Riley’s Advocacy Speech for Animal Welfare Activism

Pattern of Arrangement: Problem-Alternatives-Solution

Purpose statement: To urge audience members to become animal welfare educators in our county.

The purpose statement is an important focusing step in the speech-writing process but will be eliminated in delivery.

I. Introduction

A. In 2020, the Netflix documentary series Tiger King: Murder, Mayhem, and Madness aired and became widely popular.

1. The series featured Joe Exotic, who owned an Oklahoma roadside zoo that mostly housed tigers and big cats. According to Sharon Guynup’s January 4, 2020, National Geographic report, it was “one of the largest tiger breeding and cub-petting photo op attractions in the U.S.” (Guynup).

2. Tiger King followed Exotic’s feud with Carole Baskin, who ran a cat sanctuary and accused Exotic of animal abuse. Her threats caused Joe to attempt to murder Baskin by hiring two hitmen.

3. On April 2, 2018, Exotic was found guilty of two counts of murder-for-hire as well as seventeen wildlife charges. Specifically, according to Guynup, “Joe Exotic was convicted of killing five tigers, shooting them in the head to make room for other cats. He sold and trafficked tigers and other endangered species and falsified government documents to hide his activities in violation of federal laws” (Guynup).

The introduction should get attention. Riley chooses the strategy of naming a popular Netflix show that some audience members may recall.

B. Many of you may have heard of or even watched Tiger King, or you may have laughed at parodies and memes of Joe Exotic and Carole Baskin. But how many of us have focused on the animals who were treated cruelly?

C. Today I want to talk about this issue that is of great importance to me, and I know to many of you as well. I’m an animal lover, and I became aware of animal abuse in our county through my volunteer work at the animal shelter. I was saddened by the Tiger King story and was motivated to do something locally.

By turning from the national stage to the local county, Riley raises a need for their community to think about these issues. Stating Riley’s own investment and acknowledging that some audience members care about animal rights helps Riley build credibility and audience engagement.

1. Animal abuse is not only an issue in Oklahoma or for big cats; we see animals abused right here in Montgomery County.

2. But the good news is, there are ways we can quickly and tangibly change the lives of local pets.

D. (Thesis) There are several ways to support our local animal control agency’s power to remove and care for abused animals in Montgomery County, but the most important thing you can do is to increase awareness in our county so more people know what counts as abuse and how to report it.

Thesis is clearly marked and stated. 

E. In my speech, I will first establish the problem of animal neglect and cruelty in our county and state. Next, I will examine a frequently proposed solution and tell you why it will not make an immediate difference in the lives of our animal friends. Then I will advocate my preferred approach of educating the public about animal abuse, and I’ll tell you specific ways you can help spread the word.

The preview is an important signpost. It tells the audience where you are going and helps them know what to listen for.

* (Transition): Let me begin with the problem.

II. Animals are being abused and neglected in our county and state.

A. According to a January 28, 2016, news report by WUSA9, a Rockville woman was discovered with sixty-six dogs in her home. Three of the dogs had to be euthanized immediately because of neglect. The woman was fined $1,000 and given six months in jail with the possibility of owning dogs again in the future (“Woman Arrested”; WUSA).

B. In the fall of 2023, dozens of cats and kittens were dumped in the Wheaton area. A group of animal rescuers said the cats were “scared and hungry” (Davison).

C. On March 18, 2024, Greg Wehner reported for Fox News that two Maryland men were charged with animal cruelty after the charred remains of seven dogs were found in a burn pile on their property along with the skeletal remains of several additional dogs (Wehner).

D. These are just the cases that drew news attention in our state. How many acts of cruelty do we not know about? Clearly, we need to do better for our animals.

* (Transition) Having addressed the problem of animal cruelty in our county and state, I will now turn to a potential solution to this problem.

This transition contains a mini summary and mini preview.

III. A frequently proposed solution in our county is that we stiffen penalties against abusers.

A. Advocates say the current legislation isn’t tough enough.

1. According to the Montgomery County Animal Services and Adoption Center, the current minimum fine of only $500 is given to anyone who fails to provide for their pet “proper vet care,” “proper food or water,” “proper space,” and “proper shelter” (“Animal Control”).

Here we see the required spoken citation of the source for the quotation that Riley includes.

2. The WUSA9 report I mentioned earlier states that the current penalty for people who neglect animals to the point that the animals have to be euthanized, like in the Rockville case, is a $1,000 fine and ninety days in jail.

B. Some people propose we toughen these penalties.

1. According to Lindsay Watt, in a March 9, 2022, report for Fox 5, Maryland Senate Bill 672 sought to increase the penalty for neglect to a $5,000 fine and three years in prison (Watts).

2. In 2018, the Maryland legislation considered a bill to outlaw the selling of cats and dogs at retail pet stores in order to end the existence of puppy mills that breed dogs in cruel conditions (Chason).

3. Advocates hope such laws would show that we take animal welfare seriously and deter offenders.

C. While I support tougher penalties, I don’t think they are the best solution for increasing the quality of life for pets in our county for a couple of reasons.

1. First, they are hard and slow to pass. For example,

Riley uses internal signposts (first, second) to help the audience follow the progression of their argument.

a. Maryland’s Senate Bill 672 died in committee.

b. The state bill against retail stores selling dogs and cats was signed into law in 2018, but it was then tied up in courts for two years until a judge upheld the ban (Chason).

2. Second, laws are difficult to enforce.

The principle of subordination is at work here and throughout the outline. Those items listed as a, b, c, and d are all in support of item 2.

a. Local animal control and welfare agencies must have knowledge of animal mistreatment in order to intervene, but much abuse takes place on private property, where witnesses are unlikely to see or hear it.

b. In addition, animal welfare agencies tend to lack personnel to look for and ticket those breaking the law.

c. Researchers refer to all of this as the “enforcement gap.” In a 2022 article published in the journal Animals, M. B. Rodriquez Ferree explains that the “enforcement gap” occurs “between welfare legislation as declared, and the actual enforcement of that legislation.” Rodriquez Ferre declares that this gap is “well-documented” (Rodriquez Ferre).

d. In a 2020 article in the same journal, Rochelle Morton and three coauthors identify causes for the enforcement gap occurring at multiple stages of the process, from reporting the abuse to court determinations (Morton et al.).

3. Consequently, passing tougher laws to address animal cruelty is difficult, slow, and hard to enforce.

* (Transition) Now that I have critiqued a popular solution for decreasing animal abuse in Montgomery County, I will next turn to my preferred approach.

IV. Instead of focusing more time and energy on changing laws, I recommend we take the more immediately effective approach of increasing awareness in our county so more people know what counts as animal abuse and how to report it.

A. A 2020 study published in Animals reviewed previous research on the enforcement gap (Morton et al.).

1. One study reviewed found that 27% of respondents did not know how to appropriately report a case of animal cruelty.

2. Another study reviewed discovered that the public did not understand what legally qualified as animal abuse.

3. The reviewers suggested that “rectification of reporting issues is likely best achieved through public education, focused on the identity of the appropriate enforcement agency and what constitutes an animal welfare offence” (Morton et al.).

B. There are also several ways you can participate in raising awareness to help the public know what counts as animal abuse and how to report it.

Notice how Riley ends their speech with a clear call to action and one that encourages civic engagement.

1. Use social media to broadcast pet news in our county.

a. Spread news about pet abuse and neglect to broaden awareness of this issue.

b. Spread news about current laws protecting animals.

c. Publicize agencies and phone numbers residents can call if they witness abuse or neglect.

d. Follow the Montgomery County Humane Society on Instagram and “like” them on Facebook.

2. Also, make and circulate posters and fact sheets about animal protection laws and phone numbers concerned residents can call if they are worried about the life of a local animal.

C. The solution of spreading awareness can have an effective, more immediate impact on the lives of neglected pets than waiting for the laws to change.

1. When residents are frequently reminded about the existing laws, they become more watchful of the needs of animals in their neighborhoods.

2. When they know where and how to report animal abuse, they are more likely to follow up on something they witness.

* (Transition) I explained what I believe to be the most viable and immediate solution to the problem of pet abuse and neglect, and so I turn to my conclusion.

Signaling the conclusion often makes the audience more attentive—but don’t abuse this verbal device by using it more than once or using it too early in the speech.

V. Conclusion

A. (Thesis) In my speech today, I have argued that we should spread awareness about what counts as animal abuse and how to report it.

B. I explained that animal neglect and cruelty sadly exist in our county and state. I contended that we should not spend more time and energy on stiffer laws to penalize abusers because this approach is too difficult, slow, and hard to enforce. Instead, I encouraged you to spread awareness through social media posts and posters.

Riley restates the thesis and mentions their main points.

C. We can make a big difference in the lives of many animals and doing so is good for us. As the famous medical missionary Albert Schweitzer said, “Until he extends the circle of his compassion to all living things, man”—or we might say humans today—“will not himself find peace” (Global Animal).

Riley ends decisively with a memorable quotation.

Works Cited

Chason, Rachel. “Maryland Pet Store Puppy Sale Ban Upheld in Court.” Washington Post. 10 Feb. 2020. https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/md-politics/judge-upholds-maryland-ban-on-pet-stores-selling-puppies-and-kittens/2020/02/10/eed46b36-4b6d-11ea-9b5c-eac5b16dafaa_story.html. Accessed 8 May 2024.

Davison, Kate. “PHOTOS: Dozens of Himalayan Cats, Kittens Rescued After Being Dumped in Wheaton, Md. Area.” ABC 7 News. 27 Aug. 2023. wjla.com/news/local/animal-rescue-maryland-himalayan-cats-kittens-breeders-near-me-wheaton-regional-park-dumped-sligo-creek-trail-montgomery-county-community-cat-coalition-hungry-scared-care-trapped-search-foster-shelters-dmv. Accessed 8 May 2024.

Rodriguez Ferre, M. B. “Animal Welfare Underenforcement as a Rule of Law Problem.” Animals, vol. 12, no. 11, 2022, 1411. doi.org/10.3390%2Fani12111411.

Watts, Lindsay. “New Animal Abuse Bill in Maryland Would Boost Penalties.” Fox 5. 9 Mar. 2022. https://www.fox5dc.com/news/new-animal-abuse-bill-in-maryland-would-boost-penalties. Accessed 8 May 2024.

Wehner, Greg. “Maryland Investigators Find Charred Dog Remains, Charge 2 Men with Animal Cruelty.” Fox News. 18 Mar. 2024. www.foxnews.com/us/maryland-investigators-find-charred-dog-remains-charge-men-animal-cruelty. Accessed 8 May 2024.

WUSA. “Woman Arrested, Charged After 66 Dogs Found in Home.” WUSA9. 28 Jan. 2016. https://www.wusa9.com/article/news/local/maryland/woman-arrested-charged-after-66-dogs-found-in-home/65-51832935. Accessed 8 May 2024.