Introduction
Animal rights have become a major issue in the society. People have different views on animal rights. Some think that animals should be afforded the same consideration as human beings. Advocates of animal rights use different approaches to analyze the issue. They agree that animals should be viewed as non human persons and members of the community. The animals are part of the moral community and they should be provided with basic needs like food, water etc. In addition, animals should be accorded the right respect when being used as research subject and in entertainment.
Advocates for animal rights argue that human beings should stop seeing animals as property, but they should be treated kindly as they have equal rights as human beings. Most scholars have supported the idea of awarding animals rights like human beings. For instance, Alan, Dershwitz and other scholars recognize the importance of awarding animals rights. The thesis statement is whether animals should be accorded rights like human beings. This paper analyzes the animals’ rights. It analyzes the history of animal rights, the laws on animal rights.
Discussion
Animals should have rights like human beings
Animal right has become a concern in the society. People have used different approaches to explain whether animals should be accorded rights like human beings or not. Majority of the scholars and people in the society think that animals should have similar rights like human beings. Animals should have rights like human beings as it helps set limits for human behaviors. This makes it easy for people to protect the animals. Researchers claim that if people do not give animals rights, then it will be difficulty to control illegal behaviors like poaching. It is impossible to raise a legal proceeding against people who exceed the limits, if one does not set animal rights. Setting animal rights helps handle criminal cases committed against animals.
This has forced many organization to accord animals rights so as to protect them. Animals are vulnerable like human beings and they need the right cared. For instance, the animals have a right to be protected from diseases. The animals should be given medical treatment like human beings to protect them from infection and reduce the death rate. In addition, animals should be provided with food and water so as to help them survive. Lack of water and food has increased the number of animals dying from scarcity of water and food. It has also subjected the animals to diseases (Owen, 2009).
Providing animals with basic needs liked water, food and medical treatment will help them survive. Most people do not agree with animals being given rights. This has made it difficulty for people to protect the animals and provide basic needs to the animals. Moreover, animals should be given rights because they are defenseless and in control of man. Animals are not able to protect themselves from illegal human behaviors like poaching and hunting. This makes them more prone to the activities. Thus, giving animals rights will help protect them as human beings will always defend them. People who disregarding the wellbeing of animals should be held responsible for their actions as they violate animal rights (Owen, 2009).
Some scholars argue that animals should be given rights because they are able to think at some extend and they also feel pain. Human beings have been accorded rights because they are able to think and feel pain. This has made it easy for men to control the animals as they think they are superior than the animals. The perception held by human beings about animals has affected animals negatively. It has led to animals being mistreated. Though, animals are inferior , they think and feel pain, so they should have rights like human beings. For exampled, they should have from and good health (Owen, 2009).
Other people think that animals should not be given rights like human beings because of various reasons. First, the opponents argue that animals are not able to enter into a social contract and make moral choices. Thus, the animals should not be given rights like human beings. Human beings are able to reason and make moral choices and they should be given rights. Rogers Scrutiny in his work argues that only human beings have duties, but not animals and therefore human beings should be accorded rights. Moreover, the opponents state that animals should not be given rights though they are related to human beings.
Most people argue that animals are related to human beings and they should be given equal rights like human beings. Majority of the scholars disagree with this argument because it has negative effects on human beings. There are various microorganisms that cause diseases to human beings. For instance, bacteria’s, viruses cause diseases to human beings. Respecting such animals can bring more harm to the society than benefit. This is because it will increase the rate of diseases like HIV/AIDs in the society and also death rate. People are supposed to reduce the unnecessary suffering animals experience , but not accord them rights (Kobilnyk, 2007).
Further, animals are not able to enter social contracts as stated above. Only, men are able to enter into contract as they are members of the society and are allowed to have rights. In this context rights in the society are privileges that come with various social duties and moral responsibilities. Human beings are able to carry social duties and make ethical decisions, but not animals. Animals are not able to enter into contract because they are not moral or immoral, but they are amoral. Animals do not respect human rights as they are irrational.
A moral and irrational creatures do not have rights or duties. Animals are not rational and they have no rights or duties. So, they should not be granted rights. Human beings are either moral or immoral creatures. They have the capability to make ethical decisions. This has enabled countries to grant human beings rights in the consultations. All human beings have rights stated in the constitution. Animals are granted rights in different ways. For example, the government grants animals rights by conserving wild life and also ensuring they are used well in the research work (Kobilnyk, 2007).
History of animal rights
Pythagoras a Greek philosopher was the first pro animal activist in 6th century BC. He believed that animals have souls like human beings and they should be treated with respect like men. Pythagoras opposed any actions that affected animals negatively. For example, he opposed meat consumption and religious activities like animal sacrifice. This is because the activities led to killing of the animal souls (Owen, 2009).
In 450, BCE, another pro animal activist came up to protect the animals from cruel acts. Empedocles argued that animals should not be treated like slaves and people should not consume animal meat, but look for alternative foods. He opposed animal slavery as it affected the health and life of the animals. In addition, Empedocles argued that slaughtering and meat consumption are the most pathetic sins human beings commit. He equated animal slaughtering to murder and meat consumption to cannibalism. In the 4th century, a student also came up to support the protection of animals as they have rights.
Theophrastus disagreed with his instructor on meat consumption. He claimed that eating animals was not right as it robbed the animals their life. Animals are able to sense and feel like human beings and subjecting them to pain during slaughter was not right. Theophrastus though that it was unfair to kill animals in order to consume the meat, instead of protecting them (Owen, 2009).
The debate on animal consumption continued for several years in different countries. This led to enaction of laws to protect animals. The first ancient law to protect animals and accord them rights came from India. King Asoka of India established the law to protect animals. He emphasized that animals should not be slaughtered or sacrificed as it infringes their right to life etc. India does not encourage violence against animal and human beings. Human beings and animals are accorded various rights. Some religions in the country accord animals their rights. For instance, the Jainism do not encourage animal, cruelty as it affects their health and life. The Janis ask for forgiveness at the end of the day for having killed some animals (Owen, 2009).
Between 106 BCE and 120 BCE Cicero, Virgil and Plutarch opposed the human domination over other creatures. They also opposed animal cruelty as it affected the animals. Human beings controlled animals and mistreated them. This lead to death and suffering to the animals. In their work, the activist pleaded with human beings to recognize the suffering animals experienced because of their cruel acts. The activists encouraged human beings to care for animals and protect them from pain instead of misusing them. In c347-407, St.Chrysosxtom also campaigned against animal cruelty (Owen, 2009).
Between 1712 and 1778,Jean Jacques Rousseau argued that animal have no souls and brains and so they cannot think or feel pain. He argued that animals are sensitive creatures and they should be treated with care. In addition, he argued that animals are useful in the natural universe and man has the right to protect them. Man has some duties towards animals. For instance, man is supposed to give animals food, shelter and protect them from being mistreated. Thus, man should grant animals some rights (Ely, 2004).
Between 1760 and 1973, John Oswald, a Scottish writer campaigned for animal rights in his work. In his work, “Cry of nature” and “an Appeal to mercy and justice on behalf of the persecuted animals”, john encouraged human beings to protect animals. He opposed killing of animals as it subjected them to pain and affected their life. He argued that men should look for alternative sources of food, but not slaughter animals (Ely, 2004).
In1635, Ireland passed a law for animal rights. Ireland passed an act to protect the animals from violent acts. Tayle passed the “act against plowing” the same year. Also, Thomas wentwsorth passed “the pulling the wool off living sheep act”. The acts were aimed at according animals rights and protecting their rights. In 1641, the United States government passed a law to protect animal rights. The laws were passed in Massachusetts. The laws were dived into two sections. That is section 92 and 93. Section 92 states that nobody is allowed to exercise ant cruel act towards any creature that is kept for mans use. In section, 93, the government claimed that any one who drove the animal from one place to another for a long distance such that animals became hungry, fell sick should give the animal the right rest. From that time many plea for legislation in the country were heard. Most people have pleaded that inhumane treatment of animal is illegal.
They were heard between 1737 and 1799. In 1800, the United States government passed some bills to protect animals from cruel and improper treatment. Richard martin 1822 bill to protect cattle from cruel and improper treatment was passed. This was the first successful animal rights legislation passed in 1822. In 1822,Schopenhauer, a Europe resident argued that animals have the same spirit as human beings, though they do not reason. He pleaded the government to give animals some consideration in terms of morality. He also opposed mistreatment of animals during experimental research. For instance he opposed vivisection as a way of experimental medical research (Ely, 2004).
In1824, Britain established the first society for prevention of animal cruelty. The group expanded to other European countries. The group was first established in New York in 1866. In1898, Henry Salt wrote the first book on animal rights, titled “Animals’ Rights: Considered in Relation to Social Progress.” In1933, the Nazis party enacted a law to protect animals from cruel actions.In1975, peter singer established an argument about animal liberation his book titled” Animal Liberation”, the “bible” of the animal rights liberation movement”. This was after scholars debated on animal morality.
The scholars had different views on animal morality. Some though animal morality was inferior to human morality. Others though that human morality was superior to animal morality. In 1880s and 1990s, many countries established animal rights movement to protect animal rights. The movements have become common in the modern society. This has forced the government to establish laws to protect and conserve animals (Ely, 2004).
Law of animal rights
Many governments have established laws on animal rights to protect animals from cruel actions. For instance, the governments have established conservation laws to protect wild animals. The laws are aimed at protecting the animal from illegal acts like poaching and hunting. Poaching and hunting have affected wild animals in different ways. For instance they have led to death of wild animals. Also, they have led to extinction of some species. The laws established protect the animals from rampant killing and extinction. Moreover, the laws are aimed at providing the animals with basic needs. Animals are supposed to be provided with basic needs as stated above.
For example, the animals are provided with food, water and shelter. The conservation laws ensure wild animals get enough foods, water and medical treatment. This has enabled the government to protect animal rights. Apart from the conservation laws there are other laws that are aimed at protecting animals from cruel actions. Different countries have established laws to eliminate animal cruelty. Every state in United States has laws that prohibit cruelty to animals (Ely, 2004).
The laws do not give animals rights, but they give legal protection to the animals. The laws established prevent any kind of violence and protect the animals from being mistreated and from cruelty. The governments have imposed fines and imprisonment on such crimes. Most of the laws established to protect animals are based on morality. The laws focuse on keeping people straight. Many states in the country have recognizes that animal crudity , neglect and abuse is a challenge for the society. This has forced them to enact laws to protect the.
For instance, Alabama has enacted laws that protect animals from cruelty. Chapter 11, article 13A outlines the laws that prevent animals from being mistreated. Article 13 states that a person commits a crime of cruelty to animals if he subjects the animal’s to cruel mistreatment. Also, a person commits a crime of cruelty to the animals if he subjects the animals in custody to cruel neglect, kills or injures them without any proper reason (Ely, 2004).
Science experiment on animal
Animals have been used in research as subject like human beings. Animal experiments are used in many countries to develop new medicines and test products if they are safe. Most of the experiments cause pain to the animals used as subject. Also, the experiments reduce the quality of life of the animal in various ways. Some of the experiments might subject the animals to death or injuries. Most people think that it is morally wrong to subject animals to pain and suffering during experiments. This has forced countries to enact laws to govern the use of animals in experiments (Carbone, 2004).
Researchers are aware of the negative effect experiments have on animals. Using animals to test cosmetic and drugs has negative effects on them. The scientists give animals diseases intentionally to see if the new drug has effect on the disease and side effects. The animals used in the test develop tumors and die (Grinny planet, 2004).
Most researchers have different views on use of animals in experiments and drug testing. Some argue that the experiments should be made humane so as to prevent the animals from suffering and pain. The researchers should ensure that the suffering is minimized in any experiment. Also, researchers should use alternative methods to carry out experiments. This will help reduce suffering among animals and prevent injuries. The animals should be treated equally with human beings and given their rights. For instance, animals have the right to be protected from pain, suffering and death. additionally, the researchers argue that the drug and experiments can be tested using other methods that are less harmful to animals and human beings. Scientists are required to follow the three Rs when carrying out research so as to reduce the impact on animals (Carbone, 2004).
The three Rs are reduction, refinement and replacement. Reduction helps the scientists to reduce the number of animals used in experiments. It also helps them improve experimental techniques and data analysis technique. In replacement, the scientist ate supposed to replace animals with other techniques. For example, scientists can experiment on cell culture instead of using whole animals. Also, the scientists can use computer models and study human volunteers. Also, the scientists can use epidemiological studies. In refinement, the scientists should refine the methods used to care for the animals during research so as to reduce the suffering. They can use less invasive techniques and better medical care. The methods are aimed at ensuring animals do not suffer (Grinny planet, 2004).
Change from past ’till now and then future.
The perception on animals has changed greatly for the last ten decades. Human beings have started to value animals. They have established laws to protect animals. The laws protect animals from illegal actions. Also, they have changed how animals are used in experiments. The scientist have adopted new techniques to carry out research and test drugs so as to reduce pain and suffering among animals. The perception about animals is likely to change in future. People will develop more laws to protect animals. Also, they will accord animals rights. Also, how animals are used in science experiments will change. For instance, scientists will be forced to use other techniques (Grinny planet, 2004).
Conclusion
In conclusion, animals should be accorded rights like human beings. This is because the animals experience pain like human beings. The animals are supposed to be provide with basic needs like water, food and treatment. The campaign against animal rights started long time ago. Most governments have established laws to protect animals from cruel actions. The laws prevent inhumane bedhaviors like poaching and killing of animals. Scientists have used animals in experiments. The scientists have been forced to use other methods to reduce suffering. For example, the scientists have used the three Rs stated above to prevent suffering.
Reference
Personal-Care Products — An Easy Call on Animal Testing. Retrieved from http://www.grinningplanet.com/2004/10-12/cosmetics-animal-testing-article.htm on 18/10/2010.
