Cruelty to Animals Essay Examples and Research Papers

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Cruelty to animals is morally wrong. Animals in factory farming suffer as a result of being in cages and close quarters which can be reduced with other alternatives. Trophy hunting is cruel and bad for conservation. The experimentation on animals for scientific advancement is also cruel and can be replaced by other alternatives.

Animals suffer cruel behavior in factory farms that prepare them for human consumption. Many farm animals are put into cages often filled with their own filth. They have little to no space to walk, they are injected with antibiotics and hormones to spur growth, and are killed ruthlessly while they are still conscious. All of this is done to lower prices and costs for the factory farming industry. “The factory farming industry strives to maximize output while minimizing costs—always at the animals’ expense”. Cruelty to animals is wrong as it exploits the lives of animals for the benefit of humans. Thanks to technology, journalists, and animal organizations, many are aware of this and turn to support meat produced organically and cruelty-free. Such alternatives include cage-free eggs, and organic, no antibiotics or hormones injected chickens. Not only does this allow the animal to lead a healthier life and reduce suffering in general but it also benefits the health of people who consume meat.

Trophy hunting is bad for animals since they are used for hunters to show off, therefore disrespecting the life of the animals, disrupting the circle of life, and destroying attempts for conservation. Trophy hunters kill animals to brag about what they killed, they kill for pride. Elephants in Africa, for example, are killed off for their tusks, leaving behind a mourning community of elephants and disrupting the process of life and natural selection. “While hunters in the past have used the belief that older males are reproductively senile as an argument for killing them for their ivory, research has revealed that they are in fact an elephant population’s primary breeders”. In other words, trophy hunters cause more than just suffering, they disrupt processes of natural selection, life, and also lower the chances of offspring being healthier.

Animals suffer from being used in experiments. Many animals are used to see the effects of human diseases and find cures for them. However, this proves to be inefficient as many of these animals bear little to no resemblance to humans in terms of the illnesses that affect us. Lab animals are also subject to live in similar conditions as factory farm animals, they are often locked in tight cages, shaking with constant fear, and many die in the different stages of experimentation. The suffering and exploitation of animals in such procedures to test illnesses, chemicals, and consumer products is unnecessary and can be dangerous. There is no guarantee that products created in labs are truly safe for humans if they are safe for animals.

There are many other alternatives that are cruelty-free and safer for both humans and animals alike. PETA offers some alternatives, which include in vitro testing, computer modeling, human volunteers, and simulators. With non-animal testing, both animals and humans can benefit from cruel-free lives and products.

Cruelty to animals may be seen in the consumption and use of animals as well. Many don’t stop to consider whether it is really necessary to put an innocent life on the line for the human species’ benefit. In the case of factory farming, the injection of hormones can harm both animal and human health. In the case of trophy hunting, killing life to display power is not ethical, the very essence of pride is unethical to various religions such as Christianity. In the case of animal testing, many animals suffer for the sake of scientific advancement but with little to no justification since they do not contract the same illnesses as humans, nor is it truly safe to rely on ‘animal-tested’ products as a guarantee that it will be safe for humans. Alternatives are out there, which will benefit animals and humans alike.