Almost every month there is a story on the news about an abandoned animal. Why? This is because some ignorant people find it completely normal to neglect their dog or cat. Animal abandonment is a big problem in today's society. Millions of stray animals roam the streets without adequate food or shelter. The consequence is a fine ranging from $50-500 and/or imprisonment of up to 30 days. However, there should be bigger repercussions for such inhumane behavior. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay Abandonment of an animal should be a crime in all states with a prison term of up to 3 years. Many believe that releasing an animal from its home is not a bad thing, since they are releasing it from a home that is unsuitable for them but they do not realize that "abandoning an animal is practically the same thing as killing it". When a pet is neglected, it is very unlikely that it will find its way home, thus increasing the number of stray animals. People who abandon their pets on the street clearly intend to do so, so it should be a crime. They left the dog or cat there knowing they would not have access to food or a home. Most of these abandoned animals are taken to shelters. According to the ASPCA, “each year approximately 6.5 million companion animals enter animal shelters in the United States nationwide” (ASPCA), showing the current amount of abandoned animals. Even after an animal is placed in a shelter, there is a very small chance that it will receive a new home. When choosing the type of dog or cat they want to adopt, people are very demanding. Age, breed and, depending on whether the owner's allergies come into play. Especially when it comes to age, most people want to adopt puppies so they can raise them. If an animal is old, it doesn't have long to live and people want a long-term pet. People have prejudices when it comes to race, they don't adopt a certain race because of a preconceived idea. Furthermore, even if shelters seem like the best solution, animals are often euthanized. Every year approximately 1.5 animals housed in shelters are killed (670,000 dogs and 860,000 cats). Some shelters automatically euthanize all unclaimed stray animals (after a minimum of 72 hours). 72 hours, let them sink in. These animals have 3 days to be adopted, otherwise their lives will be taken away. When a person brings an animal into their home, they are immediately held responsible. The same thing goes for children, don't bring a child into the world unless you feel ready for that kind of task. In fact, people usually go through some kind of process to get an animal, no matter whether or not they got it from the street, from a shelter, or from another person. Before getting a pet, people do not plan how they will continue to care for the animal in events such as relationship break-up, job loss and this is true, most people get rid of their pets every time that encounters the smallest inconvenience. (animal help). These people don't understand that caring for a pet comes with responsibilities that can cause burdens. Despite all this, they must consider and think about how their actions could affect the dog or cat. Many reasons can lead a person to commit an act such as abandoning an animal. Money. People do not have enough money to provide for these dogs or cats: speaking of financial difficulties,.