Animal cruelty on social media: how to recognize it, what to do?

Social media is a place where people can share photos and videos of everything that matters to them - from the latest fashion to cute pets. But sometimes what is posted on social media can have a sad and disturbing side when it comes to animal cruelty.

TL;DR

Don't feel like reading our text on this serious topic? Take a look at this great post by Jonas Ems from his animal welfare playlist on YouTube. He not only explains how you can recognize animal suffering in seemingly harmless videos, but also why social media platforms do nothing about it:

Still here? Well, then from now on in text form! 😉

___STEADY_PAYWALL___

Signs of animal cruelty in social media posts

There are many types of animal cruelty, from neglect and abuse to illegal animal trafficking and breeding. But how can you tell if a post shows animal cruelty? These are typical signs of this:

Obvious fear or pain

For example, a dog trapped in a crowded, dirty environment or a bird kept in a cage with no room to fly may show that it is suffering. Even if the animal appears physically fine, signs of fear or pain such as shaking, growling, or backing away may indicate that something is wrong. Teeth clenched together, corners of the mouth turned up? That is fear. If a post shows such signs, you should take a closer look at the post and report it if necessary.

Unnatural behavior

Monkeys riding motorcycles or opening presents: No, this is definitely not natural behavior. Likewise selfies and videos with tourists (if you see trained carers or animal rights activists, it's probably okay). Make friends who have their photo taken with animals on vacation aware of this!

Treated inappropriately

A rabbit is held improperly or a dog pulls on its collar. Or the animals wear clothes. Little monkeys in costumes: that's not cute, it's sad! In some cases, photos or videos may even be posted of people riding, hitting, or otherwise mistreating the animal. Is the animal being seen in a playroom or at a fair where it certainly shouldn't be living? The animal seems cute, but at the same time unnatural and lazy? This shows malnutrition. Such posts are clear signs of animal cruelty and should be reported immediately.

Animal in a dangerous or unhealthy environment

If a dog is kept in a car without ventilation in the heat or a bird is kept in a room with toxic substances, things can quickly become dangerous. But if an aquarium is too small for the fish it contains or a cage is too small for the hamster, the animals can suffer seriously. They should then be immediately moved to a healthy environment. If you see such posts, you should report them and, if possible, inform the animal's owner.

Is the animal missing teeth?

This could be a sign of malnutrition or that the animal is being beaten. Or even worse: the teeth were pulled out to make the animals less dangerous and more docile. Monkeys that are passed from tourist to tourist for photos are not supposed to bite. Or exotic pets that could harm their owners. The animals want to bite to protect themselves, to rebel against coercion and the conditions in which they are kept. You should also report this immediately.

Illegal actions in animal videos

For example, a post can show how dogs are trained for illegal dog fighting or how exotic animals are offered for sale. Such posts are illegal and should be reported immediately to protect the animal and stop the perpetrator. Some social media platforms like Facebook even have their own reporting categories for videos promoting the illegal sale of animals.

Cruelty to animals: monkeys — Sweet? No, animal cruelty. Source: Lady Freethinker

Sad trend: staged animal rescue videos

In recent years, various animal protection groups drawn attention to videos in which apparent animal rescues are staged. The number and popularity of these videos on YouTube have increased rapidly since then. But behind the supposed animal rescues there is often animal cruelty for clicks. The videos mostly show the same situation: a predator attacks another animal and before it can be fatal, a human appears to separate the animals and save the supposed victim.

What many viewers don't realize is the stress the animals are exposed to during or as a result of the production of these videos. They are often injured or even killed. Anne-Lise Chaber , a wildlife doctor at the University of Adelaide in Australia, has studied how these videos normalize the trade and close handling of exotic domestic and wild animals. The content of these videos not only invites imitation, but also spreads false information about the animal species shown. Catching prey is a natural instinct of wild animals. However, the impression such videos give is completely different and leads to the demonization of hunter species such as snakes and birds of prey.

But it's not just animal welfare that suffers from such videos. They also distract attention from real animal and conservation issues. Daniel Nautsch , a conservation biologist at Macquarie University in Sydney, which determines the conservation status of wildlife, points out that the videos often have titles that fuel “racism and cultural misunderstandings.” An example of this would be “Primitive Man Saves Snake.”

But why do people put animals in such situations? The answer is simple: click numbers and a lot of money. A post that is viewed millions of times on YouTube can earn the author thousands of euros. Starting a YouTube channel and sharing videos on it is easy and possible for everyone these days. But in order to actually earn money through advertisements, certain requirements must be met. A channel needs a few thousand subscribers and must have generated at least 4,000 hours of viewing in the past year to be eligible YouTube Partner Program

What is YouTube doing about it?

Since the first video uploaded to YouTube in 2005, the platform has experienced tremendous growth. However, critics accuse YouTube of not being consistent enough in removing content that harms the public good, such as conspiracy theories, hate speech and animal cruelty. According to an older blog post, by 2020, YouTube had hired 10,000 employees to use machine learning to review the 500 hours of video uploaded every minute. From January 2021 to March 2021 alone, more than nine million videos that violated the Community Guidelines

In March 2021 YouTube announced that it would remove staged animal rescue videos. According to Lady Freethinker, a California-based animal rights nonprofit, several hundred posts were removed shortly afterward. However, controversial videos still have a lot of views and interactions on the platform. A channel that showed a fight between a python and a gibbon and had 83,000 subscribers was only removed when National Geographic asked YouTube for an interview about it.

Animal cruelty is illegal everywhere in the world

You should know that animal cruelty is not only a moral problem, but also a legal one. Every country has laws that prohibit animal cruelty and provide penalties for those who violate these laws. So if you see animal cruelty on social media, you should not only report it, but also report it to the appropriate authorities so that legal action can be taken. Links to it at the bottom of the post.

A post on social media shows animals that seem cute or funny to you? In fact, sometimes it is still animal cruelty. You might find the video of a dog in a costume funny at first glance. But if you look closer, you may notice that he is under stress or that he is in pain. So don't react to the first impression with a heart or a like, but take a closer look at a post like this and pay attention to possible signs of animal cruelty.

The animal protection organization PETA shows that some animals can only be “educated” or trained with violence. Wild animals such as elephants, orangutans or tigers that perform tricks in the circus, for example, are always an unmistakable sign of animal cruelty:

These 5 animals are raised with violence

Would you like to take action against animal cruelty yourself on social media?

On the blog of animal rights activist Michi Schreiber you will find a three-point plan on how you can take action:

Recognize : What are the signs of animal cruelty?
Take action : Comment on, report, and display disturbing posts. Draw attention with screenshots.
Define : e.g. using hashtags and disclaimers or by doing everything right in your own posts

Report, draw attention and report

To combat animal cruelty on social media, there are some steps you can take. First, you should immediately report posts that depict animal cruelty. Most social media have a feature to report such posts and it is important to use this feature to protect the animal. Don't know how to do it? The World Animal Welfare Society has detailed step-by-step instructions for you on how to do this on 15 different platforms:

Do you know the owner who shared a questionable picture or video of their animal? Write a message and ask him to change the behavior or move the animal to a better environment. If that's not enough and you still have concerns about the animal's welfare, you can also contact a local animal rescue organization that can help rescue the animal and give it a safe place to stay. And in very clear cases: Don't be afraid to report animal cruelty.

Conclusion: Overall, it is important to pay attention to signs of animal cruelty on social media and report them immediately. Animal cruelty is not only immoral but also illegal, and it is our responsibility to protect the animals featured on these platforms. By becoming aware of what animal cruelty looks like and the steps we can take to combat it, we can help keep animals safe and healthy, both on social media and in the real world.

Report animal cruelty:

Germany: Veterinary office ( list with contact details ), police, local animal shelter or animal protection association , PETA . If your life is in danger: call the police

Austria: Animal ombudsman office , police, official veterinarian of the district administration, local animal shelters and animal protection associations. If your life is in danger: call the police

Switzerland: Cantonal Veterinary Office , Police, PETA . If your life is in danger: call the police

Abroad: Information on Tierschutzbund.de

Sources: Lady Freethinker , National Geographic , World Animal Protection Society , PETA , Four Paws , German Animal Welfare Office , World Animal Protection , Michi Schreiber , Jonas Ems

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Note: This content reflects the current state of affairs at the time of publication
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The reproduction of individual images, screenshots, embeds or video sequences serves to discuss the topic.