Many people may not know that animal cruelty has been around for hundreds of years. . In the article "Animal Cruelty Prosecution" published by American Prosecution Research Institute found that, The Puritans of the Massachusetts Bay Colony established “The Body of Liberties” found by the Animal Cruelty Prosecution, in 1641.

The Body of Liberties was a document written for the protection of animals from unnecessary pain and suffering. Animal cruelty happens every day whether it is from starving, beating, lack of medical care or proper housing for animals.We are in need of stricter laws to help fight the rights of animals. Animal laws should be more strict on people because people are getting away with harming these beautiful animals. According to Missouri Cruelty to Animals Statues, “Animal abuse is a class A misdemeanor, unless the defendant has previously plead guilty to or has been found guilty of animal abuse or the suffering involved in subdivision” (3).

Animal abuse should be more than a class A misdemeanor because it’s abuse.If a parent was to abuse their children would they only get a class A misdemeanor? Class B misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment or fine not to exceed one thousand dollars, or both upon the second and all subsequent convictions. ” A class B misdemeanor should be imprisonment for a few years and fines. People that hurt these animals should have to do a year or more in prison. “Animal neglect and abandonment is a class C misdemeanor upon first conviction and for each offense, punishable by imprisonment or a fine not to exceed five hundred dollars”. A class C misdemeanor should be more than sitting in jail.

The offenders should at least serve two or three years or be put to death just like they are doing to these animals. Class A, B and C misdemeanors are all the same punishment to me and these people are getting the same punishment for different levels of violations. If a person has tortured an animal while it was alive, it’s a class D felony. When I was about nine, my dog got out of the house onto a busy street and was hit by a car and killed.

The man drove away from the accident like it never happened. I also had a friend whose mother was an animal hoarder.She didn’t know that having several animals is a sign of animal neglected to animals because it’s hard to keep up after all the animals, they will live unhealthy and cramped and dirty. Animals are being mistreated by people not giving the right amount of food, water or housing, which is causing the animals to dehydrate or starve. Animals are also being mistreated by humans committing violence toward them. Some people leave their animals outside all winter long without proper shelter for them.

Some even leave their animals in the 100 degree weather without fresh water every day or a shelter to be under when it’s too hot outside.That’s a sign of neglect because the animal is suffering from heat exhaustion. There are some people who intentionally harm animals because of their low self-esteem. “These are people who intentionally hurt animals because they enjoy hurting things, or because it makes them feel powerful. Many of these people would hurt other people if they could get away with it.

They just choose to hurt animals because animals are more helpless than people,” found by the American Prosecution Research Institute, in the article of "Real Issues".Humans who have anger will take it out on their animals that can’t fight back; this leads to animals that can develop nerve problems or seizures from stress to the point where they will have to be put down. Some animals will react by hiding from a loud noise or the person who is abusing or maybe fearing human’s altogether. Some of the effects that animals have from abuse are having mental problems and trust issues; some also have health problems and breathing problems. Some will even show signs of weight loss.

The only animal law that I believe in is, Title 578. 016. Impoundment of animal found off property of owner or custodian.Any duly authorized public health official, law enforcement official, or animal control officer may impound any animal found outside the owned or rented property of the owner or custodian of such animal when such animal shows evidence of neglect or abuse.

The owner will be contacted within five business days by mail or phone. If the owner does not claim the animal after ten days then it will be put up for adoption or humanely killed,” according to the Missouri Cruelty to Animals Statues. One day someone’s dog got out of the yard and the animal control officer was driving by. He saw the dog going through the trash that someone put out.He stopped and checked the dog out and saw that the dog was hungry. He then put the dog in the truck and took it to the pound.

I believe that was the right thing to do because the dog was starving. No animal deserves to be neglected or abused by anyone. There are many different ways animals can be mistreated. These animals show different ways of being affected when being neglected or abused. The laws are not as strict as they should be.

People are getting off with harming these innocent animals that are just like human beings. Even though we have a long history of animal abuse I believe we, as a culture, can rise above animal cruelty.