This is difficult to answer precisely but, apart from systematically cruel individuals who mistreat or torture nonhumans to make themselves feel more powerful (just as those who bully humans do), I believe most animal cruelty cases arise from ignorance about cruelty free alternatives (re: food or product choice for instance) so they continue to support animal-abusive industries. It can also arise from a failure of compassion and empathy, that is inability to understand that nonhumans feel stress, pain, and anxiety and suffer as we do in like circumstances. SOURCE - RHEYA LINDEN, CAMPAIGN MANAGER FOR ANIMAL ACTIVE AUSTRALIA INC.