Animal cruelty offences in most jurisdictions carry penalties that may be inadequate relative to the severity of harm — and research links animal cruelty to broader patterns of interpersonal violence.
An abuser of animals who receives a minimal fine sends a message about the value society places on animal suffering. Stronger penalties serve both deterrence and proportionality — the suffering of a severely abused animal is serious harm that deserves serious consequence. The link between animal cruelty and domestic violence means animal welfare enforcement also protects human victims.