Animal cruelty: causes, impacts, and prevention strategies

Animal Cruelty

Once upon a time in the great island kingdom of Anatole, a beautiful princess named Lisle enjoyed her leisurely life spent mostly in the natural surroundings of her family's castle. Set in a valley adorned with a friendly river and bountiful fruit trees, the Kettering Castle was by far the grandest in the world. The massive structure gleamed like gold in the sunlight and spread out over several acres of land. Moreover, because Anatole was located on a large but remote island in the center of what is now called the Atlantic Ocean, the kingdom bore a home for many exotic creatures, most of which the rest of the world had never before seen, even in pictures.

Princess Lisle loved the creatures of Anatole and kept many as pets. In fact, between her and her two brothers and one sister, the Anatole royal family had a true menagerie that included birds, reptiles, fish, and mammals. They even had many gigantic insects that were as visually stunning as flowers and not creepy in the least. The Anatole royal family took great pride in their menagerie and fed and housed the creatures very well, almost as if they were people. As a result, all the animals in the menagerie appeared happy and healthy and lived long lives.

One day the King from a land far, far away came ashore to Anatole to bid the royal family hello. It was the first time that King Hercule had set foot on the great island and he was promptly offered the royal treatment tour. Princess Lisle accompanied her brothers, Prince Yonick and Prince Darren, and her sister Princess Felina along with their parents, the King and the Queen. Together, the royal family of Anatole and King Hercule spent the entire day roaming about the grounds of the palace as well as the remote hinterlands of the island, visiting spots that even the Princess herself had never before gone.

One of these special, remote spots was Mount Lindenberg. Princess Lisle had always heard of Mount Lindenberg but because it was so steep and far away from the castle, she had never been able to visit even its foothills. However, the royal treatment tour included access to the most advanced transportation technologies in the world, enabling the party to not only visit the mountain but ascend to its peak in only an hour.

The top of Mount Lindenberg offered a view so stunning that Princess Lisle almost fell of the edge gazing lovingly at the valley below. "I have never seen something so amazing in my life!" she exclaimed, as her sister held her hand. "We must come back here every day!"

"Let's go down there," Princess Felina cried out, pointing to a flowery patch of land on the cliff below.

The two sisters crawled their way down the side of the mountain gingerly, stealing away from their family for a brief moment of relieving peace, quiet, and solitude. The two princes had also wandered off on their own, probably to make some mischief, and the King and the Queen stood stoically staring down at the land they ruled and commanded.

Princesses Lisle and Felina's feet finally found secure ground amid the many flowers. Bees buzzed around their perky ears and the flowers glowed with colors: purple, yellow, blue, orange, yellow, and green. The intensity of their hue was mesmerizing. Suddenly to her right, Princess Lisle noticed a small opening in the rock. "Look! Felina! A cave! Let's go in!"

Her sister, without a second's hesitation, agreed and the two princesses left the rainbow patch of flowers for the dark and damp cave interior. No sooner had they escaped the glare of the sunshine than Princess Lisle heard voices coming from outside the cave.

"There's one!"

"Where? Where?"

"Right there, mate! Right there, you see it? It's gray and ugly, see, just like the King said it was."

"Oh yeah! It is ugly, innit?"

"Grab the net, quickly! It'll tear off any minute!"

The two princesses exchanged curious glances. Without a word, Princess Lisle made her way to the opening of the cave to spy on the strangers outside. Her sister followed, peering over her older sister's shoulder. They remained silent, listening and watching.

Suddenly Princess Felina gasped in horror.

"What is it?" Princess Lisle whispered loudly. "What?"

"Look!" Princess Felina pointed to the man on the left, who had just captured a Roaming Rompped, an admittedly ugly creature but one which Princess Felina had taken a particular liking to; she cared for three of them in the palace menagerie and they were among her favorite pets as they tended to be docile, affectionate, and made a very cute sound when they purred. Only now, the Roaming Rompped squealed a horrendous cry that pierced through the air, making the very flowers it stood on shudder with despair.

Princess Felina couldn't control herself. She ran out toward the man and shouted "No! Stop it! Stop!" Princess Lisle stayed put, too afraid to jump out of her hiding place.

The man stopped struggling with the net just long enough to gaze upon the angry Princess Felina.

"What's all this then?" he smiled a big, gruesome smile and grabbed the Princess's wrist. Yanking her as hard as he yanked the Roaming Rompped, the man showed his latest catch to the other two men.

"What the- -- you're Princess Felina ain't ya?" one of the other men said.

The Princess was too frightened or too angry to reply.

"You'll be coming with us, then," said the first man. "We've gots ta teach you a lesson about keeping those pretty little lips of yours sealed!"