Animal abuse refers to any act or neglect that causes harm, suffering, or death to an animal. This can include physical violence such as beating, kicking, or shooting an animal; neglect by not providing proper food, water, shelter, and medical care; and other forms of cruelty like forcing animals to fight or engage in other violent activities. Animal abuse is a serious issue that can lead to long-term psychological damage for the victimized animal and may also indicate a risk for human violence if perpetrated by the same individual against humans.