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Animal Rights
People visit circuses and zoos to see animals. They walk in leather shoes and wear leather coats or silk dresses. Use utensils made up of elephant tusks or decorate their homes with ornaments made of animals' bones. In other words, every day, we can see multiple things that are produced from animals' remains but nobody feels sorrow or regret for it. This is because of the mindset of the people that says that animals do not have rights. Various movements and protests have been observed in history for human rights, but no such intense movement has been worked for the rights of other living creatures. There is a mixed perception of the people regarding animal rights. Some people believe that animals acquire rights and humans should respect their rights. Whereas, there are a number of people who argue that animals do not have morality and there is no need for giving them rights. The main purpose of the paper is to analyze the reason that can explain why fundamental rights should be given to animals. It is crucial to understand and learn because every creature on this planet is created by God due to some specific reasons. Therefore, there must be ethics and rights for every living being.
Animal Rights has been a very sensitive and critical issue since 1970. The term was initially coined by Richard D. Ryder and has been a hot subject since then. Since 1970, a huge amount of work has been done on this issue, however, only in the form of writing and in verbal terms ADDIN ZOTERO_ITEM CSL_CITATION {"citationID":"8oakihnG","properties":{"formattedCitation":"(Scruton)","plainCitation":"(Scruton)","noteIndex":0},"citationItems":[{"id":1021,"uris":["http://zotero.org/users/local/rVaVAHaF/items/GH45UD2R"],"uri":["http://zotero.org/users/local/rVaVAHaF/items/GH45UD2R"],"itemData":{"id":1021,"type":"article-journal","title":"Animal Rights","container-title":"Analysis. Claves de Pensamiento Contemporáneo","page":"1 - 13","volume":"21","issue":"3","source":"HAL Archives Ouvertes","DOI":"10.5281/zenodo.2558706","author":[{"family":"Scruton","given":"Roger"}],"issued":{"date-parts":[["2018",7]]}}}],"schema":"https://github.com/citation-style-language/schema/raw/master/csl-citation.json"} (Scruton). The term “Animal Rights” is not confined to a single thing or a single right that needs to be granted to animals. The term also does not encompass any specific kind of animal or any specific species that need to be protected, but generalizes the concept. The idea or the concept of animal rights states that all the animals (or non-human creatures) no matter what they are mammals, reptiles, amphibians or insects, are entitled to have their separate rights, just like humans. Animals are entitled to have the possession of their own existence and their most basic interests.
Discussion
Animals have also been divided on the basis of vertebrates and non-vertebrates. No matter what the basis of classification is, every species, animal or insect contributes something to the ecosystem and adds value to it. There are a number of ways in which it has adapted itself for this purpose. The animals, insects, mammals and the reptiles that have been created, prove to be beneficial for the ecosystem in one way or another. But sadly, we humans as the most superior beings of all, fail to realize the importance of this for our home planet, Earth.Man has been treating animals very poorly for a very long time, without realizing that the poor souls have feelings and emotions, as well. They are living beings and feel pain just like us. The worst part is that they are killed for the purpose of food and clothing. Animal fur and skin are used extensively in the production of clothes, even by high-end brands, and these clothes are sold at very expensive rates.
It is time to understand the fact that just because a human being is larger in size, it does not make them superior to the animals. Animals have been living on this earth since human beings or even before them. It is necessary to share the earth with other living beings. Every year, around seven billion animals die in America,by the hand of mankind. Not only this, more than 90% of these dead animals are killed for food. It shows that man is living as a superior creature avoiding the rights of animals for their own satisfaction. Various scientists believe that humans have evolved from animals. For instance, Charles Darwin proposed that monkeys are the ancestors of humans. It indicates that animals have been living on this earth before us. Then how is it possible that humans are capable of having the rights but animals cannot ADDIN ZOTERO_ITEM CSL_CITATION {"citationID":"yC7pweL0","properties":{"formattedCitation":"(Yount)","plainCitation":"(Yount)","noteIndex":0},"citationItems":[{"id":1019,"uris":["http://zotero.org/users/local/rVaVAHaF/items/7B8Q8FQQ"],"uri":["http://zotero.org/users/local/rVaVAHaF/items/7B8Q8FQQ"],"itemData":{"id":1019,"type":"book","title":"Animal Rights","publisher":"Infobase Publishing","number-of-pages":"337","source":"Google Books","abstract":"Praise for the previous edition: ...an excellent first-stop resource for research on animal rights...well organized, clearly written, and a great starting point for research...Recommended.-Choice...comprehensive...invaluable for reports on a popular current topic.-VOYA... a] very complete research guide that will be most useful at the high school and college level.-American Reference Books AnnualThe treatment of animals has become a controversial issue over the years, with many questioning an animal's fundamental rights. For some, the issue of animal rights is merely an attempt to improve conditions of animals used for clothing, food, and other products, while others believe animals should be granted the same legal rights afforded to humans. Animal Rights, Revised Edition provides an overview of the history of the animal rights movement and reactions to it, as well as the issues of animal experimentation, conditions on factory farms, laboratory animals, animals in entertainment, hunting, and the actions of those involved in the animal rights debate. New content includes such documents as the Animal Enterprise Terrorism Act of 2006 and contemporary court cases such as Animal Legal Defense Fund v. Glickman. These documents provide both past and present perspectives on the issue and plot a course for future debate about animal rights. A comprehensive and up-to-date overview essay, capsule biographies, a large annotated bibliography, a chronology of significant events, organization and agency listings, and a glossary all combine to make this an ideal first-stop reference to animal rights.Coverage includes: Whether medical testing performed on animals is ethicalWhether animals should be banned from circuses and other forms of entertainmentHow threats against investors in companies that participate in animal drug testing should be handle","ISBN":"978-1-4381-3063-7","note":"Google-Books-ID: R4jQ_upQZroC","language":"en","author":[{"family":"Yount","given":"Lisa"}],"issued":{"date-parts":[["2007"]]}}}],"schema":"https://github.com/citation-style-language/schema/raw/master/csl-citation.json"} (Yount)? It shows that humankind is getting privilege due to their intelligence and power to think and react according to the situation. Tragically, most people have lost the ability to consider themselves as a part of nature and just consider nature to be an asset to be abused. What is more, they further sloppy the scholarly space with a wide range of fake avocations. The individual man is the main creature equipped for most extreme misuse and encroachment on the privileges of different creatures, and furthermore the one on which lies the greatest duty of securing the existence of different creatures.
Animals are created not only for man’s use and entertainment, but they are an essential part of nature. There is a proper life cycle on which Earth is working and every living being has its value for keeping a balance in the Animal Kingdom. For instance, plants are playing their role by absorbing carbon dioxide from the air and giving supply of oxygen on which human beings survive. Just like plants, animals are living on this earth with a purpose. The world is in the balance due to the presence of all living beings. Therefore, it is not possible to kill animals for the betterment or satisfaction of man and expect the same environment in the future. It is totally wrong to consider animals only for human use. Animals have the same reproductive system just like humans and they acquire families. Researches show that animals' parents show care, love, and protection towards their babies and offspring, just like humans. Therefore, it is against ethics to separate an animal family or kill their family members for food, clothing, or any other purpose. The animal should be given rights so they can live in a society with freedom and resources that are necessary for their lifestyle ADDIN ZOTERO_ITEM CSL_CITATION {"citationID":"g0yLGjJw","properties":{"formattedCitation":"(\\uc0\\u8220{}Why Animal Rights?\\uc0\\u8221{})","plainCitation":"(“Why Animal Rights?”)","noteIndex":0},"citationItems":[{"id":1018,"uris":["http://zotero.org/users/local/rVaVAHaF/items/T7MNENK2"],"uri":["http://zotero.org/users/local/rVaVAHaF/items/T7MNENK2"],"itemData":{"id":1018,"type":"webpage","title":"Why Animal Rights?","container-title":"PETA","abstract":"Almost all of us grew up eating meat, wearing leather, and going to circuses and zoos.","URL":"https://www.peta.org/about-peta/why-peta/why-animal-rights/","language":"en-US","issued":{"date-parts":[["2016",10,21]]},"accessed":{"date-parts":[["2019",12,16]]}}}],"schema":"https://github.com/citation-style-language/schema/raw/master/csl-citation.json"} (“Why Animal Rights?”).
One of the main reasons for denying human rights is prejudice conducted by a human being. Humans have made laws and regulations for themselves. They understand what is good or bad and right or wrong through their own rules and regulation. However, animals are unable to develop such laws, which become part of the argument by the people who are against animal rights. They believe that animals do inhuman activities and show unethical behavior therefore, they should not get rights. However, researches show that animal behavior might be against human nature but it is systematic in its own way. For instance, cows only eat plants and do not give harm to humans or any other animal for hunger. Similarly, animal kills other animals for food, but do not attack without reason. This behavior of animals indicates that they follow rules of nature which are more important to keep Earth balanced. On the other hand, humans acquire rules and regulations, still, they act against it. Wars, conflicts, hate based on race and religions are some of the examples that indicate that humankind also goes against ethical behavior and spreads violence. Therefore, prejudice is the element that makes humans reject animals' rights that they expect to have for themselves.
Some of them think that as animals are not humans, and have been created for the purposed of entertainment and use of humans, they should be utilized in the maximum possible manner. The other side of the argument reveals that no matter if animals are humans or not, they also deserve to live their life independently and deserve to have the same rights just like any other living being. One of the most prominent advocates of this school of thought is Peter Singer. Peter Albert David Singer is a well-known moral philosopher and a big supporter of utilitarianism from Australia. He is a specialist in applied ethics and addresses the issues from a utilitarian point of view. Singer is especially famous for his work and views that are presented in his most famous book "Animal Liberation", published in 1975. Out of the multiple articles published by Singer, on the topics of ethics, morality, and philosophy, one of the articles that got much fame and popularity is the one penned down by the philosopher by the title "All Animals Are Equal" in 2008. He argues that all animals should be given equal rights and should be respected in the same manner as humans are. Singer argues that equal rights are a concept not based on equality, but actually based upon equal consideration ADDIN ZOTERO_ITEM CSL_CITATION {"citationID":"yC7pweL0","properties":{"formattedCitation":"(Yount)","plainCitation":"(Yount)","noteIndex":0},"citationItems":[{"id":1019,"uris":["http://zotero.org/users/local/rVaVAHaF/items/7B8Q8FQQ"],"uri":["http://zotero.org/users/local/rVaVAHaF/items/7B8Q8FQQ"],"itemData":{"id":1019,"type":"book","title":"Animal Rights","publisher":"Infobase Publishing","number-of-pages":"337","source":"Google Books","abstract":"Praise for the previous edition: ...an excellent first-stop resource for research on animal rights...well organized, clearly written, and a great starting point for research...Recommended.-Choice...comprehensive...invaluable for reports on a popular current topic.-VOYA... a] very complete research guide that will be most useful at the high school and college level.-American Reference Books AnnualThe treatment of animals has become a controversial issue over the years, with many questioning an animal's fundamental rights. For some, the issue of animal rights is merely an attempt to improve conditions of animals used for clothing, food, and other products, while others believe animals should be granted the same legal rights afforded to humans. Animal Rights, Revised Edition provides an overview of the history of the animal rights movement and reactions to it, as well as the issues of animal experimentation, conditions on factory farms, laboratory animals, animals in entertainment, hunting, and the actions of those involved in the animal rights debate. New content includes such documents as the Animal Enterprise Terrorism Act of 2006 and contemporary court cases such as Animal Legal Defense Fund v. Glickman. These documents provide both past and present perspectives on the issue and plot a course for future debate about animal rights. A comprehensive and up-to-date overview essay, capsule biographies, a large annotated bibliography, a chronology of significant events, organization and agency listings, and a glossary all combine to make this an ideal first-stop reference to animal rights.Coverage includes: Whether medical testing performed on animals is ethicalWhether animals should be banned from circuses and other forms of entertainmentHow threats against investors in companies that participate in animal drug testing should be handle","ISBN":"978-1-4381-3063-7","note":"Google-Books-ID: R4jQ_upQZroC","language":"en","author":[{"family":"Yount","given":"Lisa"}],"issued":{"date-parts":[["2007"]]}}}],"schema":"https://github.com/citation-style-language/schema/raw/master/csl-citation.json"} (Yount).
Carl Cohan, another professor of philosophy at the University of Michigan, in Ann Arbor, Michigan also argues about the rights of the animals. He mainly focuses on experimenting and testing of various products on the animals. Multiple authors and philosophers argued that Carl Cohen has provided much too “kind” words in favor of the animals, but they prove to be very harsh for humans. Cohen seems to advocate the rights of the animals but looks like he is shunning or denying the rights of the humans. His explanation about animal rights highlights all the key facts that indicate why animal rights are neglected ADDIN ZOTERO_ITEM CSL_CITATION {"citationID":"8oakihnG","properties":{"formattedCitation":"(Scruton)","plainCitation":"(Scruton)","noteIndex":0},"citationItems":[{"id":1021,"uris":["http://zotero.org/users/local/rVaVAHaF/items/GH45UD2R"],"uri":["http://zotero.org/users/local/rVaVAHaF/items/GH45UD2R"],"itemData":{"id":1021,"type":"article-journal","title":"Animal Rights","container-title":"Analysis. Claves de Pensamiento Contemporáneo","page":"1 - 13","volume":"21","issue":"3","source":"HAL Archives Ouvertes","DOI":"10.5281/zenodo.2558706","author":[{"family":"Scruton","given":"Roger"}],"issued":{"date-parts":[["2018",7]]}}}],"schema":"https://github.com/citation-style-language/schema/raw/master/csl-citation.json"} (Scruton). For instance, Hitler used the dead bodies of Jews for medical testing and for various other experiments. Humans call this act as brutal, violent, and against human rights. On the other hand, hundreds of animals are used all around the world for medical testing and experiments. If the use of the human body was against morality and rights of the people, then why is the body of an innocent animal considered with the same perception? It is important to improve the medication and produce more useful medicine but the morality of animals should still be considered.
Animals acquire emotions just like a human, therefore, they should be treated as insane. People ignore the morality and rights of the animals based on the mindset that animals do not behave insanely like a human. It is correct to some extent but, at the same time, animals show behavior familiar to humans. They feel sorrow, fear, anger, and pain just like a human. The way humans feel pain when any of the body parts get hurt, animals also show pain when humans treat them with brutality. Pets like dogs and cats show emotional attachment to their owners which indicates that animals do have feelings. If animals acquire feelings and are able to show their emotions then it is their right to live with the freedom that is without the fear of death at the hands of mankind. Man has no right to kill animals just for fun or sports,such as hunting. If man cannot stop using animals for medical experiments then at least a method should be introduced which can ensure the least pain inflicted upon animals. This is because it is their fundamental right to enjoy their life with virtue.
Man is made by God who can eat both vegetable and animals. It is not possible to make all man vegetarians. However, it is important to improve the living standards of animals. For instance, if a man has the right to live, however, he or she wants and can eat anything, hence; the same concept applies for animals. Animals that are kept in circuses and zoos just for enjoyment purposes is against morality. They are not objects of entertainment. Wildlife is as important for the natural environment as trees. Issues like climate change indicating the importance of plants on the earth. Similarly, animals have their own importance that should not be neglected. Keeping animals in cages must be illegal. In addition, wild animals should not be kept in cages aspets. There are animals that can live with humans, happily,such as, dogs, cats, and birds, however, keeping wild animals like lions, tigers, and foxes is against animals’ rights. These animals are created for living in a wild environment not in the houses as a status symbol.
Another reason behind the negligence of animal rights is the argument that people believe that animals do not share responsibility, therefore, are not eligible for morality or rights. This argument is wrong, as every species has its own responsibility for themselves just like humans do. Human responsibility is to improve the living standard by following the laws, rituals, and norms of society. Economic behavior and socio behavior make them able to realize whether they are fulfilling their responsibility or not. However, these responsibilities are made for self-interests. People do not perform any responsibility to give advantage to animals, trees or any living being. Therefore, they cannot expect animals to fulfill any responsibility that is beneficial for humans. Animals have their own way of life which they follow. They live with their family and species without interfering in others' life. If an animal is not causing violence or destruction in society then humans claim that animals have no responsibility is incorrect.
Conclusion
Animal rights have always been a topic of debate for a long time. Experts, scholars, philosophers, sociologists and even psychologists have been debating over the issue and have presented their arguments. Both the sides, i.e., speaking in favor of animal rights and speaking against animal rights, have always given multiple and strong arguments to support their point of view. People also are the main creatures fit for boundless misuse and cold-bloodedness to different creatures, for the sake of their own privileges - right to soothe their needs and now even extravagances. Animals are created not only for man’s use as they are an essential part of nature. There is a proper life cycle on which Earth is working and every living being has its value for keeping a balance. Peter Singer, a great philosopher and one of the most noted utilitarianist, is also one of the biggest advocates of animal rights. He has strong arguments that animals should be given equal rights just like human beings but not on the basis of equal comparison. Carl Cohen is also a big advocate of animal rights. He suggests that chemicals should not be tested on animals as it inflicts pain on them and hurts them in the same manner just like it hurts humans. There is a big need that humans start accepting responsibility for their actions and think of repairing the damage that has been caused by them. People should start thinking selflessly and consider the other living being sharing the planet with them as living things, as well. They have the same rights and feelings as well, just like we do. They feel pain and have a right to live just like humans do. The sooner humans realize this, the better.
References
ADDIN ZOTERO_BIBL {"uncited":[],"omitted":[],"custom":[]} CSL_BIBLIOGRAPHY Scruton, Roger. “Animal Rights.” Analysis. Claves de Pensamiento Contemporáneo, vol. 21, no. 3, July 2018, pp. 1–13. HAL Archives Ouvertes, doi:10.5281/zenodo.2558706.
“Why Animal Rights?” PETA, 21 Oct. 2016, https://www.peta.org/about-peta/why-peta/why-animal-rights/.
Yount, Lisa. Animal Rights. Infobase Publishing, 2007.
