Do animals have rights?
Lots of discussion centers around "Animal Rights". Do animals have innate rights or do they enjoy some protections that we grant them under our human laws? If you claim they have no rights only legal protections, doesn't that make them akin to possessions under the law? If so, do you believe that humans have dominion over animals? If you claim they do have innate rights, rights that supercede human law, aren't you making the same claims as those who believe in "natural law" for humans? If so, do you believe that humans have dominion over animals? I'm confused. |
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| Well, I don't think it's right to have sex with animals, although I've heard of people not getting in trouble of having sex with them ...just where they did it. I also think it's not right to beat an animal to death, so I believe they should have rights.
However, I don't have a problem with a cow being properly killed, so people can eat it. |
| I think we need to make a distinction between the legal arena and the "real world". In the legal arena our rights don't come from any objective metaphysical standard, but only from the constitution. I don't see how that is different from the rights animals are accorded.
If we are speaking in the metaphysical sense of what our rights are, I would say that I have no idea if we or animals have innate rights. And because I am not sure I think the only reasonable answer would be to give people and animals the same opportunity to not be killed or abused. Also, a little tangent.. Animals are considered property under the law, BUT recently courts have been giving people who suffered the loss of an animal damages that are greater than whatever the fair market value is (which is what you would get if someone would break your table, and is what you used to get when someone would kill your dog). This distinguishes animals from the rest of property, and I guess puts them somewhere in the middle in the eyes of our legal system. |
| I think that if humans do have dominion over animals then humans also have a responsibility to treat them with kindness and respect. "With great power comes great responsibility."
I find this very interesting and am not sure of what I think yet. Ron, could you explain what you mean by "natural law" for humans. Is this something that is documented somewhere or is it something that is different depending on who you talk to? Is it religion-based or not? |
| I think animals should be treated like children. Children do not really have any rights, but they are given shelter, healthcare, food, abandoment laws, protection from abuse, etc.. by laws. Domesticated animals deserve the same, because they are a responsibility a person takes on, and they can not fend for themselves properly in most cases. |
| I am of the opinion that all life should be treated with respect and care, everything, from plants, to animals, to people, to our waters and land and sky.
It's not just about rights, it's about living harmoniously. Each part of our world is here for a reason, we need to take care of it. All of it. I don't eat meat much, but if I do I buy organically raised, free range, etc I have nothing against hunting for food or for another useful purpose (such as deer hunting, if no one hunted deer they would become too numerous and starve to death in great numbers causing suffering etc) I have nothing against wearing leather or suede either. I prefer to go in search of articles that have not been slaughtered inhumanely or wasted, but if a cow has to be eaten, why waste it's hide? Dogs,cats, and many other animals have been domesticated for thousands of years, and I do believe that because we as humans proliferated this species and taught them to trust us to care for them, that we are responsible and ethically bound to do so. Yes I believe everything has a right to exist, and not suffer.... but I also believe in the natural order of things. If I have a mouse in my basement you can bet I'm letting my cat go down there to catch it. The mice have plenty of room to live outside, but in my home they present a risk for health and safety issues. Yes I could trap it and set it free, but there's no shortage of mice... survival of the fittest, you are either the hunter or the hunted. |
| I really disagree that animals should be treated as children. In my opinion, treating animals as anything other than animals diminishes their dignity. I love my dogs, but they are dogs, and not child substitutes. I expect them to act like dogs. I treat them like dogs and understand taht they have limitations because they are dogs. Under law in most states, animals' right to humane treatment is implied in the laws forbidding cruel and inhumane treatment of animals. This also applies to farm situations, although I agree that factory farms are inhumane, and should not be tolerated.
I think there is often greater tolerance of bad conditions for animals than there should be. However, humans do have both power over and responsibility for animals under their care: how many of us neuter our animals because we feel they shouldn't reproduce (or because we don't want the hassel)? Would we do the same to our children, even if it was clear to us that our little angel was less than a perfect physical/emotional/mental specimen? Of course not. And not many think us inhumane or unfair to the pets we neuter or spay. We dress our pets in silly costumes or give them silly haircuts (well, I don't, but a lot of people do). My kids would say that is cruel and inhumane and humiliating to the animal, but most people who do it, do so out of love. I also disagree that children have no rights. They are under the supervision and dominion of parents and other adults, but they do have human rights, including the right to an education. If adults do not provide food, shelter, clothing and adequate supervision of their children, or exploit them, they can be charged with a crime and punished. This doesn't happen as often or as perfectly as it should, but all states and most countries have laws protecting and ensuring the welfare of children. |
| It's my belief that God gave man dominion over the animals. That holds man responsible/accountable for their treatment.
Rights? We (man and animal) all have responibilies. If everyone managed their responsibilities, there'd be no need for rights. Common sense, common courtesy and respect for one another. So simple. |
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