I truly feel sick to my stomach. For those who don't know, recently a puppy in Washington was senselessly murdered because a neighboring dog was barking.

The man shot Molly the corgi at point blank, and Molly died in her owners arms. When going to confront the man, he threatened them with the same weapon. In trial, he pleaded not guilty and insisted that it was a pellet gun (despite a bullet being found during the autopsy). He may as well have shot a baby because a child next door was throwing a tantrum.

It's things like this that make me lose all faith in humanity. Innocent animals suffer every day because some dipshits think they don't have feelings.

Tell me: if animals do not have feelings, then why do horses get skittish when you're nervous and calm when you're calm? Why would cats purr if they do not feel pleasure, happiness, or love? How come dogs care for their newborn instead of abandoning them?

Animal cruelty needs to stop. Now. No dogs being dragged behind vehicles, no cats being kicked out onto the street, no horses being ridden until they collapse, and no puppies being shot. It all needs to stop.

Amazing people are doing all they can to rescue and nurse these animals back to health, but there are so many more abused animals than people to help them. If we attack animal cruelty at its source by spreading the word, spreading the love to every dark corner of this earth, then perhaps things may get better. We won't know unless we try.

Start small by talking with your friends, converse about this problem. Take it a little bigger, design posters to hang around your school and spread the word to your classmates. Step up, put the posters all over town. Create an organization to help animals in your community. Serve at the local animal shelter. Create online pages, tell your virtual buddies. Sign petitions. Donate to animal rescue funds. No matter what you do, no matter how you do it, we can all do our simple part in keeping the animals of the world safe.

Animals don't deserve to suffer and die. Humans shouldn't treat them like sacks of potatoes. Animals are loving, caring, helpful, resourceful, innocent, and loyal, and we need to respect them.

Stop the animal cruelty now!