Animals are mistreated in every every corner. From confinement, neglect, abandonment, use of animals in circuses, and unnecessary beatings
Sentient beings
Like humans, animals are sentient beings. They also experience emotions and pain. In reference to the five animal freedoms, animals should be free from pain, injury and disease in order for them to have a comfortable life.
Human ignorance
Human ignorance is known to be the root cause of animal cruelty. One will mistreat an animal not because they do not know its wrong, but because they choose to ignore that animals have the ability to feel and experience pain.
We should always strive to treat animals right in order to make this world a better place. We need them, but they hardly need us.