Tom Brady strangely referenced dog abuse while on-air Sunday ... and animal lovers everywhere are outraged.
The NFL legend's bizarre comments came during the fourth quarter of the Chicago Bears' big victory over the Dallas Cowboys at Soldier Field ... just after George Pickens dropped a Dak Prescott pass that ended up as an interception.
Brady -- who was on the call for the Fox broadcast -- saw the Cowboys wideout slam his helmet in disgust ... and oddly compared it to hitting a pet.