Animal cruelty facts and stats

Animal abuse cases are often underreported, making it hard to determine how widespread they are.

Such abuse ranges across social and economic demographics.

Perpetrators of animal cruelty often engage in other criminal activities, with hoarding behaviors leading to severe neglect.

Men under 30 are commonly involved in intentional abuse, while women over 60 are more likely to be animal hoarders.

Dogs, cats, horses, and livestock are the most commonly abused animals.

Factory farms are often sites of abuse due to weak livestock protection laws.

Cruel activities, like dogfighting, are linked to organized crime and public corruption.

Investigations have uncovered narcotics being trafficked through these operations, leading to homicides.

The link between animal abuse and domestic violence is significant, with many abusers also targeting pets.

The PAWS Act aims to protect domestic abuse victims and their pets.

The Humane Society advocates for stronger animal cruelty laws and provides training for law enforcement.

All 50 states now have felony provisions for animal cruelty.

The FBI began categorizing animal cruelty in its crime reporting system in 2016 to help combat these crimes.