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In 1966, Congress began receiving more letters regarding animal abuse than they did for civil rights and the Vietnam War. The problem even became apparent to athlete-celebrity Michael Vick when his participation in dog fighting shocked his fans. He explained in his reality show that dog fighting was common in Germantown, Pennsylvania (Vick, 2010). Understandably, dog fighting would seem like a norm since it dates back to the twelfth century when Britain wanted to challenge the strength of their dogs after the Roman invasion of Britain. As the dog's opponents became bigger, Europe banned disproportional animal fighting in 1835. Before the ban, the treatment closely resembled that of slavery. Even if someone governmentally owns something, he or she doesn't have the right to abuse it. Slaves were owned, but their masters didn't have the humanistic right to put their hands on them. But dog fighting was notably a sport just as it took a little over a century for the slavery mindset to become nebulous in society.

I care about this issue because there is a fine line between using animals for the necessity of nutrition and solely using animals. I believe people take advantage of animals, which are predetermined for consumption according the Bible. It's almost like they've become spoiled to what has been provided; they're playing with their food. When a girl is given one doll, she cherishes it. But when she's given all the dolls she wants, the heads of the doll begin to get ripped off after a while; she begins to dally with the supply. I think animal cruelty is a slap in the face to God who provides animals to prevent both starvation and loneliness. Animals should be used for either food or petting, and anything else unappreciative isn't right when animals are revoked and people really need food or company. What people can do to help is to simply exemplify the love an animal needs. Suggesting to people and even petitioning for lesser abusing and using of animals would move animal cruelty laws in little steps. Some can even become a part of their city's local humane society or organizations such as PETA or the American Society for the Prevention and Cruelty to Animals.

People who are involved in raising awareness for animal cruelty include artists Sarah McLaughlin, Mariah Carey, and Pink, models Pamela Anderson and Anna Nicole Smith, athlete Dennis Rodman, and actress Alicia Silverstone. Each is either against the wearing, consumption, or abuse of animals and promotes lifestyles that include animals for mere embrace.

Earl Holliman has been the President of Actors and Others For Animals since 1976. Loretta Swit is an active board member of Actors and Others For Animals, The Wildlife Waystation and the Hooved Animal Rescue Protection Society (HARPS). [Dorris Day] created two non-profit organizations: the Doris Day Animal League national lobbying organization which works on legislation relating to animal welfare issues and the Doris Day Animal Foundation dedicated to promoting increased protection for animals through educational and community outreach programs like Spay Day USA.

In addition to the Animal Welfare Act of 1966, forty-six states have taken action in preventing animal cruelty. States that are highly active are California, Illinois, Maine, Michigan, and Oregon. California bans the declawing of cats while, in Virginia, legislation only allows declawing if it's medical. The Massachusetts and New York humane society obtains exclusive authority of influencing animal cruelty laws. Florida presented a ban, stating "A person who, for the purpose of practice, entertainment, or sport, intentionally fells, trips, or otherwise causes a cow to fall or lose its balance by means of roping, lassoing, dragging, or otherwise touching the tail of the cow commits a misdemeanor of the first degree." but it did not become a law. In other states, animal abuse isn't recognized as a misdemeanor.