The animal abuse hatelisting
In 2002, of the year's animal cruelty cases reported in the United States (roughly 1,400), 830 (59%) involved intentional cruelty towards animals and 570 (41%) involved extreme animal neglect. Keep in mind that these are only the cases reported. Unfortunately, awareness of animal cruelty/abuse/neglect is not anywhere near as high as it should be, thus the numbers actually being as low as they are. Also keep in mind that this does not even include those animals penned up in factory farms and slaughtered daily.
Abusing an animal is a deplorable act. Animals don't have the ability to use their voice if they're in pain. They can't tell someone when something is wrong. That is why people need to come together to put a stop to it.
It is a proven fact that those that abuse animals are 5 times more likely than a person who doesn't abuse animals to commit violent crimes against humans. This alone should raise awareness. Coupled with the fact that animals know pain and fear and are living, breathing beings, everybody should be doing the best they can to try to stop it. Punishments for animal cruelty cases are nearly laughable. Depending on how severely the person in question treated the animal(s) they will get a fine (possibly hefty) and be faced with very minimal amounts of jail time.
Nothing that can feel pain should have to suffer.