Animal cruelty can be either deliberate abuse or the failure to take care of an animal. Animal cruelty is often broken down into two main categories: active and passive, also referred to as commission and omission, respectively.

One of the known warning signs of certain psychopathologies is a history of torturing pets and small animals, a behavior known as zoosadism. Cruelty to animals is one of the three components of the Macdonald triad, indicators of violent antisocial behavior in children and adolescents.

Animal cruelty has long been an issue with the art form of filmmaking. Seven animals were killed for the camera in the controversial Italian film Cannibal Holocaust.

Bullfighting is often refered to it as a cruel or barbaric blood sport in which the bull suffers severe stress and a slow, torturous death. During bull fighting, the bulls are sometimes injected with drugs to weaken them.

Only recently has the involvement of animals in war been questioned, and practices such as using animals for fighting, as living bombs, or for military testing purposes may now be criticized for being cruel.

In 2008 a video of a US Marine throwing a puppy over a cliff during the Iraq conflict was popularized as an internet phenomenon and attracted widespread criticism of the soldier's actions for being an act of cruelty.

Animal cruelty such as soring, sometimes occurs on farms and ranches, as does lawful but cruel treatment such as livestock branding.

Soring is the use of chemical agents on the pasterns, bulbs of the heel, or coronary bands of the horses, causing burning or blistering of the horses' legs in order to accentuate their gaits. Other methods of soring include pressure shoes, where the hoof is trimmed to the quick so that the sole is in direct contact with the pad or shoe. The horse may then be "road foundered," ridden up and down hard surfaces on the over-trimmed hooves, until they are very sore. Trainers sometimes place objects, such as metal beads, nails, or screws, under the pad causing intense pressure.

Every major circus that uses animals has been cited for violating the minimal standards of care set by the United States Animal Welfare, such as confining enclosures, lack of regular veterinary care, and abusive training methods.

In the US, in media reported cases of animal cruelty, dogs- in particular pitbulls- are the most common victims of animal cruelty. In 1880 cases reported in 2007:
64.5% involved dogs
18% involved cats
25% involved other animals

In Mexico, illegal livestock markets are very common. San Bernabe is the largest illegal livestock market in Mexico. There, Animals are sold directly for two purposes either privately as live animals (for work or food) or to a slaughterhouse (called the “rastro”). Animals arrive and depart in sadistic and deplorable conditions often with exposed fractures, bleeding open wounds and ulcers.

10. The Netherlands.
The Netherlands are known for their trading of live, sick animals such as horses, cats, dogs, swans, etc. The most common acts of cruelty are throwing chicks into paper shredders and butchering dogs without their own masters.
9. Greece
Greece is known for poisoning cats and dogs, killing wolves and slaughtering sea turtles.
8. Romania
Most common sight is of animals swimming in their own blood after being slaughtered
7. Bulgaria
6. Venezuela
5. Egypt
4. Spain
3. China
2. Australia
1. Japan

The "Toro Jubilo" or Toro embolado in Soria, Medinaceli, Spain, is a festival associated with animal cruelty. During this festival, balls of pitch are attached to a bull's horns and set on fire. The bull is then released into the streets and can do nothing but run around in pain, often smashing into walls in an attempt to douse the fire. These fiery balls can burn for hours, and they burn the bull's horns, body, and eyes – all while spectators cheer and run around the victim.

The ukweshwama is a festival that takes place in South Africa. It is a festival that youths torment and slaughter a terrified bull. They do this in a prolonged and agonizing way by ripping out the bull's tongue, shoving handfuls of dirt into his mouth so he can barely breathe, gouging out his eyes, and mutilating his genitals.

During this Brazilian festival, the Farra Do Boi, people find fun in chasing terrified oxen, and on catching up with them, inflicting on them the worst, most agonising torture they can think up. They prolong this over a number of hours so the oxen suffer the maximum agony and terror possible.

The Gadhimai Festival takes place every year in Nepal. During the festival around 15000-20000 animals, including buffaloes, goats, chickens, pigeons and rabbits are slaughtered for the sake of religious animal sacrifice.

The Plero Palo festival takes place every year in Spain. Every year, a terrified donkey is violently forced through the streets of the village of Villanueva de la Vera in Spain, surrounded by drunk, rowdy, young men. Guns are fired close to the panicked animal, alcohol is forced down it's throat and it is ridden by the heaviest men in the village. The ordeal often leaves the donkey badly injured or crushed to death.

The Galgo is a Spanish greyhound used by hunters in Spain. It is traditional in Spain at the end of the hunting season for the hunters to cause their dogs a very slow and torturous death, as they do not want to look after them after hunting season. Sadly, this tradition is still very much alive and 50,000 dogs can face these fates in Spain at the end of each hunting season. Other common methods of the hunters killing their Galgos include throwing them down deep, disused wells that they have no hope of getting out of.There, they starve to death, alone and frightened.

The primary federal law relating to animal care and conditions in the US is the Animal Welfare Act of 1966. It is the only Federal law in the United States that regulates the treatment of animals in research, exhibition, transport, and by dealers. Currently, 46 of the 50 states have enacted felony penalties for certain forms of animal abuse. However, in most jurisdictions, animal cruelty is most commonly charged as a misdemeanor offense.

Founded in 1866, the ASPCA was the first humane organization in the Western Hemisphere. The ASPCA works nationally to rescue animals from abuse, pass humane laws and share resources with many shelters across the country.
People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) is the largest animal rights organization in the world, with more than 3 million members and supporters. PETA focuses its attention on the four areas in which the largest numbers of animals suffer the most intensely for the longest periods of time: on factory farms, in the clothing trade, in laboratories, and in the entertainment industry.