The Fight For Animal Rights

Non-human animals should have the same rights that humans have such as not being used as food, clothing, entertainment, or experimentation.

The statement by Paul McCartney rings true, “If slaughterhouses had glass walls everyone would be a vegetarian.” Animal rights is a concept which people hardly ever consider in a serious light. Being born as a human being, having a superior mental capacity and sense of times makes people think that they can rule this world and use other living beings as they see fit. This mentality leads to people say things like “animals are born to eaten” or how Aristotle claimed “all of the nature exist specifically for the sake of men” and “that animal are merely instruments for humankind.” (Pg. 495). This way of thinking often leads to overconsumption of animals, cruelty to animals and loss of species.

2. THESIS/PURPOSE: Today we will explain the significance, and inherency due to animal cruelty, as well as several solutions which can help to prevent cases of animal abuse.

Humans keep pets such as cats, dogs, and horses; why should farm animals be treated any differently than how people treat their own pets? (Elizabeth Kolbert 17). Every day, millions of farm animals are being slaughtered inhumanely by farm workers. There needs to be a stop to this. The treatment of animals should be improved. There should be no more growth hormones given to animals, because they cause many problems such as developmental disabilities. Living conditions should be made appropriate, and farm animals should be given space to roam.

A poll conducted by the ASPCA revealed that 94% of Americans believe that production animals, specifically those raised for food, deserve to live a comfortable life free of cruelty and neglect. Despite this belief, many factory farm animals are abused and neglected in such ways that, if witnessed by consumers, would not be accepted. Over 99% of the United State’s farm animals live on factory farms that use them for means of profit, many of them violating the Animal Welfare Act and other laws put in place to protect the humane treatment of animals (ASPCA). This abuse is not limited to any specific type of farm animal. Although different animals are used for different purposes, they all share a common suffering and a need for humane care.

Many researches are finding that many of our fellow creatures are more like us than we had ever imagined. A percentage of people feel that concern should be brought upon how animals are treated. The Animal Legal Defense Fund’s Animal Bill of Rights is a petition to the United States Congress. The petition states the basic rights that all living beings other than humans should have and that our government should protect. It states the right of animals to be free from exploitation, cruelty, neglect, and abuse. The right of laboratory animals not to be used in cruel or unnecessary experiments. The right of animals to be in a healthy diet, protective shelter and sufficient medical care.The right of wildlife to a natural habitat, ecologically good enough to a normal existence and self-sustaining population.The right of farmed animals to an environment that fulfill their basic physical and psychological needs. The right of animals to have their interest represented in court and safeguarded by the law of the land. These are the six important keys in the act. No one can predict what actually happens to animals behind doors or even in nature, but it is fairly easy to say that not all animals are

According to the “Universal Declaration of the Rights of Animals” written by the International League of the Rights of Animals in September of 1977 animals have similar right to those of humans. Animals have a right to live with respect and shall not be killed without reason. They shall not be denied the right to reproduce, or have the freedom of living in their natural habitat (Opposing Viewpoints 20). Activism in animal rights first began in the late 1960s because a documentary from Canada showed baby seals being beat to death with clubs was shown across the world. When people saw the documentary, they were outraged and started a massive animal-rights movement, which is now targeting factory farms (“Key Issue: Animal Rights” 1).

The last half of the nineteenth century adopted more anti-cruelty laws that are still used today. Henry Bergh helped establish these laws in the 1860s and 70s. Those rules and laws helped as a foundation for the current animal-cruelty laws that apply today. Back then, there was little to no people who cared for their animals, which resulted in abuse and neglect. Today, more people care about their animals and how their pets feel when they are abused.

Walking through your local grocery store, such as Kroger’s, you will see the isle filled of poultry, with variation from chicken, beef, veal, and steak. People often question the high cost of the meats and their quality, but do they ever question where their meat is coming from or how it was processed? I would assume the answer is no. In the New York Times article “U.S. Research Lab Lets Livestock Suffer in Quest for Profit” we are introduced to the U.S. Meat Animal Research Center (MARC) and exposed to their inhumane experiments being used on our livestock’s, which in turn is the meat we buy in our stores. Although some experts such as Robert R. Oltjen, the center’s director, argue that humans are superior to

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.

“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.

Seems rhetorical, but the fact is animals live through this everyday, without even given the choice. As humans, we establish our authority among all living beings, but for what reasons? Are humans better than all other species? Or is it true that we should hold a precedence over nonhuman animals? The ultimate question then remains, should animals have as much or equal to the same rights as humans? Their are endless arguments for and against this question, and many sub arguments that go hand in hand with each side. In this paper, I will discuss the definition of what animal rights entails and expand on the history that developed it’s meaning. Furthermore, I will thoroughly discuss, reason, and explain each opinion presented by our current society as well as the positions held by previous philosophers. Lastly, I will draw a conclusion to the opinions presented by discussing my personal position on the argument of animal rights.

The study of good and bad, right and wrong, moral principles or value held by a person or society, promoting human welfare, maximizing freedom minimizing pain and suffering is called ethics. The discipline that studies the moral relationship of human beings and also the value and moral status of the environment and its non-human contents is called environmental ethics. It considers the ethical relationship between the humans and the environment. Animal and animal rights are the highlighted topic in the environmental ethics.

Soon, many groups were concerned about how animals were being treated. Anticruelty laws were first passed in Great Britain. The United States quickly followed, responding to the animal welfare groups; insisting that the government needed to act to prevent unnecessary cruelty to animals (Judson 20). This movement grew rapidly across the United States. In 1829, New York passed the first anticruelty law prohibiting the malicious injuring or killing or farm animals such as horses, oxen, cattle or sheep. By 1907, every single American state had passed anticruelty acts. By 1923, most states prohibited the practice of neglecting and abandonment, cockfighting, and some types of hunting methods of animals (Judson 21). Throughout the 1800s, animal welfare groups in Great Britain and the United States pushed for their governments to pass laws to protect animals from methods such as slaughter and animal experimentation. In 1824, welfare groups in London were already being formed. The first society was formed, called the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Guither 2). Later, in 1835, public policy was passed in Great Britain to “consolidate and amend the several laws relation to the cruelty and improper treatment of animals” (Guither 2). Decades later, in 1911, Parliament passed the Protection of Animals Acts, which is still n effect today. Harold D. Guither, author of the book Animal Rights: History and Scope of a Radical Social Movement, describes this act, station

For many years now the world has seen controversy over the rights of animals and if they think and feel like humans do. Many people see animals as mindless creatures or as food, while others think they have emotions and can feel pain. In other countries animal protection laws are in place that are strictly enforced and seem to work well with the system. In the United States however; some of the animal rights laws are considered to be useless and under-enforced (Animal Legal & Historical Center). More people today are beginning to see that animals should have rights and should be protected by laws and regulations (Animal Legal & Historical Center). Sadly there are many people residing in the United States who don’t take animal rights or protection laws seriously. These people abuse animals in many ways, including food industries that disobey the regulations set in place for the slaughter of animals used for consumption. Luckily for the animals there are people who fight for their rights and the enforcement of laws called animal rights activists.