The Importance Of Animal Rights

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”.

Animals are living creatures with feelings, emotions, and intelligence. We even have animals as pets because they bring us joy, love, affection, and give people company when people find themselves alone. Animals do not have voices to express their feelings and demand respect so we humans often take advantage of them. We share a world with many different species. Over time Humans have gained power over all living creatures and have took away from others. Humans have full control of many situations and have the upper hand in many cases. I feel that animals deserve respect, and deserve laws in order to protect them. If a human kills another human, that human will go to jail

Dr.King gives a great definition of an unjust law saying, “A law is unjust if it is inflicted on a minority that, as a result of being denied the right to vote, had no part in enacting or devising the law,” since animals cannot create their own laws we as people have to care for them and make sure that they are not treated unjustly, and when a crime has been committed against them justice should entail immediately (383). King also states, “justice too long delayed is justice denied,” and these words ring true in the case of animal rights since many animals are in such dire situations that time is always of the essence

“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.

Animal rights activists have rallied and petitioning for an animal bill of rights because they are stating that animals are only being considered “property” by law, being no different than a table and chair. The Animal Legal Defense Fund is really passionate about the document being published even having specific rights for animals with numbers and strong evidence to back up each right and claim, leaving little detail out. Also, in the article “A Change of Heart About Animals” written by Jeremy Rifkin states “What these researchers are finding is that many of our fellow creatures are more like us than we had ever imagined” (Rikin 2). I agree with his statement, because animals and humans have many similarities pointed out by many researchers over the many years. Rifkin provides specific evidence like Koko the gorilla, who passed an IQ test with a score of 70-95 or close to that range. I think it's pretty outstanding, depressing, and convenient that Koko is smarter than a majority than humans. There was also a parrot named Alex, who could communicate with it's owner. Alex was able to tell her owner how many of each colored shape was on a plate, he then asked for a glass of water and I think that is incredible that a bird was able to communicate with a human and they were both able to understand each other.

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.

One of the reasons animals should have certain rights are; animals have a wide range of emotions and have self-awareness, which is contrary to our preconceived notions that animals live only in the moment, have no sense of their own self, lack morals, and do not suffer as human do. Animals consciously know that they exist. They plan their lives, to some extent, and the quality and length of their lives matter to them. Animals know what is happening to them and feel pain as humans do. They prefer some things to others, and have dislikes; this was thought to be an unique human trait. Animals make

“To some, animals have no rights and are merely a form of property that exists only to fulfill human needs (Mark A. Thorburn, 2016).” Iad to show you I was an ideal and decent human being. I mended your heart ache: I became your friend, your family, and your guardian. We played by the trees, we slept in our home. I finally brought you into the light as you were submerged in darkness. Your fear finally left you and your scars finally healed: I became your hope, I wasn’t your owner, your, guardian, I was your

Animal don’t have the same rights as humans do only because a) they can’t communicate with us b) sense they can’t communicate with us they can’t say no to basic stuff. This isn’t meaning that they don’t have their own sort of rights (not being abused) but they are just different than humans own rights.

"Life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness; The Declaration of Independence holds these rights to be self-evident and unalienable. In the eighteenth century when these words were written they were called natural rights, today we call them human rights" (McShea 34). The issue of whether or not to grant animal rights such as those that humans retain, is a greatly disputed issue. Philosophers, clergyman, and politicians have argued the point of animal rights for years, but without success. Animal right is an extremely intricate issue that involves the question of animal intelligence, animal activist groups, and the pros and cons of granting animals their rights. Animals deserves rights just as humans because they have the same abilities that we have. In order for humans to function in daily life with confidence rights must be set in stone for humans to remain secure. Knowing this, animals should have a firm list of law to protect them as they participate in their daily life activities.

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.

Many countries around the world agree on two basic rights, the right to liberty and the right to ones own life. Outside of these most basic human and civil rights, what do we deserve, and do these rights apply to animals as well? Human rights worldwide need to be increased and an effort made to improve lives. We must also acknowledge that “just as one wants happiness and fears pain, just as one wants to live and not die, so do other creatures” (Dalai Lama). Animals are just as capable of suffering as we are, and an effort should be made to increase their rights. Governments around the world should establish special rights that ensure the advancement and end of suffering of all sentient creatures, both human and non-human. Everyone and

Have you ever considered the rights of animals? Do they have any rights?.According to an article called “Animal Rights” it is proven that if animals had rights there wouldn’t be no experiments on animals, no breeding and killing of animals for food however, all of these examples are sadly used today that provides evidence to prove that animals do not have rights.To emphasise that animals do not have rights, it is also proven in the book “Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban” with animals such as Crookshanks and Buckbeak that do not have animal rights due to the facts that both animals are misjudged and automatically assumed guilty when something wrong occurs or when an accusation is made and both are treated with no respect.

The process these companies use is usually an animal test where, for example, cosmetic companies include skin and eye irritation tests where chemicals are rubbed onto the shaved skin or dripped into the eyes of rabbits or companies that force the animals to eat their food. These tests can last weeks or months to look for signs such as