In not only America, but all around the world, people face problems every day. These can range from wars, to hunger, or even to racism. The ones that always come to me first are animal cruelty and the many shelter animals without a home. Every day, thousands of cats, dogs, and other creatures are hurt ruthlessly. Only a few animals are lucky enough to have a nice home where their owners love them. Thousands of others starve to death or are killed by wild animals when they stray away from home or horrible pet owners throw them at the side of the road when then can’t or don’t want to care for them anymore. Together as a nation we can stop this from happening.

As an owner of six cats, I know how lovable and sweet animals can be. I also know how much trouble they can be when they are sick or young. The vet bills can add up and change your views on what should be your best friend. A problem might arise like an allergic reaction from you or your children. No matter how bad it gets, the problem is yours. Getting rid of your pet is not an option. You’ll regret it in the end and by then, there will be nothing you can do. If your dog or cat is gone, so will that warm lump on your legs on cold winter nights and the sweet little fur ball who waits at the door for you to get home. The most annoying things they did will be the things you miss the most. It will leave an empty void in your heart that will never be filled. Many people make this mistake each day and the animal usually dies because of their choice. If for any reason, you find you can’t take care of your beloved pet anymore, find someone who can and will care for it as much or more than you ever did. If you find you are allergic to your cat or dog, get shots. My mom is allergic to cats but twice a week she pulls through and goes to get her allergy shots so we can keep our cats. If anyone can have that strong determination, you can too. Do something about the stray cat population and stray dog population by not adding to it!

Animal cruelty has a major impact on the behavior of pets. Dogs that grew up in puppy mills are afraid of water. Cats that were kicked around are afraid of most people. When a person is selfless enough to kick or hit a cat because it is on their porch or in their yard, they need some help. Cats and dogs that are innocent creatures can turn vile and vicious when treated hatefully. Forcing dogs to fight causes them injuries and deaths of beautiful creatures that could have lived a long and healthy life. They were forced to kill each other for the sick enjoyment of insane people. There are sick people out there who shoot cats for the fun of it or because the cat looked at them funny. This needs to stop. Animals are not our play things that we can do whatever we want with. They are living creatures. They deserved to be treated the way we treat ourselves. In ancient Egypt it was punishable by death to injure a cat severely. The same law should stand today. Also, there is the problem of dangerous products being tested on animals. This can sometimes be fatal to the animal. Always check that your product is not tested on animals.

The numbers of animals killed or abused is huge, as is the number of animals homeless. Every year 5 to 7 million cats and dogs are put in shelters. 3 to 4 million of these are put down because they are unable to find a home. Next time, instead of buying some expensive purebred cat or dog, look into adopting one from your local shelter. Another problem is none of these animals are getting spayed or neutered. If you get a pet, spay or neuter them as soon as possible. This stops them from reproducing an excess amount of kittens or puppies that will end up being killed or put down anyways. Estimates show that there are around 7 million stray cats alone. That number is constantly growing because of people’s carelessness. Puppies that were not fast enough to race were killed. This number can get around 7,600 a year. Every year, 2 million dogs and cats are used to make “fake” fur. 75 out of every 100 animals are abused each day. These numbers are drastic and need to go down. What’s worse is only a fraction of animal cruelty is reported to the police or the vets. It’s important to tell someone if you see someone who is abusing any animal.

It’s important to remember how important these animals are to us. Whenever you see a poor starving cat, feed it and turn it into a vet instead of letting it starve or get killed by a hungry coyote. When you see your cat or dog, pet them and make sure they know how much you love them so they will never try to run away. For every one stray cat you see, there are about ten others you don’t. Dogs can be hurt, or even in some situations, hurt others if they are stray, starving, or hurt. Many organizations are out there to help these animals like The Animal Rescue Foundation who donated food to shelters when you click on their homepage or buy something from their online store, the ASPCA that fights against animal cruelty, and many others. One animal at a time, we can make this world a better place for everyone.