Dont get me wrong,animal abuse is a sick act, but the line is getting blurry. If you have a puppy that eats your trash and you shove it's nose in it and put it outside in a rain storm, your neighbors might call the cops for animal abuse.Or if you tie it to a stake, that can be considered abuse. Now if you leave it on the stake all its life, that is abuse, but if you leave it there when you're at work and come home and play with it.....is that abuse? On the other hand, I agree with you that actual abuse should have a stricter punishment. It must really help your ego to beat and burn a dog. :rolleyes: Most abused animals have to be put down anyway becuase they can no longer be around people. If you know you dont have the time or patience to put up with an animal, dont get one.