Sources:
http://animal-abuse-violence.weebly.com/myth-vs-fact.html
https://www.dosomething.org/tipsandtools/11-myths-about-animal-testing
http://www.humanesociety.org/issues/circuses_entertainment/facts/circus_myths.html
http://www.peta.org/issues/companion-animal-issues/cruel-practices/dog-hot-car/

Animal Care Guide

Many people agree that having a pet is a joy. But it can be a lot of work too. Some incidents of animal abuse is neglect. Sometimes these people didn't know how to care for their pet so they gave up. In this post, I will be explaining how to care for some domestic house pets like dogs, cats and rodents.

Food: Make sure your pet has food that suits their nutritional needs. Be sure you know the diet of your pet. Most animals need to be fed once or twice a day. Do not give your pet human food. It's not good for human food often has minerals and items in it that can be harmful to animals. Make sure your pet has plenty of clean and  fresh water.

Exercise:
Your pet needs exercise just like humans. Every pet needs a different type of exercise. Dogs need plenty of exercise so make sure you walk them or play fetch with them every day. Cats also love some quality playtime with you. Laser pointers gets your cat moving. For rodents like hamsters and gerbils, you can put an exercise wheel in their cage.

Grooming:
It's good to brush your pet every day to get rid of loose or shedding hair. Cats will have less hairballs and shed less if they're brushed on regularly. Look for fleas, ticks, leaves, and other things that might be caught in your pet's fur. Try bathing your dog once a month and cat every few months. Don't do it too often because too many can take away the natural oils from their skin and can cause rashes. If you have a cat and it gives you a hard time you can go to your the vet and have them give it a bath. Or you could bring your cat or dog to places likes Petsmart. There they bathe and groom your pet. Don't forget to trim your pets claws. Most rodents don't need their claws trimmed.

Health:
Animals need to see vets for a check up like we do with our doctors. Make sure your pet's vaccinations are up-to-date.

Love/bathroom/shelter:
Give your pet a lot of affection. This creates a strong bond and lets them know they're loved. You also need to give your pet a place to go to the bathroom. Cats need a litter box, rodents need a cage, and dogs need to go outside. Your pet needs a place to go like a tank, cage, or a doghouse. If your dog or cat spends a lot of time outdoors, make sure they still have a nice place to. Shelter keeps pets protected from cold, heat, wind and rain.

In my opinion, animals can be hard to take care of. That is why people should be fully committed when purchasing a pet and know what needs to be done. A lot of situations of neglect happen because the pet became too much to handle or the owner thought it was okay to not do everything the pet needed. These situations can be avoided. But there are situations where the owner just does not care. I don't get why someone would own a pet if they did not care. I think a pet should be part of the family.

Sources:
http://pbskids.org/itsmylife/family/pets/article7.html
http://www.wikihow.com/Take-Care-of-Your-Pet

Puppy mills

Puppy mills are dog breeding facilities that usually have bad living conditions. The breeders only purpose is to sell the puppies. Which means, they don't care about the well being of the mothers or the puppies, just as long as they have cute puppies to sell. They also have kitty mills and sometimes a cross between both.

Breeders will breed a female dog every time she is in heat which results in decreasing sizes of litters. This means, a five year old dog could have given birth to 10 liters of puppies. Puppies are also usually taken away from their mother way before the eight to ten weeks that are recommended. I think that is just awful. The puppies are then sold to brokers and are taken to a pet shop in crates. Only half the puppies survive the travel to the pet shop. This is probably due to the fact that puppy mills do not give the right amount of food and water to the animals. The food and water is usually contaminated and crawling with bugs. Sometimes they don`t give any at all. There is also many diseases in puppy mills. This is because the breeders don't provide the right care and treatment for the animals. Some of these include eye problems, heart disease, kidney disease, respiratory disorders etc.

Other problems with puppy mills are they are sometimes kept in cages no bigger than their bodies or a big cages with many dogs. They are also left in their own waste. Other times the bottom of the cages are wired so their waste can go through. These hurt their paws and it's not uncommon for cages to be stacked on top of each other. Some mills have around ten animals but others have over 1000! On the bright side, there are groups of people who help these animals and take them out of the mill. I am amazed by these people. They go into these terrible environment so they can save the lives of puppies or kittens. It is very heroic of them.

My opinion on puppy mills is that they should have more laws against them. Some of the states in the u.s  have minor standards. For example, some states let people keep animals in a cage six inches long. Other states have more strict standards and that's how it should be. I'm so glad that there are people who help and recue these poor animals. I'm also extremely happy to see them get back to health and get a forever home with people who love them. I'm completly against puppy mills and I hope for a day where puppy mills get more well known so people know how to spot them and to stop them.


Sources:
http://www.aspca.org/fight-cruelty/puppy-mills/puppy-mill-faq
http://www.petsadviser.com/animal-welfare/puppy-mill-dog-health-problems/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Puppy_mill
https://www.dosomething.org/facts/11-facts-about-puppy-mills
https://www.google.ca/imghp

Introduction to my Blog: Animal Cruelty

Animal cruelty might seem like something you don't see in our society but it is everywhere. We see it in our cosmetics, fashion, entertainment etc. Here at my blog, I will be writing about the animal cruelty which only purpose is to hurt the animals for entertainment/testing/other. I won't be talking much about the consumption of animals since it is for survival.  But I will talk about unnecessary measures slaughter houses take. I personally believe there is no point in hurting an innocent being. Be it human or not. Animals feel pain just like us. We wouldn't want to be treated like this so why make another living creature go through the pain?

On my blog I will be writing a lot about domestic animals. Some of my topics will include animal testing, animals served as entertainment purposes, animals in sports and animal abuse. I will also write an animal raising guide. My purpose is to shine some light on these topics since we don't hear much about them. Some things we hear are myths and some are sugar coated. I hope to learn new things as well since some of the things I thought I knew might have been myths.

I've always been an animal lover. I've owned many pets and as a kid my favourite TV shows were usually animal shows. I admit I don't know a lot about animal cruelty other than what I have heard in society. My goal for this blog is to learn more while I research so I know exactly what's going on. It will probably make me think twice the next time I purchase something or the next time I see something on TV.

Fact: A Canadian Police study found that 70 percent of people arrested for animal cruelty had past records of other violent crimes.


Sources: *WARNING: SITES MAY INCLUDE GRAPHIC CONTENT*
http://emptyallcages.com/2012/09/13/25-facts-about-animal-cruelty-2/