Cruelty to animals

Cruelty to animals, also called animal abuse, animal neglect or animal cruelty, is the infliction of suffering or harm by humans upon animals, either by omission (neglect) or by commission. More narrowly, it can be the causing of harm or suffering for specific achievements, such as killing animals for food or entertainment; cruelty to animals is sometimes due to a mental disorder, referred to as zoosadism. Divergent approaches to laws concerning animal cruelty occur in different jurisdictions throughout the world. For example, some laws govern methods of killing animals for food, clothing, or other products, and other laws concern the keeping of animals for entertainment, education, research, or pets. There are several conceptual approaches to the issue of cruelty to animals.

Calves in cages small for their size

Chest X-ray of a cat that has been shot; the white spots are shotgun pellets

Even though some practices, like animal fighting, are widely acknowledged as cruel, not all people or cultures have the same definition of what constitutes animal cruelty. Many would claim that docking a piglet's tail without an anesthetic constitutes cruelty. Others would respond that it is a routine technique for meat production to prevent harm later in the pig's life. Additionally, laws governing animal cruelty vary from country to country. For instance docking a piglet's tail is routine in the US but prohibited in the European Union (EU).^[1]

Utilitarian advocates argue from the position of costs and benefits and vary in their conclusions as to the allowable treatment of animals. Some utilitarians argue for a weaker approach that is closer to the animal welfare position, whereas others argue for a position that is similar to animal rights. Animal rights theorists criticize these positions, arguing that the words "unnecessary" and "humane" are subject to widely differing interpretations and that animals have basic rights. They say that most animal use itself is unnecessary and a cause of suffering, so the only way to ensure protection for animals is to end their status as property and to ensure that they are never viewed as a substance or as non-living things.

Definition and viewpoints

Main articles: Animal welfare and Animal rights

Throughout history, some individuals, like Leonardo da Vinci for example, who once purchased caged birds in order to set them free,^[2][3] were concerned about cruelty to animals. His notebooks also record his anger with the fact that humans used their dominance to raise animals for slaughter.^[4] According to contemporary philosopher Nigel Warburton, for most of human history the dominant view has been that animals are there for humans to do with as they see fit.^[2] Sociologist David Nibert emphasizes that the process of domestication dramatically increased the exploitation of animals by humans, particularly in Eurasia, and asserts that this paved the way for the creation of a modern day, capitalist–driven animal–industrial complex.^[5][6] Much of this exploitation involved not only direct physical violence, but also structural violence as their systemic oppression and enslavement "resulted in their inability to meet their basic needs, the loss of self-determination, and the loss of opportunity to live in a natural way." He says that the remains of domesticated animals from thousands of years ago found during archeological excavations revealed numerous bone pathologies, which provide evidence of extreme suffering:

Excavations from 8500 BCE revealed bone deformities in enslaved goats and cows and provided "some indication of stress, presumably due to the conditions in which these early domestic animals were kept." Remains of sheep and goats from the early Bronze Age show a marked decrease in bone thickness, reflecting calcium deficiencies "resulting from the combined effects of poor nutrition and intensive milking."^[7]

Several religious traditions have promoted animal welfare as an important or fundamental concept, and encouraged vegetarianism or veganism. Examples include Buddhism, Jainism, Hinduism (with certain animals being considered sacred), and some forms of Judaism (many Orthodox Jews do not wear leather).

René Descartes believed that non-humans are automata — complex machines with no soul, mind, or reason.^[8] In Cartesian dualism, consciousness was unique to human among all other animals and linked to physical matter by divine grace. However, close analysis shows that many human features such as complex sign usage, tool use, and self-consciousness can be found in some animals.^[9] In 2012, a prominent group of neuroscientists signed the Cambridge Declaration on Consciousness. It stated that humans are not the only conscious beings, and that many other animals, including all mammals and birds, also possess consciousness, challenging the Cartesian view of animals as mechanical beings.

Charles Darwin, by presenting the theory of evolution, revolutionized the way that humans viewed their relationship with other species. Darwin believed that not only did human beings have a direct kinship with other animals, but the latter had social, mental, and moral lives too. Later, in The Descent of Man (1871), he wrote: "There is no fundamental difference between man and the higher mammals in their mental faculties."^[10]

Modern philosophers and intellectuals, such as Peter Singer and Tom Regan, have argued that animals' ability to feel pain as humans do makes their well-being worthy of equal consideration.^[11] There are many precursors of this train of thought. Jeremy Bentham, the founder of utilitarianism, famously wrote in his An Introduction to the Principles of Morals and Legislation (1789):^[12]

The question is not, can they reason nor can they talk? but, can they suffer?

These arguments have prompted some to suggest that animals' well-being should enter a social welfare function directly, not just indirectly via its effect only on human well-being.^[13] Many countries have now formally recognized animal sentience and animal suffering, and have passed anti-cruelty legislation in response.

Forms

Animal cruelty can be broken down into two main categories: active and passive. Passive cruelty is typified by cases of neglect, in which the cruelty is a lack of action rather than the action itself. Oftentimes passive animal cruelty is accidental, born of ignorance. In many cases of neglect in which an investigator believes that the cruelty occurred out of ignorance, the investigator may attempt to educate the pet owner, then revisit the situation. In more severe cases, exigent circumstances may require that the animal be removed for veterinary care.^[14]

Alleged link to human violence and psychological disorders

There are studies providing evidence of a link between animal cruelty and violence towards humans.^{[15][16][17][18]} A 2009 study found that slaughterhouse employment increases total arrest rates, arrests for violent crimes, arrests for rape, and arrests for other sex offenses in comparison with other industries.^[19] A large national survey by the Norwegian Centre for Violence and Traumatic Stress Studies found a "substantial overlap between companion animal abuse and child abuse" and that cruelty to animals "most frequently co-occurred with psychological abuse and less severe forms of physical child abuse."^[20]

A history of torturing pets and small animals, a behavior known as zoosadism, is considered one of the signs of certain psychopathologies, including antisocial personality disorder, also known as a psychopathic personality disorder. According to The New York Times, "[the FBI has found that a history of cruelty to animals is one of the traits that regularly appears in its computer records of serial rapists and murderers, and the standard diagnostic and treatment manual for psychiatric and emotional disorders lists cruelty to animals a diagnostic criterion for conduct disorders."^[21] "A survey of psychiatric patients who had repeatedly tortured dogs and cats found all of them had high levels of aggression toward people as well, including one patient who had murdered a young boy."^[21] Robert K. Ressler, an agent with the Federal Bureau of Investigation's behavioral sciences unit, studied serial killers and noted, "Murderers like this (Jeffrey Dahmer) very often start by killing and torturing animals as kids."^[22]

Acts of intentional animal cruelty or non-accidental injury may be indicators of serious psychological problems.^[14][23] According to the American Humane Association, 13% of intentional animal abuse cases involve domestic violence.^[24] As many as 71% of pet-owning women seeking shelter at safe houses have reported that their partner had threatened and/or hurt or killed one or more of their pets; 32% of these women reported that one or more of their children had also hurt or killed pets. Battered women report that they are hesitant about leaving their abusers because they fear what will happen to the animals in their absence. Animal abuse is sometimes used as a form of intimidation in domestic disputes.^[25]

Cruelty to animals is one of the three components of the Macdonald triad. This behavior is considered to be one of the signs of violent antisocial behavior in children and adolescents. According to the studies used to form this model, cruelty to animals is a common (but not universal) behavior in children and adolescents who grow up to become serial killers and other violent criminals. It has also been found that children who are cruel to animals have often witnessed or been victims of abuse themselves.^[26] In two separate studies cited by the Humane Society of the United States, roughly one-third of families suffering from domestic abuse indicated that at least one child had hurt or killed a pet.^[27]

Monkey hate is a form of sadism where humans have a hatred for monkeys and take pleasure in their suffering.^[28] The phenomenon drew public attention after a global monkey torture ring was uncovered by the BBC in 2023.^[29]

Animal testing

Main article: Animal testing

A Wistar laboratory rat

Animal testing is regulated to varying degrees in different countries.^[30] In some cases it is strictly controlled while others have more relaxed regulations. There are ongoing debates about the ethics and necessity of animal testing. Proponents argue that it has led to significant advancements in medicine and other fields while opponents raise concerns about cruelty towards animals and question its effectiveness and reliability.^[31][32]

Laboratory animal sourcing can and has involved animal cruelty, particularly when animals are obtained through illegal or unethical means, or when regulations are not followed. Even when legal and regulated, the use of animals in research is ethically controversial because it often involves causing harm or death to sentient beings.

International trade in primates

The international trade in primates sees 32,000 wild non-human primates (NHPs) trapped and sold on the international market every year.^{[citation needed]} They are sold mostly for use in animal testing,^{[citation needed]} but also for food, for exhibition in zoos and circuses, and for private use as companion animals.^{[citation needed]}

Unnecessary scientific experiments or demonstrations

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Worldwide laws regarding testing cosmetics on animals

	Nationwide ban on all cosmetic testing on animals		Partial ban on cosmetic testing on animals1
	Ban on the sale of cosmetics tested on animals		No ban on any cosmetic testing on animals
	Unknown

¹some methods of testing are excluded from the ban or the laws vary within the country

Main articles: Testing cosmetics on animals and Countries banning non-human ape experimentation

Under all three of the conceptual approaches to animal cruelty discussed above, performing unnecessary experiments or demonstrations upon animals that cause them substantial pain or distress may be viewed as cruelty. Due to changes in ethical standards, this type of cruelty tends to be less common today than it used to be in the past. For example, schoolroom demonstrations of oxygen depletion routinely suffocated birds by placing them under a glass cover,^[33] and animals were suffocated in the Cave of Dogs^[34][35][36] to demonstrate the density and toxicity of carbon dioxide to curious travelers on the Grand Tour.

Cruelties in connection with meals

See also: Food and drink prohibitions

Cattle in religion and mythology are considered sacred in the Indian religions of Hinduism, Jainism and Buddhism, as well as in some Chinese folk religion and in African paganism. Cattle played other major roles in many religions, including those of ancient Egypt, ancient Greece, ancient Israel, and ancient Rome. In some regions, especially most states of India, the slaughter of cattle is prohibited and their meat (beef) may be taboo.

The production of foie gras (the liver of a duck or a goose that has been specially fattened) involves the force-feeding of birds with more food than they would eat in the wild, and more than they would voluntarily eat domestically. The feed, usually corn boiled with fat (to facilitate ingestion), deposits large amounts of fat in the liver, thereby producing the fatty consistency sought by some gastronomes.

Pinikpikan is a chicken or duck dish from the mountains of the Cordillera region in the Philippines.^[37][38] As a tradition of the indigenous Igorot people,^[39][40] pinikpikan is prepared by beating a live chicken to death with a stick prior to cooking. The beating bruises the chicken's flesh by bringing blood to its surface, which is said to improve the flavour after cooking.^[37] The act of beating the chicken, while done in preparation of the dish, violates the Philippine Animal Welfare Act 1998.^[41]

A lobster with its claws bound after being boiled alive

The Homarus lobster is usually cooked alive.^[42] The Animal Welfare (Sentience) Act 2022 covers all vertebrates and some invertebrates such as octopuses and lobsters.^[43]

A bile bear in a "crush cage" on Huizhou Farm, Huizhou, China^[44]

Bile bears, sometimes called battery bears, are bears kept in captivity to harvest their bile, a digestive fluid produced by the liver and stored in the gallbladder, which is used by some traditional Asian medicine practitioners.^[45][46][47] It is estimated that 12,000 bears are farmed for bile^[48] in China, South Korea, Laos, Vietnam, and Myanmar.^{[49][50][51][52][53]} Demand for the bile has been found in those nations as well as in some others, such as Malaysia^[54] and Japan.^[55]

Kopi luwak, also known as civet coffee, is a coffee that consists of partially digested coffee cherries, which have been eaten and defecated by the Asian palm civet (Paradoxurus hermaphroditus). The cherries are fermented as they pass through a civet's intestines, and after being defecated with other fecal matter, they are collected.^[56] Asian palm civets are increasingly caught in the wild and traded for this purpose.^[57] Growing numbers of intensive civet "farms" have been established and are operated in Southeast Asia, confining tens of thousands of animals to live in battery cages and be force-fed.^[58][59][60]

Habushu (ハブ酒) is an awamori-based liqueur made in Okinawa, Japan. Other common names include habu sake or Okinawan snake wine. Habushu is named after the habu snake, Protobothrops flavoviridis, which belongs to the pit viper subfamily of vipers, and is closely related to the rattlesnake and copperhead.^[61] There are two methods of inserting the snake into the alcohol. The maker may choose to simply submerge the snake in the alcohol and seal the bottle, thus drowning the snake. Alternatively, the snake may be put on ice until it passes out, at which point it is gutted, bled and sewn up. When the viper is thawed and awakens, it will quickly die in an aggressive striking manner, which is what most producers look for.^{[citation needed]} The manufacturer will then put the Habu in an ethanol bath for a month to preserve it.^[62]

Alfred Brehm wrote the following about the capture of sea turtles in the 19th century:

The poor sea turtles are terribly tortured in the island of Ceylon. The buyers probably want to buy fresh meat, or the sellers don't want to bother with the slaughter, so they simply pull off the breastplate of the live animal and the buyer is cut the piece of meat he wants. And then the European is horrified to see the slow yawning and beating of the heart of the extremely hardy, half-skinned animal, whose organ is usually sold last.^[63]

Eating live animals

Casu marzu, a traditional Sardinian sheep milk cheese that contains insect larvae

Eating live animals is a practice found in various cultures around the world, often considered a delicacy or traditional food. However, this practice may be considered cruel, as eating live animals or parts of live animals can cause significant suffering and distress, and is even unlawful in certain jurisdictions under animal cruelty laws.

Eating live seafood in Japanese cuisine includes practices such as ikizukuri (freshly killed and arranged to appear alive), and odorigui (seafood eaten while still moving), including odori ebi ("dancing shrimp"). All are controversial for animal welfare reasons.

One example of eating live larvae is the witchetty grub of Aboriginal Australian cuisine, which can be eaten alive and raw or cooked.^[64]

Highly intelligent animals

See also: Animal intelligence and Brain as food

Eastern Lesser Bamboo Lemurs (Hapalemur griseus) killed in northeast Madagascar for bushmeat

Primate cognition encompasses a wide range of advanced intellectual and behavioral skills, including problem-solving, tool use, social learning, cooperation, and even cultural transmission. Monkey meat is the flesh and other edible parts derived from monkeys, a kind of bushmeat. Human consumption of monkey meat has been historically recorded in numerous parts of the world, including multiple Asian and African nations. Monkey meat consumption has been reported in parts of Europe and the Americas as well.^[65] Monkey brains is a supposed dish consisting of, at least, partially, the brain of some species of monkey or ape.

Dog meat for sale in a market in Hanoi, Vietnam

Dog intelligence is widely recognized, with dogs demonstrating advanced problem-solving, emotional sensitivity, and strong social bonds. Dog meat consumption, particularly in Vietnam, has been criticized and condemned by many both within the country and internationally, as most of the dogs are pets that were kidnapped and slaughtered in brutal ways, usually by bludgeoning, stabbing, burning alive, or throat-slitting.^[66]

Cat intelligence is well-documented, with domestic cats exhibiting complex social behaviors, problem-solving skills, and the ability to form strong bonds with humans. Cat meat is meat prepared from domestic cats for human consumption. Some countries serve cat meat as a regular food, whereas others have only consumed some cat meat in desperation during wartime, famine or poverty. As cat ownership grew in China, opposition to cat meat increased. In 2006, activists forced a Shenzhen restaurant to stop selling cat meat, two years after the Chinese Animal Protection Network (CAPN) began organizing protests against dog and cat meat in multiple cities. CAPN's efforts helped raise awareness and reduce demand.^[67] In 2020, Four Paws and Change For Animals urged Vietnam to reinstate bans on the cat meat trade, highlighting ongoing regional concerns.^[68][69]

A commercial chicken house with open sides raising broiler pullets for meat

Bird intelligence is remarkable, with ducks and chickens showing advanced abilities. Bird brains have two-to-four times the neuron packing density of mammal brains, for higher overall efficiency. Despite this, both are widely used as food and often face cruel conditions in factory farming, raising serious ethical concerns about animal cruelty. Additionally, practices such as duck-baiting highlight a long legacy of animal exploitation.

According to some news reports, buntings were blinded before cooking.^{[note 1][71]}

Pig intelligence is among the highest in the mammal world; pigs display a wide range of complex behaviors, like being able to play video games, understanding human instructions and even using tools. Despite this high level of intelligence and emotional sensitivity, pigs are frequently subjected to animal cruelty—such as being forced to participate in pig wrestling events, confined in cramped factory farms, or neglected—which causes them unnecessary stress, pain, and suffering.

Equine intelligence is increasingly recognized, with recent studies showing that horses possess advanced cognitive abilities such as strategic thinking, problem-solving, and model-based learning—skills once thought to be beyond their capacity. Horse slaughter is the practice of slaughtering horses to produce meat for consumption. Humans have long consumed horse meat; the oldest known cave art, the 30,000-year-old paintings in France's Chauvet Cave, depict horses with other wild animals hunted by humans.^[72] Equine domestication is believed to have begun to raise horses for human consumption.^[73][74] The practice has become controversial in some parts of the world due to several concerns: whether horses are (or can be) managed humanely in industrial slaughter; whether horses not raised for consumption yield safe meat, and whether it is appropriate to consume what some view as a companion animal.

Eating octopus, is considered cruel by many due to cephalopod intelligence, as octopuses demonstrate advanced problem-solving skills and self-awareness.

Ethical concerns arise with eating dolphins because of cetacean intelligence, with dolphins exhibiting complex social behaviors, language comprehension, and a high degree of self-recognition. Dolphin drive hunting, a practice involving the herding and killing of dolphins, intensifies these ethical issues.

Cultural rituals

Many times, when Asiatic elephants are captured in Thailand, handlers use a technique known as the training crush, in which "handlers use sleep-deprivation, hunger, and thirst to 'break' the elephants' spirit and make them submissive to their owners"; moreover, handlers drive nails into the elephants' ears and feet.^[75]

The practice of cruelty to animals for divination purposes is found in ancient cultures (see: Scapulimancy), and some modern religions such as Santeria continue to do animal sacrifices for healing and other rituals. Taghairm was performed by ancient Scots to summon devils.

An investigation by the Animal Welfare Board of India concluded that "jallikattu is inherently cruel to animals".^[76][77]

Jallikattu (or Sallikkattu), also known as Eru Taḻuvuṭal and Manju-virattu,^[78] is a traditional event in which a zebu bull (Bos indicus), such as the Pulikulam^[79] or Kangayam breeds,^[80] is released into a crowd of people, and many people attempt to grab the large hump on the bull's back with both arms and hang on to it while the bull attempts to escape. Animal welfare organisations such as the Federation of Indian Animal Protection Organisations (FIAPO)^[81] and PETA India have protested against the practice.^[82][83]

The Kambala, Kambla or Kambula is an annual buffalo race held in the southwestern Indian state of Karnataka. It is similar to maramadi from Kerala Traditionally, it is sponsored by local Tuluva landlords and households in the coastal districts of Dakshina Kannada, Udupi and Bhatkal of Karnataka and Kasaragod of Kerala, a region collectively known as Tulu Nadu. Many have criticised Kambala as cruel to the racing buffaloes, which are driven by whips.^[84] Noted animal-rights activist Maneka Gandhi expressed concerns about the ill treatment of buffaloes during the race. While Kambala organizers contend that whips are necessary to elicit maximum speed, government officials advise the riders to be gentle on buffaloes and avoid using whips during the race.^[84]

Declawing

Cat with red nail caps

Onychectomy, popularly known as declawing, is an operation to remove an animal's claws surgically by means of the amputation of all or part of the distal phalanges, or end bones, of the animal's toes.

Declawing of crabs is the process whereby one or both claws of a crab are manually detached before the return of the live crab to the water, as practiced in the fishing industry worldwide. Crabs commonly have the ability to regenerate lost limbs after a period of time, and thus declawing is viewed as a potentially more sustainable method of fishing.^[85] Due to the time it takes for a crab to regrow lost limbs, however, whether or not the practice represents truly sustainable fishing is still a point of scientific inquiry, and the ethics of declawing are also subject to debates over pain in crustaceans.

Entertainment

Spain has a number of festivals that involve some sort of animal cruelty. Among them are burning the bull, donkey baiting, shaving of the beasts (Galicia), garrotting the galgos, quail catapulting, Day of the Geese, running of the bulls, and bull fighting.^[86]

Animal fighting

A bull dying in a bullfight

Bullfighting is criticized by animal rights or animal welfare activists, referring to it as a cruel or barbaric blood sport in which the bull suffers severe stress and slow, torturous death.^[87][88] Several activist groups undertake anti-bullfighting actions in Spain and other countries. In Spain, opponents of bullfighting are referred to as anti-taurinos.

The Bulletpoint Bullfight warns that bullfighting is "not for the squeamish", advising spectators to "be prepared for blood". It details prolonged and profuse bleeding caused by horse-mounted lancers, the charging by the bull of a blindfolded, armored horse who is "sometimes doped up, and unaware of the proximity of the bull", the placing of barbed darts by banderilleros, followed by the matador's fatal sword thrust. It stresses that these procedures are a normal part of bullfighting and that death is rarely instantaneous. It further warns those attending bullfights to "be prepared to witness various failed attempts at killing the animal before it lies down."^[89]

The Toro Jubilo, Madrid, 2014

The "Toro Jubilo" or Toro embolado in Soria, Medinaceli, Spain, is a festival associated with animal cruelty. During this festival, balls of pitch are attached to a bull's horns and set on fire. The bull is then released into the streets and will run around in pain, often smashing into walls in an attempt to douse the fire as spectators attempt to dodge the animal. The pitch balls can burn for hours, and they burn the bull's horns, body, and eyes. The animal rights group PACMA has described the fiesta as "a clear example of animal mistreatment".^[90]

Dog fighting is a sport that turns dogs against one another in a ring or a pit for gambling or the entertainment of the spectators. Dogs are often bred and selected for gameness, a trait that refers to their willingness to continue fighting despite injury or exhaustion, which further intensifies the cruelty of these events.

Cockfighting is a blood sport involving domesticated roosters as the combatants.

Donkey-baiting is a blood sport involving the baiting of donkeys against dogs.

An elephant execution, sometimes called elephant lynching, is a pseudo-legal or performative public spectacle where a captive elephant is killed in order to punish it for being a "bad elephant" (behaviors that had, threatened, injured, or killed humans).

Ram fighting is a blood sport between two rams (large-horned male sheep), held in a ring or open field. It is commonly found in sheep or goat husbandry culture in Africa, Asia and Europe.^[91] In Nigeria, Uzbekistan and Indonesia, ram fighting gains popularity among locals.^[92] Although categorized as a blood sport and an act of animal cruelty, ram fights rarely resulted in the death of the defeated ram, as the loser often is allowed to flee the arena.

Baiting

Main article: Baiting (blood sport)

Baiting, including badger-baiting, bear-baiting, bull-baiting, duck-baiting, hyena-baiting, rat-baiting, or wolf-baiting refers to blood sports in which animals are provoked or attacked by dogs for entertainment, often resulting in significant suffering and injury, and are now widely condemned as forms of animal cruelty.

Animals in professional wrestling

The usage of animals in professional wrestling has varied through the profession's history. Animals that have been used as opponents to humans in matches include pig wrestling, bears, tigers, cheetahs and orangutans.^{[93][94][95][96]}

The use of animals in professional wrestling, particularly in acts such as bear wrestling or involving wild animals as performers, is widely regarded as animal cruelty. These practices often subject animals to stressful, unnatural, and dangerous situations, sometimes resulting in injury, neglect, or death. Historical examples include, chained, declawed and muzzled bears forced to wrestle humans, as well as the use of snakes, tigers, and other wild animals in matches or as props. Such uses have been criticized for exploiting animals for entertainment, and bear wrestling is now illegal in many jurisdictions.

Chilean rodeo

Chilean rodeo is generally considered more cruel than common (North American) rodeo by animal welfare organizations and critics, primarily due to differences in how calves are treated and the lack of protective regulations.

Animal rights organizations reject calling Chilean rodeo a sport, objecting to the treatment of animals—especially calves, which are repeatedly charged against a wall by horses for points. While supporters claim injuries are rare and animals are inspected, activists argue the events cause psychological and physical trauma. Protests have occurred, with some met by violence, and calls to ban rodeo have grown, similar to movements against bullfighting in Spain.^[97][98]

Circuses

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Worldwide laws on animal use in circuses^[99]

Nationwide ban	Partial ban[a]
Ban on import/export	No ban
Unknown

1. certain animals are excluded or the laws vary internally

The use of animals in the circus has been controversial since animal welfare groups have documented instances of animal cruelty during the training of performing animals. Animal abuse in circuses has been documented such as keeping them in small enclosures, lack of veterinary care, abusive training methods, and lack of oversight by regulating bodies.^[100][101] Animal trainers have argued that some criticism is not based on fact, including beliefs that shouting makes the animals believe the trainer is going to hurt them, that caging is cruel and common, and that the use of whips, chains or training harms animals.^[102]

Bolivia has enacted what animal rights activists called the world's first ban on all animals in circuses.^[103]

Media

Internet videos

Cruelty to animals has often been filmed on video and uploaded to social media websites or private Internet groups. This may involve large-scale, systematic operations; a notable example of this was a global monkey torture ring uncovered by the BBC in June 2023, where participants would produce and distribute videos of monkeys being hurt and killed.^[104] Individuals who have published animal cruelty content include Luka Magnotta, a Canadian murderer who uploaded YouTube videos of himself torturing and killing cats;^[105] Rubén Marrero Pernas, a man in Cuba who was found to be raping, torturing then killing dogs and recording the acts online for an audience;^[106] and Leighton Labute, a Canadian man who was arrested in 2020 for torturing and killing three hamsters, and uploading the video to social media.^[107][108]

The video-sharing site YouTube has been criticized for hosting thousands of videos of real-life animal cruelty, especially the feeding of one animal to another for entertainment and spectacle. Although some of these videos have been flagged as inappropriate by users, YouTube has generally declined to remove them, unlike videos that include copyright infringement.^[109][110] In 2021, YouTube banned staged animal rescue videos, where animals were purposely put in danger before being saved.^[111]

Television and filmmaking

Demonstrations against animal cruelty in Iran

Animal cruelty has long been an issue in filmmaking industry, with even some big-budget Hollywood films receiving criticism for allegedly harmful—and sometimes lethal—treatment of animals during production. Court decisions have addressed films that harm animals such as videos that in part depict dog fighting.^[112] Currently, there is no federal or state law specifically governing the use of animals in filmed media, though the federal Animal Welfare Act (AWA) and state cruelty laws indirectly apply.

The American Humane Association (AHA) has been associated with monitoring American film-making since the release of the film Jesse James (1939), in which a horse was pushed off a plank and drowned in a body of water after having fallen 40 feet into it.^[113] Initially, monitoring of animal cruelty was a partnership between the AHA and the Motion Picture Producers and Distributors of America (also called the Hays office) through the Motion Picture Production Code. Provisions in the code discouraged "apparent cruelty to children and animals", and because the Hays Office had the power to enforce this clause, the AHA often had access to sets to assess adherence to it. However, because the AHA's Hollywood office depended on the Hays Office for the right to monitor sets, the closure of the Hays Office in 1966 corresponded with an increase in animal cruelty on movie sets.^[114]

By 1977, a three-year contract was in place between the Screen Actors Guild (SAG) and the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists which specified that the AHA should be "consulted in the use of animals 'when appropriate'", but the contract did not provide a structure for what "appropriate" meant, and had no enforcement powers. This contract expired in 1980.^[115]

One of the most infamous examples of animal cruelty in the film was Michael Cimino's flop Heaven's Gate (1980), in which numerous animals were brutalized and even killed during production. Cimino allegedly killed chickens and bled horses from the neck to gather samples of their blood to smear on actors for Heaven's Gate, and also allegedly had a horse blown up with dynamite while shooting a battle sequence, the shot of which made it into the film. This film played a large part in renewed scrutiny of animal cruelty in films and led to renewed official on-set jurisdiction to monitor the treatment of animals by the AHA in 1980.^[113] In the 1969 film "Fando and Lis", there is a scene where director Jodorowsky slits the throats of live geese.^[116]

After the release of the film Reds (1981), the star and director of the picture, Warren Beatty apologized for his Spanish film crew's use of tripwires on horses while filming a battle scene, when Beatty was not present. Tripwires were used against horses when Rambo III (1988) and The 13th Warrior (1999) were being filmed. A water buffalo was sliced nearly in half during the production of Apocalypse Now (1979), while a donkey was bled to death for dramatic effect for the Danish film Manderlay (2005), in a scene later deleted from the film.

Captured sea turtle at Jamestown, Accra, Ghana

There is a case of cruelty to animals in the South Korean film The Isle (2000), according to its director Kim Ki-Duk.^[117] In the film, a real frog is skinned alive while fish are mutilated. Seven animals were killed for the camera in the controversial Italian film Cannibal Holocaust (1980).^[118] The images in the film include the slow and graphic beheading and ripping apart of a turtle, a monkey being beheaded and its brains being consumed by natives and a spider being chopped apart. Cannibal Holocaust was only one film in a collective of similarly themed movies (cannibal films) that featured unstaged animal cruelty. Their influences were rooted in the films of Mondo filmmakers, which sometimes contained similar content. In several countries, Cannibal Holocaust was banned or allowed for release with most of the animal cruelty edited out.^{[citation needed]}

In the Hungarian Judit Elek's film Memories of a River (1990), 14 sheep were burned alive. A horse was allegedly killed on the set of Andrzej Wajda's film The Ashes (1965).^[119] In the film Fort Tilden (2014), the main characters find kittens in a trash can and - although they initially wanted to save them - end up leaving them there. In Al sur del edén (1984), a female character lies on her bed and rubs a live canary against her genitals for sexual gratification. (Only the woman's legs are shown from the side, the scene may not be real, and she only holds the bird between her legs.) In the film Malèna (2000), young boys burn ants to death on the beach with torches. In Anatomy of Hell (2004), a little boy throws a live baby bird to the ground.

Slaughterhouse animals being butchered are shown in the 1949 French film Blood of the Beasts (pigs) and in the 1963 Hungarian film Elégia (horses).^[120][121] It is unclear whether a pig is killed in the Hungarian film Taxidermia (2006).^[120][122] Slaughterhouse scenes as well as the trampling of frogs were shown in the Korean film Mago (2002), and an (allegedly dying) kitten is drowned in the Hungarian film Hypocritical (2006).^[120][123]

Vase de Noces contains scenes of extreme violence and sexual perversion against animals;^{[according to whom?]} the film has been banned in several places.^{[where?][citation needed]}

The SAG has contracted with the AHA for monitoring animal use during filming or while on the set.^[124] Compliance with this arrangement is voluntary and only applies to films made in the United States. Films monitored by the American Humane Association may bear one of their end-credit messages. Many productions, including those made in the United States, do not advise AHA or SAG of animal use in films, so there is no oversight.^[125] In order to get the end credit disclaimer, productions must register with American Humane and engage an AHA Certified Animal Safety Representative who monitors animal acting throughout production and must follow the guidelines for animal safety are important, however, not all films are required to use the "No Animals Were Harmed" disclaimer, and they can choose to film without American Humane monitoring, and others may include cost or logistical reasons.

Some other animal welfare organizations worldwide, such as the Animal Anti-Cruelty League in South Africa, have also monitored the use of animals in the film.

Rattlesnake round-ups

Rattlesnake round-ups, also known as rattlesnake rodeos, are annual events common in the rural Midwest and Southern United States, where the primary attractions are captured wild rattlesnakes which are sold, displayed, killed for food or animal products (such as snakeskin) or released back into the wild. The largest rattlesnake round-up in the United States is held in Sweetwater, Texas. Held every year since 1958, the event currently attracts approximately 30,000 visitors per year and in 2006 each annual round-up was said to result in the capture of 1% of the state's rattlesnake population.^[126] Rattlesnake round-ups became a concern by animal welfare groups and conservationists due to claims of animal cruelty.^{[127][128][129]} In response, some round-ups impose catch-size restrictions or releasing captured snakes back into the wild.^[130][131]

Zoos and aquariums

Zoos and aquariums can be considered a form of animal cruelty when the conditions of captivity negatively impact the physical and psychological well-being of the animals.

Roadside zoos are found throughout North America, particularly in remote locations. They are often small, for-profit zoos, often intended to attract visitors to some other facility, such as a gas station. The animals may be trained to perform tricks, and visitors are able to get closer to them than in larger zoos.^[132] Since they are sometimes less regulated, roadside zoos are often subject to accusations of neglect^[133] and cruelty.^[134]

Fur farming

Main articles: Fur farming and Environmental impacts of fur farming

A fox with dismembered tail in a fur farm cage

Animal welfare activists suggest a total ban on fur production due to the suffering inflicted on animals, especially minks. It has been suggested that fur production is immoral as fur clothes are luxury items. Minks are solitary and territorial animals; however, in fur farms, they are raised in cages and skinned after being killed either by breaking their necks or using lethal gas.^[135]

Hoarding and breeding

A puppy mill in the rural United States

Animal hoarding involves keeping more animals than can be properly cared for, often resulting in neglect and poor living conditions. Similarly, a puppy mill is a commercial breeding facility where dogs are kept in overcrowded, inhumane conditions for profit, with little regard for their welfare. Both situations cause significant suffering for the animals involved.

Hunting

Rhinoceroses killed for their horns

Some animal rights and anti-hunting activists regard hunting as a cruel, perverse and unnecessary blood sport.^[136][137]

Trophy hunting is largely a recreational activity causing death and injury to a significant number of animals. In poaching the animal is killed and valuable parts such as tusks or bones are collected. Canned hunting refers to the practice of bringing exotic animals as trophies to private land for hunting. Despite being cruel to animals, hunting is practiced in thousands of private properties around the world and is considered a profitable business.^[138]

Internet hunting is the practice of hunting via remotely controlled firearms that can be aimed and shot using online webcams. Internet hunting may be considered cruel because it involves shooting confined animals remotely, which may give them no chance to escape and may cause unnecessary suffering due to poor aim or delayed death. This practice may be condemned for treating animals as mere targets rather than respecting their welfare.

Industrial animal farming

Main article: Intensive animal farming

See also: Holocaust analogy in animal rights

Footage of cruelty in a pig farm, that had been falsely described as 'Quality Assured', in England

Cruelty in a pig farm

Egg-laying hens in a crowded cage

A chicken egg production facility

Farm animals are generally produced in large, industrial facilities that house thousands of animals at high densities; these are sometimes called factory farms. The industrial nature of these facilities means that many routine procedures or animal husbandry practices impinge on the welfare of the animals and could be considered cruelty, with Henry Stephen Salt claiming in 1899 that "it is impossible to transport and slaughter vast numbers of large and highly-sensitive animals humanely".^[139] It has been suggested the number of animals hunted, kept as companions, used in laboratories, reared for the fur industry, raced, and used in zoos and circuses, is insignificant compared to farm animals, and therefore the "animal welfare issue" is numerically reducible to the "farm animal welfare issue".^[140] Similarly, it has been suggested by campaign groups that chickens, cows, pigs, and other farm animals are among the most numerous animals subjected to cruelty. For example, because male chickens do not lay eggs, newly hatched males are culled using macerators or grinders.^[141][142] Worldwide meat overconsumption is another factor that contributes to the miserable situation of farm animals.^[143] Many undercover investigators have exposed the animal cruelty taking place inside the factory farming industry and there is evidence to show that consumers provided with accurate information about the process of meat production and the abuse that accompanies it has led to changes in their attitudes.^[144]

The American Veterinary Medical Association accepts maceration subject to certain conditions, but recommends alternative methods of culling as more humane.^[145][146] Egg-laying hens are then transferred to "battery cages" where they are kept in high densities. Matheny and Leahy attribute osteoporosis in hens to this caging method.^[140] Broiler chickens suffer similar situations, in which they are fed steroids to grow at a super-fast speed, so fast that their bones, heart, and lungs often cannot keep up. Broiler chickens under six weeks old suffer painful crippling due to fast growth rates, whilst one in a hundred of these very young birds dies of heart failure.^[147]

To reduce aggression in overcrowded conditions, shortly after birth piglets are castrated, their tails are amputated, and their teeth are clipped,^[9] and earmarked. Calves are sometimes raised in veal crates, which are small stalls that immobilize calves during their growth, reducing costs and preventing muscle development, making the resulting meat a pale color, preferred by consumers.^[140]

In the United States, animal cruelty such as soring, which is illegal, sometimes occurs on farms and ranches, as does lawful but cruel treatment such as livestock branding. Since ag-gag laws prohibit video or photographic documentation of farm activities, these practices have been documented by secret photography taken by whistleblowers or undercover operatives from such organizations as Mercy for Animals and the Humane Society of the United States posing as employees. Agricultural organizations such as the American Farm Bureau Federation have successfully advocated for laws that tightly restrict secret photography or concealing information from farm employers.^[148]

A downer is an animal, usually livestock, that cannot stand on its own and therefore is to be killed. A downed animal, one that is unable to stand, is not necessarily a downer. Neglect, abuse, or inhumane handling of downer animals is considered animal cruelty and is illegal in many jurisdictions.

Invasive cosmetic procedures

Tail docking in dogs is widely considered animal cruelty when performed for cosmetic or non-medical reasons.

Painting fish using artificial dyes, injections, or caustic dips is considered cruel and unnecessary by animal welfare organizations and experts.

Neglect

Animal neglect is a form of abuse that involves failing to provide adequate care, nutrition, shelter, or medical attention to animals.

A study in Pinhais, Brazil, examined the crime of companion animal neglect within households and found it was more common in homes with a larger number of animals, poor economic conditions, the presence of disabled individuals, and lower educational levels among owners. Identifying these factors is important for creating strategies to prevent this crime.^[149]

No pet policies and abandonment

Main articles: Overpopulation in domestic pets and Pet abandonment

Many apartment complexes and rental homes institute no-pet policies. No pet policies are a leading cause of animal abandonment, which is considered a crime in many jurisdictions. In many cases, abandoned pets have to be euthanized due to the strain they put on animal shelters and rescue groups. Abandoned animals often become feral or contribute to feral populations. In particular, feral dogs can pose a serious threat to pets, children, and livestock.^[150]

In Ontario, Canada, no pet policies are outlawed under the Ontario Landlord and Tenant Act and are considered invalid even when a tenant signs a lease that includes a no pets clause.^[151] Similar legislation has also been considered in Manitoba.^[152]

Pinioning

Pinioning is the act of surgically removing one pinion joint, the joint of a bird's wing furthest from the body, to prevent flight. Pinioning is often done to waterfowl and poultry. It is not typically done to companion bird species such as parrots. This practice is unnecessary and restricted in many countries.

Pinioning is legally restricted in many countries. In England, if the bird is more than 10 days old, its pinioning may only be performed using anaesthetic and, regardless of the bird's age, the procedure is illegal unless carried out by a veterinarian. It is also illegal to perform on farmed birds.^[153] In Austria, pinioning is prohibited based on §5 (Prohibition of cruelty to animals) and §7 (Prohibited interventions performed on animals) of the Animal Protection Act.^[154]

Retreat practices

The kambo ritual. A) Phyllomedusa bicolor. B) Collecting the frog's secretions. C) Applying kambo to burns on the skin. D) Closeup of skin marks.^[155]

While traditional methods for collecting kambo (the secretion of Phyllomedusa bicolor) and bufotoxin (from various toads, including Incilius alvarius) for use in spiritual retreats aim to minimize harm and are not generally considered animal cruelty by Indigenous standards, the potential for animal distress exists—especially with non-traditional or commercialized practices in such settings.

Sexual abuse

Animal sexual abuse, or bestiality, occurs when an individual exploits a non-human animal for their own sexual pleasure or for the pleasure of others. Bestiality is strongly associated by many with zoophilia, a paraphilia involving sexual attraction to non-human animals. One such individual is Douglas Spink, who was convicted of allegedly owning a bestiality farm in which several animals such as dogs, horses and mice were found.^[156]

Horse-ripping, or horse slashing, is an animal cruelty phenomenon involving serious injuries in horses, often involving mutilation of their genitalia and slashing of the flank or neck. It has not been established, however, how often these injuries are caused by human cruelty. "Horse-ripping" is not an entirely neutral term since it implies there is always a human act behind the mutilations.

Smuggling

Illegal drug trade

The puppies pictured had packets of liquid heroin surgically implanted in them by a veterinarian drug smuggler.

In some cases, traffickers have attached drug packages to animals in an attempt to smuggle contraband. This method is more common than surgical implantation, as it is simpler and less risky for traffickers.

In very rare cases, traffickers have surgically implanted drugs into animals.

At Miami International Airport in 1993, authorities discovered that some of the 312 boa constrictors in a shipment from Colombia had been surgically filled with condoms containing a total of 80 pounds (36 kg) of cocaine, resulting in the death of all the snakes.^[157][158]

Wildlife smuggling

Main article: Wildlife smuggling

Smuggler of rare birds apprehended at the US border

Wildlife smuggling often involves transporting live animals in cruel conditions, causing them great suffering. Animals are frequently confined in cramped spaces without food or water, leading to injury, illness, or death. This inhumane treatment makes wildlife smuggling a serious form of animal cruelty.

Transport

Inside a truck transporting farm animals to slaughter. Dehydration, injuries, stress, and disease are common during preslaughter transport, and cramped and unhygienic conditions are typical of the process.

Despite existing regulations in many countries, transport cruelty remains a widespread problem due to inadequate enforcement and economic pressures to minimize costs. Animals being moved for slaughter, sale, or display are frequently kept in cramped conditions for extended periods, with minimal attention to their physical and psychological needs. This issue is especially pronounced during long-distance transport, such as when animals are shipped from other countries or even across continents. During these journeys, animals may endure days or even weeks of travel, often facing extreme temperatures, lack of food and water, and insufficient rest. The stress and injuries sustained during transport can have lasting effects on animal welfare, and in some cases, animals may not survive the journey. Addressing transport cruelty—particularly in the context of international and intercontinental movement—requires stricter oversight, better training for handlers, and a commitment to prioritizing animal well-being throughout the entire transportation process.

One concern about the welfare of horses destined for slaughter is the long distances the horses are sometimes transported to a slaughterhouse. In 2013, 32,841 horses were slaughtered in Italy; of these, 32,316 were transported from other EU states.^[159]

Trapping

Snares are one of the simplest traps and are very effective.^[160] They are cheap to produce and easy to set in large numbers. A snare traps an animal around the neck or the body; a snare consists of a noose made usually by wire or a strong string. Snares are widely criticised by animal welfare groups for their cruelty.^[161]

Domestic animals accidentally captured in glue traps can be released by carefully applying cooking oil or baby oil to the contact areas and gently working until the animal is free. Many animal rights groups, such as the Humane Society of the United States and In Defense of Animals, oppose the use of glue traps for their cruelty to animals.^[162][163]

Warfare

See also: The Battle of Spokane Plains, where upwards of 900 horses were killed in retaliation and Battle of Palo Duro Canyon, where up to 2,000 horses were killed in retaliation by the U.S. Army

Military animals are creatures that have been employed by humankind for use in warfare. They are a specific application of working animals; examples include dogs, dolphins, elephants, and horses. Only recently has the involvement of animals in war been questioned, and practices such as using animals for fighting, as living bombs (see also: Exploding animal), or for military testing purposes (such as during the Bikini Atoll atomic experiments) may now be criticized for being cruel.^[164]

Princess Anne, Princess Royal, the patron of the British Animals in War Memorial, stated that animals adapt to what humans want them to do, but that they will not do things that they do not want to, even with training.^[165] Animal participation in the human conflict was commemorated in the United Kingdom in 2004 with the erection of the Animals in War Memorial in Hyde Park, London.^[166]

In 2008 a video of a US Marine throwing a puppy over a cliff during the Iraq conflict was popularised as an internet phenomenon and attracted widespread criticism of the soldier's actions for being an act of cruelty.^[167]

Welfare concerns of farm animals

See also: Animal slaughter and Overview of discretionary invasive procedures on animals

The following are lists of invasive procedures that cause pain, routinely performed on farm animals, and housing conditions that routinely cause animal welfare concerns. In one survey of United States homeowners, 68% of respondents said they consider the price of meat a more important issue.^[13]

Welfare concerns of farm animals

Species	Invasive procedures	Housing
Broiler chickens	Beak trimming	High stocking density Restricted movement
Cattle	Branding[168] Castration[169] Dehorning[170] Ear tagging[171] Nose ringing[172] Restraint[173] Tail docking[174] Tongue resection (calves)	High stocking density (feedlots) Restricted movement (feedlots) Veal crates
Dairy cattle	Restraint Artificial insemination Dehorning Ear tagging Tail docking Branding Nose ringing	High stocking density Restricted movement Cow-calf separation, separation of mother and calf Bounded by milk machines
Domestic turkeys	Debeaking Desnooding[a] Detoeing Devocalization Spur removal Toe clipping Turkeybeating	High stocking density Restricted movement
Dogs	Castration Docking Ear cropping Ear notching Slaughter by electrocution Slaughter by beating[175]	High stocking density[176] Restricted movement[175]
Ducks and geese	Force-feeding Live-plucking Wing clipping	High stocking density Restricted movement
Egg laying hens	Debeaking Blinders[b] Dubbing[c]	Forced molting High stocking density Hock burns Restricted movement
Goats and sheep	Ear tagging Ear notching Dehorning Marking[d] Mulesing[e] Tail docking Teeth grinding[177]	High stocking density (fine wool industry, live export) Restricted movement (fine wool industry, live export)
Horses	Branding Castration Chaining Gingering	High stocking density Restricted movement
Pigs	Castration CO2 stunning[178] Ear cropping Ear tagging Earmarking Nose ringing Tail docking Tattooing Teeth clipping Tusk trimming	Gestation crates High stocking density Restricted movement

1. 'Desnooding' is the removal of the snood, a fleshy appendage on the forehead of turkeys.
2. 'Blinders' or 'spectacles' are included as some versions require a pin to pierce the nasal septum.
3. 'Dubbing' is the procedure of removing the comb, wattles and sometimes earlobes of poultry. Removing the wattles is sometimes called "dewattling".
4. 'Marking' is the simultaneous mulesing, castration, and tail docking of lambs.
5. 'Mulesing' is the removal of strips of wool-bearing skin from around the breech (buttocks) of a sheep to prevent flystrike (myiasis)

Working animals

Main article: Coconut § Monkey labor controversy

A Southern pig-tailed macaque sits in the crown of a coconut palm in Malaysia, grasping a coconut as it prepares to harvest it

The Southern pig-tailed macaque is the only monkey species widely used for labor, especially in Thailand and Malaysia, where they have been trained for centuries—mainly through punishment-based methods—to harvest coconuts and other fruits.^[179] Although now limited to a small number of farmers, the practice persists, with training schools still operating in southern Thailand and the Malaysian state of Kelantan.^{[180][181][182]} The practice drew international attention in 2019 when PETA exposed the use of macaques for coconut harvesting in Thailand, leading to calls for boycotts of coconut products; PETA later clarified that this practice does not occur in other major coconut-producing regions such as the Philippines, India, Brazil, Colombia, or Hawaii.^[183]

Historical

Bear pits have largely fallen out of favor, as many zoos now try to make their animals' accommodations more natural. Zoo visitors tend to view animals in natural settings as "active", and those in more artificial settings as "passive".^[184]

Bull running was a custom practised in England until the 19th century.^[a] It involved chasing a bull through the streets of a town until it was weakened, then slaughtering the animal and butchering it for its meat.^[186] Bull running became illegal in 1835, and the last bull run took place in Stamford, Lincolnshire, in 1839.^[187][188] The practice was not confined to any particular region, with bull runs also documented at Axbridge in the south west, Canterbury and Wokingham in the south east, Tutbury in the midlands, and Wisbech in the east.^[189][190]

Cat burning was a form of cruelty to animals as an entertainment or festivity in Western and Central Europe prior to the 1800s. People would gather cats and hoist them onto a bonfire causing death by burning or otherwise through the effects of exposure to extreme heat. In the medieval to early modern periods, cats, which were associated with vanity and witchcraft, were sometimes burned as symbols of the devil.^[191]

The Cave of Dogs (Italian: Grotta del Cane) is a cave near Naples, Italy. Volcanic gases seeping into the cave give the air inside a high concentration of carbon dioxide. Dogs held inside would faint; at one time this was a tourist attraction.

A diving horse is an attraction that was popular in North America in the mid-1880s,^[192] in which a horse would dive into a pool of water, sometimes from as high as 60 feet.^[193]

Dog spinning (Bulgarian: тричане на куче(та), trichane na kuche(ta)) is a ritual that was traditionally practiced on the first day of Lent in the village of Brodilovo in southeastern Bulgaria. The ritual is thought to have pagan origins^[194]

The Foreign Cattle Market is a significant historical example of industrial animal handling and slaughter. While not intended as animal cruelty, many of its practices would be considered problematic today.

Geek shows were an act in traveling carnivals and circuses of early America and were often part of a larger sideshow. The billed performer's act consisted of a single geek, who stood in the center ring to chase live chickens. It ended with the performer biting the chickens' heads off and swallowing them.^[195]

Goat throwing (in Spanish: Lanzamiento de cabra desde campanario or Salto de la cabra) was a festival celebrated in the town of Manganeses de la Polvorosa, province of Zamora, Spain, on the fourth Sunday of January. The festival coincided with the commemoration of Saint Vincent the Martyr.

The act of goldfish swallowing was a fad first popularized by students at American colleges in the late 1930s.^[196]

Kots Kaal Pato (Spanish for 'Strangle the Duck') was an event held annually in the town of Citilcum, located in the municipality of Izamal, within the state of Yucatán, Mexico. In it, piñatas stuffed with live animals were broken and ducks were hung from a wooden structure to later behead them. Since 2016, as a result of the efforts of Humane Society International Mexico and local organizations, the event no longer has this type of practices, instead featuring various sports and cultural activities.^[197]

Laws by country

Main article: Animal rights by country or territory

Many jurisdictions around the world have enacted statutes that forbid cruelty to some animals but these vary by country and in some cases by the use or practice.

Legal requirements for ritual slaughter around the world:

  Stunning not required

  Post-cut stunning required

  Simultaneous stunning required

  Pre-cut stunning required

  Ritual slaughter banned

  No data

Africa

Egypt

Main article: Animal welfare in Egypt

Egyptian law states that anyone who inhumanely beats or intentionally kills any domesticated animal may be jailed or fined.^[198] The Egyptian Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals was established over a hundred years ago and was instrumental in promoting a 1997 ban on bullfighting in Egypt.^[199]

In ancient Egyptian law, the killers of cats or dogs were executed.^[200][201]

Nigeria

Animal cruelty in Nigeria is prohibited under Section 495 of the Criminal Code (1990). These include, according to 495(1)(a), cruelly beating, kicking, over-loading, infuriating, or terrifying an animal, or allowing this to happen as the owner. Section 495(1)(b) defines failure to act as the willful or unreasonable doing or omission of any act that causes unnecessary suffering (or as the owner, permitting an act that causes unnecessary suffering). This section also prohibits transporting animals in a way that causes unnecessary suffering (c), administering poison (d), performing operations without due care (e), and actions related to animal fighting (f).^[202]

South Africa

The Animal Protection Act No 71 of 1962 in South Africa covers "farm animals, domestic animals and birds, and wild animals, birds, and reptiles that are in captivity or under the control of humans."

The Act contains a detailed list of prohibited acts of cruelty including overloading, causing unnecessary suffering due to confinement, chaining or tethering, abandonment, unnecessarily denying food or water, keeping in a dirty or parasitic condition, or failing to provide veterinary assistance. There is also a general provision prohibiting wanton, unreasonable, or negligible commission or omission of acts resulting in unnecessary suffering. The Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries for 2013/14 to 2016/17 mentions updating animal protection legislation.^[203]

The NSPCA is the largest and oldest animal welfare organization in South Africa that enforces 90% of all animal cruelty cases in the country by means of enforcing the Animals Protection Act.

South Sudan

The Criminal Code of South Sudan has laws against the maltreatment of animals. The laws read:^[204]

196. Ill-treatment of Domestic Animal.

Whoever cruelly beats, tortures, or otherwise willfully ill-treats any tame, domestic, or wild animal, which has previously been deprived of its liberty, or arranges, promotes, or organizes fights between cocks, rams, bulls, or other domestic animals or encourages such acts, commits an offense, and upon conviction, shall be sentenced to imprisonment for a term not exceeding two months or with a fine.

197. Riding and Neglect of Animal.

Whoever wantonly rides, overdrives, or overloads any animal or intentionally drugs or employs any animal, which by reason of age, sickness, wounds or infirmity is not in a condition to work, or neglects any animal in such a manner as to cause it unnecessary suffering, commits an offense, and upon conviction, shall be sentenced to imprisonment for a term not exceeding one month or with a fine or with both.

Americas

Argentina

In Argentina, National Law 14346 sanctions from 15 days to one year in prison for those who mistreat or inflict acts of cruelty on animals.^[205]

Background

Tourism is one of the main economic activities in Argentina, and animals are often used as part of the attractions offered to visitors. Carriage rides, hunting trips, and wildlife shows are promoted as cultural or recreational experiences. However, several of these practices have raised concerns regarding animal welfare.

Wild pigeon hunting in Córdoba

A well-known example is dove hunting in Córdoba, where the large population of wild pigeons has given rise to "unlimited hunting" tours.^[206] These excursions, mainly aimed at foreign tourists, allow thousands of birds to be shot in just a few days.^[207] The activity generates income for rural areas through hunting lodges, guides, and related services. Criticism has focused on its cruelty, since many birds are left wounded, and on its ecological impact, including lead contamination from ammunition.^[208] According to lawyers from the Sala de Derecho Animal de Córdoba, current laws still treat animals as property rather than sentient beings, making regulation difficult.^[209]

Horse-drawn carriages

Horses have historically been part of Argentine culture and identity. In some tourist cities, horse-drawn carriages (carruajes) are still used as attractions.^[210] NGOs such as Caballos en Libertad in Buenos Aires^[211] and Fundación Sin Estribos in Córdoba^[212] rescue mistreated horses. Reports of overwork, inadequate care, and abuse have prompted municipal authorities to propose restrictions and reforms.^[213]

Tourists and coatis at Iguazú Falls

At Iguazú National Park, the interaction between tourists and coatis has been described as problematic. Visitors often feed coatis with human food, which alters their diet, generates dependency, and exposes them to health issues.^[214] Close interactions, such as touching or taking photographs at very short distance, have also been reported to cause aggressive behavior and accidents.^[215] Park authorities and researchers warn that such practices disrupt the animals' natural behavior and may increase human-wildlife conflicts.