We shouldn’t watch animal cruelty videos. Why? Firstly, I’d like to say that there are lots of animal cruelty videos on YouTube. They don’t just have to be animal cruelty videos. There are many other videos that are not strictly about animal cruelty. They are very sad videos of cats and dogs that are in a bad way or dying. I am focusing on cats and dogs in this article but, of course, animal cruelty extends well beyond the most popular companion animals.
There is a very fine line between educating people about animal cruelty and voyeurism of people being cruel to animals. I’d like to make sure that I am clear about this. By “voyeurism of people being cruel to animals”, I mean that some people get a kick out of watching people being cruel to animals or seeing abused animals. Judging by the type of person who frequents YouTube, I believe that the percentage of people who are voyeurs of animal cruelty is higher than the percentage of people who want to be educated on the subject.
If I am correct, animal cruelty videos on YouTube are neither healthy nor beneficial to society. They can, and almost certainly do, damage people who watch them or, perhaps, reinforce the damage that already exists. By “damage” I mean psychologically damaged by early life experiences such that the person is likely to participate in animal cruelty. These are the young people who go on to hurt animals for fun and then humans for the same reason.
The only justification for videos depicting animal cruelty is to educate people about it but do you have to show actual, animal cruelty to be educated about it? I don’t think you do. Writing about the actual acts of cruelty in a moderate way is enough. The rest of the lesson should be about how to prevent it happening, that sort of thing.
I have learned that nearly all of us have the same fears, anxieties, hopes and loves. We are essentially the same. I know, therefore, that when people look at nasty acts of animal cruelty on video that the images can stick in the mind because they are so violent and powerful. These sorts of images are tailor made to become hard-wired into the memory. How do I know this? I know it because it has happened to me. I have seen two, perhaps three animal cruelty videos and the images on these videos are still clear in my mind, years later. Yes, these are vivid, permanent memories.
This is not education. This is psychological damage. Avoid animal cruelty videos. Learn about animal welfare by focusing on the positive aspects not the negative.
Associated: Crush Videos
I may be too cynical but I believe there are more people who get pleasure from it than pain.
This is another aspect of animal abuse. You know, Ruth, companies and organisations make money out of animal abuse. It is commercial. YouTube make money in advertising on animal abuse videos and so do charities in getting people to donate, as you say. Is this ethical?
The trouble is watching abuse of animals videos gives some people pleasure but it only gives pain and distress to those of us who know how cruel it is.
Sometimes people need to see what legalised cruelty really is, such as in a slaughterhouse, but to those of us who already know, then it’s pointless torturing ourselves further. We are already vegetarian and doing all we can to get CCTV in ALL slaughterhouses because we know we can’t stop people from eating meat if they want to. We can only stop the abuse by some workers there who wouldn’t dare make the death of animals even more horrific than they already are, if they knew they were being watched.
Another thing is receiving horrific graphic pictures by post from charities we already support, they want more more more. I feel like screaming ‘Why don’t you target the uncaring people with this horror, we already do and give what we can’
Thanks Lydia. I think this is a dangerous area that needs some regulation from YouTube.
I believe the point here is that there ARE educational institutions / organizations that are reputable and sometimes use graphic images, vs. unreputable voyeuristic videos that are posted for personal sadistic / masochistic reasons. The two are completely different. However, if one has a response to even the educational ones that is harmful, shutting off is a good idea. But HSUS and ASPCA are excellent organizations, and intend only to educate.
You are so right, Michael. It’s not just You Tube though. I subscribe to the ASPCA as well as HSUS (Humane Society of US) and have been witness to a couple of very graphic films of animal abuse on their sites. I can’t close them out fast enough! The most recent had to do with the MASSIVE seal kills in Canada. The images are forever burned in my memory. I agree that these videos are uncalled for and serve no educational purpose.