Did you know that most states in the U.S. only receive animal cruelty information when an arrest is made and most reports of animal abuse go unreported? These animals are being mistreated, put through unnecessary pain, and don’t receive justice in many U.S. states because of the lack of strict laws. The rates of animal cruelty are increasing drastically and the justice for these animals is decreasing rapidly. 31 states in the United States don’t have strict laws about animal abuse. If we as a nation make animal cruelty laws federal laws, then we will be able to prevent the mistreatment and abuse of innocent animals.

First and foremost, Illinois and Kentucky differ in certain laws and sadly, they are drastically different in how they regulate animal abuse laws. According to the Animal Legal Defense Fund, “Illinois is ranked the best for animal protection laws for its eleventh year in a row.” Illinois understands that animals are a living creature who have rights. They want to stop animal cruelty from happening which is why they have strict laws such as: “Increasing penalties for both minors and repeat abusers/animal hoarders and have mandatory reporting of suspected cruelty by veterinarians and/or select non-animal-related agencies/professionals”(Animal Legal Defense Fund).  On the contrary, “Kentucky has been ranked the worst state for animal protection laws for its 12th year straight”(Animal Legal Defense Fund). Courts cannot issue protective orders for animals and veterinarians are prohibited from reporting suspected cruelty or fighting. It is unfair to the animals if their suffering and pain go unnoticed or ignored, which is why laws need to change. We should protect the animals who simply want to love us. We need to take a stand and prevent any injustice from occurring.

Additionally, animal protective laws vary so much from state to state because “Each state is allowed to create, enforce, and implement their own laws” (USA Laws). Many states regulate their local laws according to their political views and/or opinions. If one state thinks one issue is more important than another and it is not a federal law, then they will care more about the law that is most important to them compared to the less important one. Unfortunately, Illinois and Kentucky have different opinions and views on this topic; they each chose to deal with this issue differently. This is why I feel as though we should make animal cruelty laws a federal law to ensure that all animals get the justice they deserve.

These animals are neglected if they do not do as they are told. They are brutally beaten to death and the person who does this gets away with it. How is that fair? How is abandoning animals in the streets with no food, water, or shelter fair to these innocent animals? What did they do to be harmed to the point where they cannot walk or even get up? How is any of this fair? Letting an animal die for your benefit is a crime and no one should be able to get away with that. This is a complex problem where we all have to work together in order to fix this.

With all this in mind, you may be asking yourself, “What can I do to help?” Well for starters, if you suspect abuse you can observe if an animal is being mistreated or harmed in any way. You can also notice if they are being groomed, feed, and if they are being let inside. If you see any marks on the animal, take a picture as evidence. You may want to observe at different times of the day to make sure you aren’t just assuming that abuse is taking place. Once you confirmed that abuse is taking place report it and take all legal measures possible to help the animal get the justice it needs.“Take a part of protests to show your concern for the laws about animal protection. Lastly, become educated about animal abuse. Help yourself and others better understand how to train and care for animals”(American Humane).

We as a society need to understand that the animal cruelty laws in many states aren’t helping the animal whatsoever.  This is seen in Kentucky which has been ranked the worst for these laws for 12 straight years. They are letting the perpetrators get away with harming innocent animals. Every state varies its laws, but we need to change that for the animal. We need to help them and not let them suffer. Animal abuse is a serious problem that is being overlooked and dismissed. We need to help change that and help the animals. They don’t have a voice so please, if you see any kind of animal abuse happening, tell someone and report it. Be the animal’s voice. Testify at Legislature and help the animal get the justice it needs. Go to protest marches to show that you want better laws for the animals. Educate yourself and others around you. Be the voice for these animals!