Scan through any social media app, and you’ll see pictures of vacations, family reunions, and other typical, everyday events. However, there is also a chance you’ll encounter pictures of people posing with animals they’ve killed, animals they’ve hurt, or simply images glorifying violence against animals.

Despite websites having rules against “violence,” users are constantly confronted with violence and gore from other users. Being barraged with animals being skinned, beaten, or mutilated only serves to desensitize younger generations, and portray these acts as “normal.”

Most distressingly, there have been numerous examples of illegal hunting or severe animal abuse posted to Instagram. These images are treated the same way pictures from a child’s birthday party are treated, leading to them being celebrated and passed around with no repercussions. Even when arrests have been made over illegal hunting or animal abuse, the images are still allowed to be on the site!

Instagram has a very clear policy on what is appropriate to post; “You may not post violent, nude, partially nude, discriminatory, unlawful, infringing, hateful, pornographic or sexually suggestive photos or other content via the Service.”

The countless bloody and gory images of slaughtered animals are in obvious violation of that rule, and Instagram should hold all users to that standard. Violence against animals is still violence!

Help us call on Instagram CEO Keven Systrom to enforce their policy about violent images, and prevent the posting of animal abuse and slaughter!