Research Paper On Horse Abuse

Horse Abuse in America Do you like the idea of someone intentionally or unintentionally abusing your horse? Many types of horse abuse by human beings goes unnoticed in America on a daily basis. There are numerous ways horse abuse occurs in America, such as failure of humans to meet nutritional needs, the inability to afford appropriate care, and injecting steroids to improve the performance of a horse in a competition. So, what is considered horse abuse? “Generally, animal abuse is seen as acts or omissions that inflict unnecessary pain and suffering on animals and that occur outside the realm of socially acceptable behavior” (Girgen). Basically, abuse is defined as any type of inappropriate care provided by a caregiver to a horse! Many people in America do not treat horses appropriately resulting in pain and suffering of the animal. Such abuse is directly related to poor living conditions of a horse and is a type abuse that often leads to death if not rescued in time. “The horse is in such poor condition that he may die without immediate intervention” (Williams). Horse abuse is any type of mistreatment by the horse owner that leads to unhealthy conditions of the horse. Are you wondering what types of horse abuse is occurring in America? Horses are left without appropriate shelter
and nutrition to meet daily needs for a healthy lifestyle. According to Andrew Rogers, an example of horse abuse is one that “was 10kgs underweight, had a terrible skin condition and had been forced to live in his own excrement.” The failure of horse owners to continuously meet nutritional and shelter needs is considered abusive. The abuse, whether intentional or not, causes additional problems for the horse. “Medical staff determined the horse was severely malnourished, had rain rot, a bacterial infection, as well as hoof and leg problems.” (Winston). Horse abuse triggered by infections and illness of the horse are results of neglect, malnutrition, and poor living conditions. You may ask yourself, what is malnutrition of a horse? Malnutrition is the lack of an appropriate diet, shelter, and adequate health care. “Intentional abuse occurs when a person knowingly tortures, maims, or kills an animal, or knowingly deprives an animal of food, water, shelter, socialization, or veterinary care” (Girgen). A horse becomes malnourished without proper food, water, shelter, group interaction, and routine health care by a veterinarian. “The years of neglect and abuse took a toll on him, eventually leading to kidney failure and his death” (Morris). Years of malnourishment results in a shorter life expectancy for a horse. Is the cost of food and shelter directly related to horse malnutrition causing abuse? The expense of horse feed and appropriate shelter often leads to abuse caused by financial burdens to horse owners. “Welfare officers have been responding to dozens of cases of starving animals across Manningham in the past year...dogs, cats, and horses make up most cases in the area” (Rogers). Many people face financial strains of choosing to feed themselves or the horse. The financial choice leads to the inability to afford appropriate care of their horse. “His owner left him on a chain day and night for the first 18 months of his life” (Rogers). To such an owner, a chain is the cheapest way to contain a horse and must less than building a barn and fence. Many owners cut the cost of food and shelter for personal financial gains. Too often an owner’s choice puts the health of a horse at risk and future abuse for the helpless animal. Poor health conditions of an abused horse is very concerning! Abusive situations too often lead to unhealthy conditions for a horse. One abused horse, “had been wired into his harness, which he had worn for years until rescuers spent almost an hour cutting it from him” (Morris). The harness was so tight and small that damage to the horses face was concerning to the rescuers. As a result, the horse was in the abusive situation for so long that he went into kidney failure. “An ultrasound revealed that Rafael’s kidneys had severely atrophied” (Morris). Abuse by a horse owner causes short and long term health conditions for the mistreated horse. How should you report horse abuse?
Horse abuse has dated back to 1641 in America and is reportable to local law enforcement. “Before you pick up the phone, it’s a good idea to familiarize yourself with how rescues and animal control agencies work” (Williams). You also should be aware that all states in America have different laws and ways to report horse abuse. “The first American law protecting animals was passed in 1641 by the Puritans of the Massachusetts Bay Colony” (Girgen). Reporting abuse of a horse is an obligation of society, but first the laws in the area must be followed. A person should never trespass or attempt to rescue a horse without law enforcement
intervention. Horse abuse in America occurs on a daily basis, human neglect, along with financial struggles results in malnutrition of the animal and unsuitable healthcare. In addition to poor treatment conditions, humans also administer unnecessary medications, such as steroid injections, to improve performance in horse competitions. “Neglect, abuse and/or abandonment are considered cruelty to animals and are a criminal offense in many states” (Williams). Americans are obligated to report abusive conditions of horses. It takes time and commitment to be willing to intervene and prevent the suffering of abused horses. Without society’s intervention to change behaviors of horse owners across the nation, abusive horse treatment will continue to cause blameless injury and suffering.