2. Animal Abuse Statistics  Of 1880 animal cruelty cases reported in 2007  64.5% involved dogs  18% involved cats  25% involved other animals

3. Causes of Animal Abuse

4.  Many cases are due to ignorance  People buy the cat or dog without knowing how much work it will be and get overwhelmed

5.  People don’t realize how much it will cost  Food, vet bills

6.  Abuse includes neglect  Not having clean food and water  No shelter for storms or shade for hot days  Locking animals in cars or trucks  Not getting vaccinations such as rabies

7.  Owners who do not spay or neuter their pets and end up with unwanted baby animals

8. Ways to Prevent Animal Cruelty

9.  Know who to call to report animal cruelty

10.  Look out for the animals in your neighborhood

11.  Fight for the passage of strong anti-cruelty laws in your town and state

12.  Set a good example by taking good care of your pets

13. Teach your children to treat animals with kindness and respect

14.  Volunteer at your local shelter

15.  Start a neighborhood watch program to monitor for animal abuse or neglect

16.  10,000 dogs die in fights every year

17.  3 to 4 million cats and dogs die each year because of animal abusers

18.  Call the authorities if you suspect animal cruelty  Let them know the type of cruelty, who was involved, and the date of the incident