Historically, animal crush videos gained notoriety through the internet, where they were produced and distributed in underground markets. The digital age allowed for the proliferation of this content, leading to a global outcry for legislative action. Advocates for animal rights argue that these acts are not merely a matter of personal preference or private sexual expression but are acts of criminal violence that violate the basic right of animals to exist free from unnecessary suffering.

An "animal crush" fetish involves the sexual gratification derived from watching animals—often small mammals like kittens, puppies, or rabbits—being tortured, crushed, or killed.

Crush fetishism is a form of paraphilia involving the sexual arousal derived from observing objects or living beings being crushed. While the fetish can involve inanimate objects—often referred to as soft crush—it becomes a matter of significant legal and ethical concern when it involves the use of live animals, commonly known as animal crush. This practice typically entails the slow and agonizing death of small animals, such as insects, snails, or in more extreme cases, mammals like kittens, puppies, and rabbits, under the feet or body of a human.

: Encouraging internet users to report illegal content to local authorities or the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) .