Stricter Penalties on Animal Cruelty (old writing) (ESSAY)

The beginning of a serial killer: Should there be stricter penalties for those charged of animal cruelty?

The current standard punishment for animal cruelty according to the animal welfare bill depends on how people abuse said animal, say for example someone kicks a puppy, and break it’s rib cage, this person is liable to a fine of $10,000 (Animal Welfare Bill, Canada), or being sentenced to prison for less than 18 months, or possibly both. Many may be thinking that this sounds like a fair punishment, but what if that were a child? The laws would be much stricter of course considering it is a human being and capable of thinking and understanding, but according to Science Daily, dog’s are actually known for having the same comprehension and intelligence as a 2 year old child, and Daily Mail has said that crows actually have the same level of brain power as a 7 year old child. This means they cannot understand why their abuser is hurting them but they are capable of comprehending the feeling of being abused and can even experience sadness and emotional pain. So now knowing that the animal being abused is capable of understanding that someone is hurting it, and feeling grief and would take rehabilitation to recover, this punishment isn't suitable for such a crime.

There is a prison sentence for animal cruelty, the longest sentence being a little more than 5 years, but that doesn’t mean it is used. Haydn Watters of CBC does a report about one of the first jail sentences in Nova Scotia which was written in 2016, but in his article says that prison sentences are seen as a last resort, and the criminal mentioned in the story was on their second offence of animal cruelty. The jail sentence was only 30 days, and officers said they hoped this would teach the animal hoarder not to try this again. This does show that the fine and a warning doesn’t always change the minds of those who are willing to abuse animals. Holly Caruk of CBC writes another article, this time taking place in Manitoba, speaking about the same issue. After 2 severe cruelty cases occur in the same week of 2017, a dog had been stolen and stabbed, before being tied and dragged behind a truck to its death, the criminals’ did not face any serious repercussions. “According to the province's website, Manitoba's animal welfare program investigated 952 cases in 2016. Over half of those cases were dismissed and less than two per cent resulted in tickets or prosecutions.” (Caruk) The lack of punishments for such vile acts is causing it to continue, to the point where people are losing their pets to deranged killers who steal them and murder them for personal amusement.

According to the Domestic Violence Roundtable, people who abuse animals often end up doing the same to people. Many domestic violence cases involve animal abuse because the abusers use family pets as a revenge tactic. For example, the infamous murderer Jeffrey Dahmer was found to have impaled countless dogs and beheaded cats. Dahmer is one of many serial killers who began by torturing animals, leading many to the conclusion that there is an obvious link between the two crimes. According to debate.org, a site where anyone can post their opinions on a controversial topic, many think that no one should be punished for animal cruelty because it’s not an important issue. These may not be people with a Ph.D., but they’re humans who may end up voting on whether the law passes in favour of penalties for this heinous crime or not. Their argument says that if people are killing people, why should we worry about animal abuse? Looking back at what was just mentioned about animal cruelty offenders becoming serial killers or other violent criminals, it is easy to justify the idea of arrest for those who have abused any living creature. 

According to beliefs of average people on debate.org, another topic that came up was the cost of said jail time, and that prisons are already crowded enough. Most people who do cause harm to animals are mentally ill, which could be a justifiable reason to put them in a mental institution for rehabilitation, instead of prison. This would still be a serious thing to consider, with money and medications involved but it could also possibly stop many violent crimes before they happen to any species. “Cruelty towards animals is a manifestation of two things – the desire to have control over weaker and smaller creatures and the tendency to derive sadistic pleasure out of it,” Dr. Thara, a psychiatrist and director of Schizophrenia research in Chennai tells The News Minute. These symptoms also happen to fall under the sadistic personality disorder, which has been known to also lead to harm of other people and self. Classifying these people as mentally ill would make it possible to put them into a mental institution, therefore solving the problem of putting them in the same prisons as those who do wrong against people, and giving them the true rehabilitation they need. 

This is the current animal welfare bill:

Cruelty to Animals

Causing unnecessary suffering

445.1 (1) Every one commits an offence who

(a) wilfully causes or, being the owner, wilfully permits to be caused unnecessary pain, suffering or injury to an animal or a bird;

(b) in any manner encourages, aids or assists at the fighting or baiting of animals or birds;

(c) wilfully, without reasonable excuse, administers a poisonous or an injurious drug or substance to a domestic animal or bird or an animal or a bird wild by nature that is kept in captivity or, being the owner of such an animal or a bird, wilfully permits a poisonous or an injurious drug or substance to be administered to it;

(d) promotes, arranges, conducts, assists in, receives money for or takes part in any meeting, competition, exhibition, pastime, practice, display or event at or in the course of which captive birds are liberated by hand, trap, contrivance or any other means for the purpose of being shot when they are liberated; or

(e) being the owner, occupier or person in charge of any premises, permits the premises or any part thereof to be used for a purpose mentioned in paragraph (d).

Punishment

(2) Every one who commits an offence under subsection (1) is guilty of

(a) an indictable offence and liable to imprisonment for a term of not more than five years; or

(b) an offence punishable on summary conviction and liable to a fine not exceeding ten thousand dollars or to imprisonment for a term of not more than eighteen months or to both.

...

2008, c. 12, s. 1.

. -(Canadian Legislation)

Canada’s laws on animal cruelty have remained almost unchanged since 1892, making it outdated for the current society and creating many loopholes for the offenders to go through. If Canada does not want to put these criminals through prison the idea of a mandatory mental institution is the best solution. These people would be receiving the proper mental and medical treatments to prepare them to re-enter society as an upstanding citizen. This should still come with higher charges to hopefully scare those considering abusing animals away from actually going through with it. These laws should be mandatory, without loopholes to make sure the animal and people around said person remains safe.

Citations

Caruk, Holly. “Animal Cruelty Laws Tough to Prosecute, Rarely Result in Jail Time: Lawyer | CBC News.” CBCnews, CBC/Radio Canada, 30 Mar. 2017, www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/animal-cruelty-laws-lawyer-1.4046654.

“Crows Are as Intelligent as CHILDREN: Study Reveals Birds Have Same Intelligence as a Seven-Year-Old.” Daily Mail Online, Associated Newspapers, 27 Mar. 2014, www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2590046/Crows-intelligent-CHILDREN-Study-reveals-birds-intelligence-seven-year-old.html.

“Dogs' Intelligence On Par With Two-Year-Old Human, Canine Researcher Says.” ScienceDaily, ScienceDaily, 10 Aug. 2009, www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/08/090810025241.htm.

Grezo, Chris. “Animal Abuse Leads to Human Abuse.” New Internationalist, 5 July 2017, newint.org/blog/2012/11/29/animal-abuse-leads-to-human-abuse/.

Kangas, Cathy. “Animal Cruelty and Human Violence.” The Huffington Post, TheHuffingtonPost.com, 20 Mar. 2013, www.huffingtonpost.com/cathy-kangas/animal-cruelty-and-human-_b_2507551.html.

“Links Between Animal Abuse and DV.” Effects of Domestic Violence on Children, www.domesticviolenceroundtable.org/animal-abuse-and-dv.html.

Mantri, Geetika. “Animal Cruelty Isn't Childish or Funny, It Could Be a Sign of Mental Illness, Say Experts.” The News Minute, The News Minute, 7 July 2016, www.thenewsminute.com/article/animal-cruelty-isnt-childish-or-funny-it-could-be-sign-mental-illness-say-experts-46037.

Melbye, Cara. “Canada's Animal Cruelty Shame.” NOW Magazine, 31 Aug. 2016, nowtoronto.com/news/canada-s-animal-cruelty-shame/.

“Should People Go to Jail for Animal Abuse?” Debate.org, www.debate.org/opinions/should-people-go-to-jail-for-animal-abuse.

Team, HxBenefit Editorial. “Sadistic Personality Disorder - Causes, Symptoms, Diagnosis, Treatment and Prognosis.” Hxbenefit.com - Recent Health Articles, Hxbenefit.com - Recent Health Articles, 27 July 2017, www.hxbenefit.com/sadistic-personality-disorder.html.

Watters, Haydn. “Does Animal Cruelty Warrant a Jail Sentence? | CBC News.” CBCnews, CBC/Radio Canada, 30 Oct. 2016, www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-scotia/animal-cruelty-punishments-1.3823941.