Animals are friends of humans, but in real life, cases of animal abuse happen frequently, and even fatal abuse occurs. This not only violates social morality but may also cross legal boundaries. Although China does not yet have a specialized "Anti-Animal Abuse Law" for companion animals, animal abuse is not completely without legal recourse, and calls for anti-animal abuse legislation are growing stronger.

Abusing animals, especially fatally abusing pets, is not just a moral issue but also a reflection of the level of social civilization. In recent years, media exposure of animal abuse incidents has repeatedly triggered public outrage, from scalding cats with boiling water to throwing dogs off high buildings; each incident deeply wounds people's hearts. These acts are not only cruel but also reflect the abusers' disregard for life, which is worrying.

Definition and forms of animal abuse behavior

Animal abuse generally refers to inflicting unnecessary pain or harm on animals, causing physiological or psychological trauma, and even death. Such behavior can take various forms, including but not limited to:

• Physical abuse: Beating, kicking, scalding, binding, starvation, dehydration, and other actions that directly harm the animal’s body.
• Mental abuse: Long-term intimidation, isolation, restriction of freedom, forcing behaviors against the animal's nature, and other actions that harm the animal’s psychology.
• Abandonment: Abandoning pets or animals that need human care, exposing them to danger or harsh environments.
• Neglect: Failure to provide basic food, water, shelter, and medical care, causing the animal to suffer.

Just like interpersonal relationships require rules and boundaries, interactions between humans and animals should also have legal and moral constraints.

Why should animal abuse be severely punished by law?

Animal abuse is not an isolated incident. Increasing research shows a correlation between animal abuse and violence against humans. Many animal abusers may also have tendencies to abuse children, spouses, or other vulnerable groups, or potentially commit violent crimes in the future. Animal abuse is considered a significant indicator of antisocial behavior. Some studies suggest that those who abused animals in childhood are more likely to become violent criminals as adults. Therefore, to some extent, punishing animal abuse also serves as a means to prevent and reduce violence against humans.

Additionally, animal abuse seriously violates social morality and humanitarian spirit. Although animals do not have full civil capacity, they are living beings capable of feeling pain and fear. Cruelty towards these innocent lives challenges the bottom line of civilization. Society generally believes that respect for life is one of the fundamental values of human society, and this respect should extend to animals.

China's current legal status on animal protection

Although China has not yet enacted a specialized "Anti-Animal Abuse Law," it is not completely without animal protection laws. China has enacted some relevant laws and regulations related to animal protection, such as the "Wildlife Protection Law of the People's Republic of China," "Animal Husbandry Law," "Regulations on the Administration of Experimental Animals," and "Animal Epidemic Prevention Law."

• "Wildlife Protection Law": Mainly regulates and restricts hunting, trading, and utilization of precious, endangered wild animals and those with significant economic or scientific research value.
• "Animal Husbandry Law": Manages the breeding, reproduction, and operation of livestock and poultry, including some provisions on animal welfare.
• "Regulations on the Administration of Experimental Animals": Sets requirements on the breeding, use, and management of experimental animals, introducing the concept of animal welfare.

However, for the vast number of companion animals such as cats and dogs, although in 2020 the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs removed them from the "National List of Livestock Genetic Resources" and defined them as companion animals, there is still a lack of specific legal protection. This creates a legal gap concerning the abuse of companion animals.

Nonetheless, animal abuse can sometimes be addressed under other laws and regulations. For example, if the abuse disturbs social order, it may be punished under the "Law on Penalties for Administration of Public Security." If the abusive behavior causes damage to another’s property (legally, pets are sometimes regarded as private property), it may involve property damage compensation. But these laws do not directly punish animal abuse and have relatively limited deterrent effects.

In recent years, calls for drafting an "Anti-Animal Abuse Law" have increased across society. Several National People's Congress deputies and members of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference have proposed related motions and proposals, urging the prohibition of animal abuse at the legal level.

How to report animal abuse?

If witnessing or being aware of animal abuse, citizens can report it through the following channels:

• Report to the police: Directly notify local public security organs, especially when the animal’s life is in immediate danger.
• Contact animal protection organizations: Many domestic animal protection NGOs can be contacted for help or to report abuse.
• Through relevant government departments: Some areas may have animal protection complaint hotlines or platforms, such as the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department hotline in Hong Kong, or the 1959 Animal Protection Complaint Hotline in Taiwan.
• Online platforms: Exposing animal abuse online can raise social awareness and sometimes promote problem resolution, but be sure to protect personal privacy and information security.

When reporting, providing detailed information such as the time and place of the incident, characteristics of the involved persons, and evidence of abuse (photos, videos, etc.) will help relevant authorities investigate and respond.

Efforts and challenges from all sectors of society

Promoting anti-animal abuse legislation is not easy and faces many challenges.

• Improving the legal system: How to define animal abuse, determine sentencing, and coordinate with existing laws requires in-depth research and discussion.
• Differences in social perspectives: Views on animals vary across regions and groups; balancing interests and forming social consensus is a major challenge. Some argue that it is premature to discuss animal protection when human rights are still insufficiently guaranteed.
• Enforcement difficulties: Animal abuse often occurs in private spaces, making evidence collection difficult and law enforcement challenging.

Despite challenges, all sectors are actively making efforts. Experts and scholars are advocating legislative suggestions; NGOs conduct public education and rescues; ordinary citizens express support for animal protection in various ways. For example, some companies have placed public service advertisements in subway stations calling for anti-animal abuse laws.

Frequently Asked Questions

• Does China have an Anti-Animal Abuse Law?
  Currently, China does not have a specialized Anti-Animal Abuse Law for companion animals, but laws like the Wildlife Protection Law provide protection for certain animals.
• Is animal abuse illegal?
  Although there is no specialized Anti-Animal Abuse Law, animal abuse may violate the Law on Penalties for Administration of Public Security or other laws depending on the specifics of the behavior.
• How to report animal abuse?
  You can report to public security organs, contact animal protection organizations, or use relevant government complaint channels.
• What punishments do animal abusers face?
  Depending on the nature and consequences of the abuse, perpetrators may face administrative penalties such as fines or detention, or if it constitutes a crime, criminal liability will be pursued according to law.

Conclusion

Tragedies like "hitting the cat too hard and killing it" are heartbreaking. Every life deserves to be treated gently. Promoting anti-animal abuse legislation and strengthening animal protection is not only to provide animals with a safe living environment but also to raise the overall level of social civilization and build a future of harmonious coexistence between humans and animals. This requires legal improvement and the efforts and participation of each of us, starting from ourselves, to treat every living being around us kindly.