The Prophet (sallallahu alaiyhi wassallam) not only preached to the people to show kindness to one another but also to all living creatures.

The Prophet (sallallahu alaiyhi wassallam) was asked if acts of charity even to the animals were rewarded by the Almighty. He replied: "Yes, there is a reward for acts of charity to every beast alive." (Narrated by Abu Huraira, Bukhari)

The Prophet prayed the eclipse prayer, and then said, "Hell was displayed so close that I said, 'O my Lord ! Am I going to be one of its inhabitants?"' Suddenly he saw a woman. I think he said, who was being scratched by a cat. He said, "What is wrong with her?" He was told, "She had imprisoned it (i.e. the cat) till it died of hunger.

Allah's Apostle said, "A woman was tortured and was put in Hell because of a cat which she had kept locked till it died of hunger." Allah's Apostle further said, (Allah knows better) Allah said (to the woman), 'You neither fed it nor watered when you locked it up, nor did you set it free to eat the insects of the earth."

The Prophet (sallallahu alaiyhi wassallam), told his companions of a woman who would be sent to Jahannam (Hell) for having locked up a cat; not feeding it, nor even releasing it, so that it could feed itself. (Narrated by Abdullah bin 'Umar. Bukhari)

The Islamic concern about cruelty to animals is so great that it has declared the infliction of any unnecessary and avoidable pain "even to a sparrow or any creature smaller than that" as a sin for which the culprit would be answerable to the Almighty on the Day of Judgement.

Mishkat Al-Masabih concluded from "Bukhari" and "Muslim" to the effect that: "A good deed done to a beast is as good as doing good to a human being; while an act of cruelty to a beast is as bad as an act of cruelty to human beings," and that: "Kindness to animals was promised by rewards in Life Hereafter" (Mishkat al-Masabih; Book 6; Chapter 7, 8:178).

To make sure that no injury was inflicted on the animal while there was even a flicker of life in it, it was forbidden by the Holy Prophet (sallallahu alaiyhi wassallam), to molest the carcass in any way, such as: by breaking its neck, skinning, or slicing off any of its parts, until the body is dead cold.

Not only physical but also emotional care of animals was so much emphasized by the Holy Prophet (sallallahu alaiyhi wassallam) 'It behooves you to treat the animals gently.' (Narrated by A'ishah(R.A.). Muslim, Vol. 4, Hadith No. 2593).

Allah Ta'ala gave us the free use of the plants and animals of this Earth. He said, "Eat and drink of the good things of the Earth." He also said, "It is Allah Who has provided you livestock of every kind. You can ride some kinds and others you eat..." (Qur'an 40:79) But we must balance our use of animals and plants with our primary role as a caretaker on the Earth.

For example, we are not allowed to harm animals or plants for no reason. The Prophet (sallallahu alaiyhi wassallam) forbade people from capturing baby birds, burning ant hills and whipping animals cruelly. All the people he stopped from doing these things were doing them "for fun." Well, as the Prophet(sallallahu alaiyhi wassallam) pointed out, it wasn't fun for the animals.

SOME HAADEETH ON TREATMENT OF ANIMALS:

A companion to the Prophet (sallallahu alaiyhi wassallam) came to him carrying baby chicks in his clothing and mentioned that the mother bird had hovered over them all along. He was directed to return the chicks back to the same bush. (Mishkat, Abu Dawud)

During a journey, someone traveling with the Prophet (sallallahu alaiyhi wassallam), gathered some birds eggs from a nest. The mother bird's painful cries and commotion attracted the attention of the Prophet (sallallahu alaiyhi wassallam) , who asked the man to return the eggs to the nest. (Bukhari)

If the Prophet (sallallahu alaiyhi wassallam) saw any animal over-burdened or ill-fed he would pull up alongside the owner and say, "Fear Allah in your treatment of animals." (Abu Dawud, Kitab Jihad)