Monica+M’s+Final+AmEx+2014+Speech

=Title of Speech=

The Unheard Voices =Text of Speech= As young kids we were encouraged to believe in the power of one. Through parents and teachers, we have been constantly fed the idea that our voices are meant to be heard and our opinions matter. By speaking our mind we have been led to believe we can produce change and we possess the power to better the world we live in. I’m aware people of this time have no trouble expressing and asserting their beliefs to better us as an entirely, what I’m concerned about are those who lack the ability to stand up for themselves, those who are not able to speak up, and those who need protection. I am worried about the unheard voices. According to the American Society for the Protection of Cruelty to Animals, or ASPCA, an innocent, defenseless animal is abused every ten seconds throughout the country. From keeping them in unsanitary conditions to brutally attacking these harmless pets, animals are viciously handled and not treated with the respect and love they truly deserve and need. Even though we may personally genuinely love and care about our pets, there are thousands of animals who suffer and are killed every day and even though we are all aware of these frequently reoccurring crimes, we are often too busy to truly think about this issue. The other day I was helping out with my sister’s practice when I witnessed a middle age man lash out on his German shepherd. It was half way through the workout when the whole team was suddenly distracted by this man spitefully yelling at his dog who had been sidetracked by the chattering girls and the crack of the bat when a ball was hit. The hyper canine’s attention was swept up entirely by the team and to his owner’s dismay, had stopped walking so he could observe and bark. In seconds this man was fiercely tugging on the leash to urge him on but when he realized the pulling was useless, he grabbed the dog’s front and hind legs and flipped him onto his back. The boisterous barking immediately ended and was replaced with a painful screech from the dog that had been slammed onto the rough concrete. Obviously disturbed by the man’s over exaggerative response and appalled that he thought it was acceptable to do it in front of eleven young girls, the coach approached this repulsive man and even though I didn’t quite hear what my sister’s coach asked or said to him, I clearly heard the owner reply by saying the dog needs to be taught who was is control and it was none of the coach’s business the way he trained his dog. Being a big dog and animal lover, I was truly frozen with fear from the whole scene I just witnessed but quickly realized this man’s act doesn’t even compare to what some animals undergo on a daily basis. It has been proven the most effective way on how to guide dogs is through treats and using voice commands but there are still dog owners who feel the need to use choker and spike collars. Most common with pit bulls, the choker is a chained collar that once pulled on, collapses like a hangman’s noose and chokes the dog, and despite how brutal this tactic is, the spike collar inflicts more pain. The spiked collar is a metal band with spikes on the inside and when the dog turns his head from being sidetracked, the spikes instantly dig into the flesh, often ripping out hair and tearing the dog’s skin. I am certainly aware pets need to be trained for when they are around others or strangers in public but I also know there are other methods and techniques on how to teach domestic animals. Dogs and other pets that are maliciously treated quickly learn the consequences from unintentional acts that are seen as worthy of a punishment from their owners and begin to live their lives in fear. Instead of using up all their energy to love and play with their owners, some pets realize it’s easier to cower into the corner and not risk getting hit by those who are supposed to shower them with unconditional love. There are some owners who actually believe it’s acceptable to mistreat their animals when in reality, a child growing up in the United States is more likely to have a pet than a stay at home and involved father which is one of the reasons why we should really take the time to cherish these precious animals. We are all aware vicious crimes are committed daily but I feel as if we are kept in the dark about major issues that need to be put to our attention. We barely have the time to truly care about problems such as the fur trade and cruel puppy mills or even realize we live in the state that has the most reported cases of dog fighting. These poor animals are in environments where people could care less about them and don’t value their lives and I think it’s about time it permanently stops. I hope as time moves on, there are more people joining the fight to decrease and eventually end animal cruelty. These poor animals lack the ability to defend themselves and they desperately need our help to stand up and speak for them. In the America I hope to grow up in, I want people’s respect not to be limited just to others but to animals as well and by becoming more involved in this matter, we will save the lives of thousands. In the America I want to grow old in, I want more people caring and protecting the unheard voices.

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