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What is Animal Cruelty?

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It is often difficult to determine exactly what is animal cruelty because we all treat our animals differently. One person’s opinion of what constitutes animal cruelty may not be supported by the law. For example, many people feel that domestic pets should live inside the home with their families. Nevertheless, some people insist their pets live exclusively outdoors. This is permitted by the law as long as the pets have adequate food, water and shelter. On the other hand, certain animal activities might be acceptable to some cultural groups but illegal in South Dakota. For example, cockfighting is a legal and popular activity in many Asian and Central American countries. In almost every state in the U.S., cockfighting is illegal due to the severe suffering of the birds, which painfully fight to the death. We encourage you to report cases Animal Cruelty to the Sioux Falls Area Humane Society by calling 605-338-4441. Your report could mean the difference of life or death for an abused animal. Our organization investigates these violations.