The word “animal” is clearly defined in many trusted dictionaries, however, definitions given by the state of North Carolina and the local government of Alamance County will be used to understand exactly what animal cruelty is. The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines “animal” as single-celled and multi-celled organisms that are different from plants in terms of how they, the animals, obtain food (). Clearly, the dictionary definition, while useful in other situations, is irrelevant when trying to understand animal cruelty. According to the General Statutes of North Carolina, “animals” refers to “living vertebrate in the classes Amphibia, Reptilia, Aves, and Mammalia except human beings” (). An Alamance County ordinance defines an “animal”