they are one and the same and should be treated as such...

Yep i would say its the same thing ,ones just as bad as the other and the animal is still suffering .

Echoes Ailsa and most of the others

Neglect and cruelty are the same thing to me.

Hi Eloquence no neither are acceptably but they are not the same thing to me.

I will explain, I see cruelty as being a deliberate action, neglect need not be.

I would class not feeding a dog correctly or grooming it adequately so that is becomes verminous 'neglect' this may occur through ignorance or lack of understanding .

I have also seen cases of elderly people who neglect animals, not intentionally but because they fail to notice or face the reality that they are no longer capable of caring for an animal.