Animal rights is the view that animals have rights corresponding to those of humans. Animal cruelty is a multidimensional global social problem. Animals are commonly abused in four main areas: factory farms, in the clothing trade, in laboratories, and in the entertainment industry (PETA.org). Factories often cover up their harmful actions to circumvent government-imposed animal welfare laws. In a household, people isolate or physically abuse their animals, which can also be linked to family abuse. Laboratories experiment on animals to obtain products and treatments, but the animals face frightening conditions for long periods of time, often killing those they experiment on. In entertainment, animals suffer after being domesticated for our entertainment in the form of media, amusement parks or installations (McPhedran). With the help of animal rights groups, animal cruelty comes into conflict with the ideology that animals have a right to their own lives, free from suffering. People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) is a social movement organization that was created to defend animal rights. Their claim is that animal abuse must be stopped universally. There are more than 3 million PETA members and supporters who belong to this organization. Using a condensed symbol, PETA members believe in the slogan: “Animals are not ours to eat, carry, experiment on, use for entertainment, or otherwise abuse” (PETA.org). This organization was founded in 1980 by Ingrid. Newkirk, its international president. (PETA.org). In 1981, PETA became involved in its first case study which attracted public attention. In Silver Spring, Maryland, an investigation was conducted into the experiments conducted in the middle of a newspaper...... honorable because their harsh approach often alienates those whose help they need. They tend to portray all people and businesses as evil mass murderers. Because of these comparisons, people are often reluctant to work with a group that is so harshly opposed to them. There are other effective, non-controversial ways to end abuse and reform the problems that arise from animal abuse. With better animal cruelty laws, strictly enforced and regulated, there will be a better chance of defending animal rights. Works Cited Best, Joel. Social problems. Second ed. New York: WW Norton &, 2013. Print. McPhedran, Samara. “Animal abuse, domestic violence and child welfare: a review.” » Journal of Family Violence 24.1 (2009): 41-52. Plous, Scott. “A survey of the attitudes of animal rights activists.” Psychological sciences 2.3 (1991): 194-196.