Abuse and Neglect

• Every day, domestic pets and farm animals are mistreated, neglected, abused and abandoned. According to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, puppy mills prioritize profit over puppies, producing generations of dogs with debilitating defects. Animal hoarding may not be a deliberate cruelty, but too many pets in one place leads to overcrowding, malnutrition and disease. Dog fighting has been a blood sport for hundreds of years and was showcased by Michael Vick's conviction for running a pit bull fighting ring. Cats and dogs are abandoned, creating wild populations of feral felines and canines. Individual owners "punish" their pets with severe beatings, and many horses are underfed, then simply auctioned off or slaughtered when they are no longer wanted. The ASPCA works to prevent abuse and neglect of domestic animals and help suffering animals find good homes.
  
  

Hunting

• Hunting can be a positive activity, providing food for families and population control of an animal species in a certain area. However, illegal hunting, poaching and killing members of endangered species brings imbalance to the ecosystem. As of April 2011, animals such as tigers, elephants, primates, whales and baby seals are being killed for sale in consumer products, including fur, food and aphrodisiacs. The Animal Welfare Institute is an organization committed to protecting animal welfare through issues such as illegal hunting and animal preservation.
  
  

Production

• Animal production refers to farms and facilities mainly for the production of animal products and byproducts for public consumption. Some animal production facilities concentrate on increasing production numbers at the cost of animal welfare. Cattle are sometimes kept in tiny stalls and not allowed to walk around in order to increase fat production and muscle tenderness for Kobe steaks. Turkeys and chickens are often force fed grain through funnels and crammed into pole barns with no room to move, resulting in serious physical and mental damage to the birds.
  
  

Research

• Conducting research on animals can help with the development of treatments and procedures for human use, such as organ transplants, cancer treatments and open-heart surgery. Research is subject to government standards and regulations, but standards don't completely eliminate what some people consider cruelty to animals. According to People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, some dogs in labs are force-fed pesticides, and rabbits are exposed to corrosive chemicals. Rodents, reptiles and birds are not even covered by the most minimal standards. PETA fights animal cruelty in lab settings and in general.