Animal Cruelty on Social Media
Animal Cruelty on Social Media
There are billions of people on the internet – meaning there are loads of content. A lot of it is fun and cute stuff. But at the same time, the internet can be a dark place, full of videos and pictures depicting harm to animals, all for the sake of twisted and cruel minds of people who, for some reason, enjoy that type of stuff.
Sometimes, animal cruelty will be obvious- just as that infamous “cat in a blender video.”
But some animal harm videos are not as easy to catch for the uninformed.
There are many videos online which depict a prey animal with a predator animal being friendly with each other, or even showing “affection.”
For example, some videos such as this one depict the cat and rat being friends. Some videos show cats and dogs being affectionate with hamsters, or birds. These videos are surely cute.
But it’s important to remember that predator animals should never be left unattended with prey animals.
No matter how gentle, or domesticated housepets are, cats and dogs have always been predators in the food chain, coming from the same families as African Wildcats and Wolves respectively. When you see a dog or cat staring at a hamster, rat or bird, it may look cute. But on their end, it may be a prepared ambush. They will recognize prey behaviour and will act on it.
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Pet owners need to put disclaimers on their videos, warning the public about the dangers of putting predator and prey pets together. It’s also important for the general public to consume such media responsibly and intelligently.
And then there’s another genre of these animal abuse videos: Live feeding.
How many animals, such as reptiles and amphibians require live feeding? It’s just hard for some species to consume already dead animals.
However, some people post videos on YouTube of putting a hamster and a frog in a box, labeling it “educational.” Perhaps, to an extent, it may be educational. But to do it several times and to profit off the suffering of animals is ridiculous.
Hamsters are not frog food, and it can seriously harm the amphibian. And – it goes without saying – that the poor hamsters died stressed.
Now . . . what are you, as the viewer, supposed to do about this? The best thing you can do is to not engage with this sort of content. Any engagement (including liking and commenting) will promote such media on the algorithm.
Be Responsible Pet Owners. If you need guidance on your pet’s health, do not hesitate to bring your pet to Makati Dog and Cat Hospital
Message us here on our Facebook or Instagram account or call to book your appointment 0908-896-7113 (Viber too!) | 8896-6386 | 8896-2860 or email us for further information at makatidogandcathospital@gmail.com.
Enjoy peace of mind,
Dr. Sixto Carlos, DVM, MS
Pet Happiness Expert
Makati Dog and Cat Hospital
Serving Pet Parents near Mandaluyong, Makati, and BGC