The fur industry is well-known to house minks and other animals raised for their coats in cruel conditions and to kill them by such devices as anal electrical probes designed to kill without damaging fur (HSUS 2007). The problem is that the underlying rationale for criminalizing animal cruelty is that animals (even those defined as "pests") feel physical pain the same as animals protected as "pets" in our culture. Unfortunately, the fact that killing an animal by drowning is legal does nothing to diminish its suffering.

In that respect, it is curious that so many people seem to believe that animals raised for slaughter deserve no protection from cruelty. Even many of those who support animal cruelty laws completely understand that animals raised for the slaughter house (or for harvesting their fur) can be housed humanely and in compassionate circumstances and in horribly cruel torturous conditions. Just last week, hidden video shot in a major cattle slaughter facility was widely publicized, prompting the largest beef recall in the nation.

While the reason for the recall relates to fear of Mad Cow disease, the video of animals too weak to stand being prodded by electrical cattle prods and shoved around by loading sleds also depicts the appalling lack of humanity associated with the beef industry. Except for the connection to potential transmission of disease to human beings, it is doubtful that the same video would have had much public interest. Animal rights organizations like People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) have been documenting...

In principle, they are right to oppose medical testing on animals, especially in connection with cosmetics and other non-essential products rather than important medical research into human disease. Similarly, even the fact that family pets are considered "chattel" (property) under civil law and only worth their purchase price when killed accidentally is inconsistent with the fact that pets can be, in a very real sense, family members.
Ultimately, the recent passage of felony animal cruelty laws in Hawaii represent progress, but cultural attitudes must still change further to eliminate animal cruelty in society.

References

The Humane Society of the United States; Press Release: Hawaii Set to Become 43rd State with Felony Animal Cruelty Law (4/13/07). Retrieved from the Human Society of the United States website, at: www.hsus.org/press_and_publications/press_releases/hawaii_felony_animal_cruelty.html

Innes, B. (2007) Serial Killers: The Stories of History's Most Evil Murderers. London: Quercas

Moussaieff Mason, J., McCarthy, S. (1995) When Elephants Weep: The Emotional Lives of Animals. New York: Bantam.

Schmalleger, F. (1997) Criminal Justice Today: An Introductory Text for the 21st Century. New Jersey: Prentice Hall