Legal Rights for Animals.

 The Animal Welfare Act (AWA) was signed into law on August 24, 1966. It is a Federal law in the United States of America that regulates the treatment of animals particularly in the research by corporations, teaching , testing, exhibition, and transport, particularly by dealers. This Act is enforced by USDA, APHIS, and Animal Care.

The law protects the animals so they are not used for food consumption, it gives them the freedom to co-exist with humans as it protects their habitats, and stops their breeding by humans. Animals do not have protection such as the Bill of Rights, in the US Constitution there is no protection of the animals.

In short, this law came into effect to protect the suffering of animals as they should not suffer needlessly in the hands of humans. Common companion species such as cats, dogs, and other companion species have strong protections than farm animals and have no protection at all under this act.

The 28-Hour Law clearly states that farmed animals should not be transported for more than 28 hours as they need to be fed, as well as given the opportunity to eat drink, and rest. If one breaks this law the person may be fined anywhere from $100 Dollars to $500 Dollars per offense. There is a lack of monitoring of this act and is not enforced as there is a lack of record keeping.

The Animal Welfare Act is the most comprehensive animal protection law in the United States and mainly protects the animals from being researched by corporations, protects them from being exploited in zoos, circuses, etc. protects them from dealers who sell them and being transported from one location to another by animal dealers. In this act, all farm animals are not regarded as "animals".

The Lacey Act makes it illegal for a dealer or anyone to transport , trade in accordance with Federal Laws with International Laws any animal or plants for any kind of pleasure of any person or viewer. One cannot make videos of pleasure on animals for the viewers and even cannot distribute videos of such acts of pleasure for viewers of watching animals. On all State levels, this is regarded as cruelty.

Local and State-Level Animal Protection Laws every State in the United States has laws that protect against cruelty against animals to some degree. All 50 States in the United States have some kind of animal cruelty laws to protect animals from cruelty.

The Endangered Species Act is an important law that protects wild animals from becoming extinct. It has listed species on its list that cannot be killed or captured by wildlife hunters and dealers. Without this act, many species would have become extinct as they would not survive the poachers.

The Humane Slaughter Act states that animals that are meant for slaughter for food consumption for humans need to be stunned before they are slaughtered in the United States. Any animal coming into the US for shipment for food consumption from any country must also be stunned prior to being killed.  Poultry is not covered under this act as millions of chickens are slaughtered for food consumption in the United States.

 Animal fighting must be stopped and is cruel as it causes and allows the animal to fight for profit and may go against the animal's will. These dealers sell animals for animal fighting. Many people bet that is wagering on the outcome of the animal fight and that is also cruelty against animals. Many people maintain places in their possession for animal fighting and make money in the admission that is kept for animal fighting. They own fighting animals who have been trained to fight in these places, and even promote and advertise these fights all these acts are animal cruelty, even owning animal fighting paraphernalia is animal cruelty and many state animal laws would apply.

Many people are guilty of mutilation of animals and state laws have offenses against such types of offenses as cropping of animal ears, docking of animal tails, surgical births of animals, declawing of dogs, debarking, etc.

Cruelty to animals is regarded when a person commits an offense against the animal intentionally, knowingly, and recklessly illtreats, misbehaves overloads, beats, tortures, abandons, abuses, etc an animal. Failure to provide food and water, keep the animal clean, and not give the animal a clean and sanitary shelter that cannot protect the animal from bad weather is also cruelty against the animal. Not taking the animal to the veterinarian for proper care is also regarded as cruelty against the animal.