Modern Anti Cruelty Laws For The United States

For many years there has been an ongoing debate on whether or not animals should be given rights, even there own bill of rights. Some who are against the animal bill of rights argue that testing products on animals is important to the safety of humans. Others who want the new bill of rights claim that animals have feelings and that science is treating them inhumanely. Animal activists also add that animals are intelligent beings and are aware of how they are treated. Based on science proving animal activists correct on many of their points, this calls for a new bill of rights, in the United States, especially written for the protection and care of wild and domestic animals.

The starting point of this essay is to establish and lay out an animal rights claim. The point here is not to solely list which specific rights animals have, as that goes beyond the scope of this essay, but to discuss why animals do in fact have a claim to rights, and what this means for humans. The need to understand the intrinsic, or inherent value of animals allows us to see the base from which their claim to rights is derived. Inherent value refers to the idea that animals are valuable in themselves, not in what they provide us. Tom Regan, an animal ethicist, sets out the moral grounding from which we can

Is it ethical for animals to have the same rights as humans? During this paper I will present the views of both sides. I will try my best to give the reader a chance to come to there own unbiased conclusion. I will talk about the key areas of animal ethics. I will present the facts and reasoning behind the arguments over Animal cruelty, testing, hunting, and improper housing. My conclusion will hopefully bring us closer to answering many of the question surrounding “Animal Rights and Ethics”.

Throughout history, humans have utilized nonhuman animals for the benefit of mankind. This tendency increased as civilization developed, and presently, necessitated by staggering population growth and technological progress, human use of animals has skyrocketed. We eat them, we breed them, we use them as test subjects. Some people have begun to question the ethics of it all, sparking a debate on animal treatment and whether or not they have rights. In a paper on the subject, Carl Cohen lays out his definition of rights, explains their relationship with obligations, and uses these ideas to present the argument that manifests clearly in his piece’s title, “Why Animals Have No Rights”. THESIS

Like humans, animals have rights too. Back in the old days, animals didn’t have any rights because some people thought they had no feelings of pain. Scientist used them in experiments because of this theory. It came to the point where animals, especially cats and dogs, who were homeless, unwanted, and even sheltered were sent to research institutes (Monamy 29). Monkeys also started getting attention from scientists. Many animals used for these experiments were being mistreated. Many humane groups were furious and started taking action. The Laboratory Animal Welfare Act was enacted in 1966 due to two

The idea of animal rights has been around for centuries. Even decades ago, people were taking action for the welfare of animals. Marc Bekoff and Ned Hettinger share this idea all the way back in 1994 when they said that there is evidence that scientist are concerned with animal welfare by acknowledge that they use the guidelines in place to protect animals during research, in order to have their work published (Bekoff 219). Guidelines are the basis for the moral and ethical treatment of animals. Each person may have his or her own standard, but having a standard among the entire population ensures the welfare of the animals. Unfortunately, these standards are not at a level to where the animals are being protected. Many animals in captivity are treated in ways that would shock the average person. Orcas for example, are starved until they do the desired task (Cowperthwaite). This form of operant condition can lead to success, but often leads to resentment and hostility towards the trainers.

Many people may not know that animal cruelty has been around for hundreds of years. . In the article "Animal Cruelty Prosecution" published by American Prosecution Research Institute found that, The Puritans of the Massachusetts Bay Colony established “The Body of Liberties” found by the Animal Cruelty Prosecution, in 1641. The Body of Liberties was a document written for the protection of animals from unnecessary pain and suffering. Animal cruelty happens every day whether it is from starving, beating, lack of medical care or proper housing for animals. We are in need of stricter laws to help fight the rights of animals. Animal laws should be more strict on people

The law was never created for the purpose to serve with what is right, after all slavery was one the law. When law is enforced, there will always be people out there to enforce it. Those who have the power to wield “the law” also have the power to bend “the law”. This has often done more injustice than it has done justice, as they can hold themselves above the law in any situation they see fit. These people see it as justified takedown while everyone else who has no power to “bend the law” is upheld to every law sees it in different words, police brutality.

“Nearly as many, 68 percent, were concerned or very concerned about the well-being of animals used in ‘sports’ or contests as well as animals in laboratories (67 percent) (Kretzer, 1).” Many people question whether an animal is capable of thought and emotions. Others feel as though animals are the equivalent of humans and should be treated as such. Since the 1800’s, animal rights has been a topic that has several different sides including two extremes. If animals can react to their environment, emote, and are aware of things done to or with them, then they should have similar rights to humans.

Gary has been holding a position where he has been fighting for animal rights through his books. He argues that animals are seen as property instead of a person. There are several reason as to why animal rights are the way they are, and until laws are changed animals will continue to suffer.( Gary L. Francione,1996) To support his argument he studies the results from when common-law, civil-law traditions are involved. These laws are relevant, because it gives scientist and food distributor’s leverage to give reason as to why animals’ being considered property is not a form of abuse. Gary opposes this claim for a very good reason; he states that animals have a “defect”, such as their incapability to communicate using language. Gary finds that the issues with this are that, welfare is failing to recognize the interest of animals. In his observation he finds that the key to provide animals with useful rights is to convince society, exercise wellness benefits, and demand change.

Animals’ rights have become an endeavoring issue over the last few years and really gained traction due to the works and philosophies of Peter Singer and Tom Regan. Both have concrete opinions on the way animals should be treated as if they have rights. They both go about their proposed equality in different ways and describe why we as humans have that responsibility to animals.

The first instances we see animal rights would be in the bible in the book of genesis where Adam is given dominion over the fish, fowl, cattle and every creepy thing that creeps on earth and it is said that on the seventh day of rest, the animals are supposed to rest also. Also in the bible it mentions forbidding plowing with an ox and ass together because it would be difficult for the ass to keep up with the powerful ox. In the 19th century we start to see more concern for animal protection whereas before if someone was found guilty of hurting an animal it was because the animal was a piece of “property”. We start to see badger baiting, bull baiting, and cock fighting start to be looked down upon and the implementation of bans. The first ASPCA which was an animal protection group that was founded by Henry Bergh in April 1866 would create the “declaration of the rights of animals” which gave the ASPCA authority to enforce anti-cruelty legislation. In the 1900’s although legislation was passed for animal cruelty, the animals still didn’t have any rights and we started to see an increase in animal use which started to lead to more animal extinctions due to over farming. These laws came after the book was written but I would think that this was another reason for Dr. Moreau to conduct

In “The Case for Animal Rights,” Tom Regan emphasizes his philosophy on animal and human equality. After reading further into his work, he illustrates a societal system that belittles animals and their significance to our own existence. Regan conceptualizes that animals won’t have real rights unless we change our beliefs. We need to acknowledge a problem. After identifying the issue, we must recognize that there is a need for change in society. In addition, he also reiterates the importance of the populace changing the way they view animals. The way society views animals will create a snowball effect that will influence politicians to also believe in animal rights.

Throughout history morality has been a topic of intense debate. Innumerable thinkers have devoted immense amounts of time and energy to the formulation of various ethical theories intended to assist humans in their daily lives. These theories set out guidelines which help to determine the rightness or wrongness of any given action and can therefore illuminate which choice would be morally beneficial. And while many of these theories differ substantially, most have at least one common underlying principle, namely that humans deserve to be treated with a certain level of respect. This idea comes from the belief that all humans have interests which are significant enough to be considered, hence no one should impede another

There were no any laws made to protect animal rights before 1977. Society's attitudes about animals have varied over different historical periods. Some group of people thought animals do not feel pain because they don’t have self-awareness and capacity to exercise. While some thought they have mental ability and feel pain and pleasure, but couldn’t express it. From the article we know that different people had different opinion on animal rights, and the contradiction last for a long period of time. But over time, the issue of animal rights has gradually come to occupy more space, and there was some historical evidence of legal proceedings and sentences imposed on wild and