Animal Cruelty

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	Both neglect and intentional abuse can cause suffering.

Cruelty to animals generally falls into two categories: direct violence and neglect.

Direct Violence: The types of direct violence that animals suffer every day at the hands of people include being beaten, mutilated, shot, set on fire or otherwise tortured. The intentional suffering inflicted on these animals can result in severe injury or death.

Neglect: Other animals suffer and die from neglect when they are denied proper food, water or shelter, causing them to slowly starve to death or die from exposure to freezing cold or sweltering hot temperatures. Hoarding animals can also cause suffering on a large scale.

Confronting Animal Cruelty

All 50 states have animal cruelty laws, and 46 of those state laws contain provisions making certain types of animal cruelty a felony offense. The HSUS's Animal Cruelty and Fighting Campaign works to ensure that cruelty to animals is properly addressed and prosecuted. The campaign also helps strengthen animal cruelty laws. The HSUS also offers rewards of up to $5,000 for information leading to an arrest and conviction in selected cruelty cases.

Our First Strike® program can help nip animal cruelty in the bud by exploring the link between domestic violence and animal abuse. First Strike® materials include useful information for parents, tips for teens and a list of safe havens for animals.

Working closely with our regional offices, The HSUS works on cruelty cases in all parts of the country.

What You Can Do

Look up and learn your own state's animal cruelty law, and find tips, facts and ways we can work with you in the fight against animal cruelty in our Resources section.

» Prosecutors and Attorneys General: Please visit our Prosecutor's Resources page.

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