Animal Rights vs Animal Welfare Main Idea What

Animal Rights vs. Animal Welfare

Main Idea… • What is the difference between animal rights and animal welfare?

Animal Rights • To end all human "exploitation" of animals this includes, but is not limited to, raising and slaughtering of livestock for human or animal consumption, eating meat, hunting, using animals for any medical or veterinary research, zoos (regardless of how well managed), circuses, rodeos, horseshows, dogshows, animals performing in TV commercials, shows or movies (regardless of how well treated any of the above are), guide-dogs for the blind, police dogs, search & rescue dogs, and the practice of owning pets. • Organizations: PETA (People For The Ethical Treatment Of Animals)

Animal Welfare • To prevent suffering and cruelty to animals. And to provide care and good homes for pets in need. This often includes, but is not limited to, the funding and running of animal shelters (to provide a sanctuary for abandoned, abused, homeless, or unwanted pets, and to place them in good homes where possible, provide painless euthanasia for those that cannot be adopted, and to educate the public about the need for spaying/neutering their pets to prevent more surplus animals ending up in shelters), enforcement of anti-cruelty statutes (where their authority permits), nitiating, lobbying for, and monitoring enforcement of legislation to ensure more humane standards of care for livestock, laboratory animals, performing animals, and pets • ASPCA (American Society For The Prevention Of Cruelty To Animals) • MSPCA (MA Society For The Prevention Of Cruelty To Animals) • NAIA (The National Animal Interest Alliance) http: //www. naiaonline. org/aboutus. htm (at present there is a controversy regarding 2 of the 20+ persons on their board of directors who represent the "pet industry. " Upon review of the facts, I cautiously endorse NAIA. To decide for yourself, please click on link below) http: //www. angelfire. com/vt 2/rutland/NAIAcontroversy. html

• Farm animal treatment is a public concern, however, – Fewer Americans have lived on a farm – Most people don’t know what farm animals are like – Farm animals are not pets – Farm animals are not characters in the books and movies we see

Agriculture is changing too… • Confining animals to crates or pens is more common but in more humane ways – Hogs used to be stacked on top of one another…the top hog would be fed quality grains while the hogs below would feast of the breakdown of the above animals

• cat with implanted electrodes. Cats are popular subjects of neurophysiology experiments because vivisectors think that their brain has similarities with the human brain.

Some People ask. . • Is confinement more efficient use of resources or is it cruel and stressful? • Should scientist be tinkering with animals or are they simply improving them? • Should these and other practices be regulated by law?

• The American Veterinary Medical Association Policy on Animal Welfare and Animal Rights describes animal welfare as: • ". . . a human responsibility that encompasses all aspects of animal well-being, including proper housing, management, nutrition, disease prevention and treatment, responsible care, humane handling, and, when necessary, humane euthanasia. "

Practical arguments • Animal testing has helped to develop vaccines against diseases like rabies, polio, measles, mumps, rubella and TB. • Antibiotics, HIV drugs, insulin and cancer treatments rely on animal tests. Other testing methods aren't advanced enough. • Operations on animals helped to develop organ transplant and openheart surgery techniques http: //news. bbc. co. uk/cbbcnews/hi/teachers/citizenship_11_14/subject_areas/human_rights/newsid_3430000/3430169. stm

Ethical Arguments • Human life has greater intrinsic value than animal life. • Legislation protects all lab animals from cruelty or mistreatment. • Millions of animals are killed for food every year - if anything, medical research is a more worthy death. • Few animals feel any pain as they are killed before they have the chance to suffer.

From the lab at Oxford University… • Advanced made from the scientific research conducted at Oxford include the discovery of penicillin, treatments for hemophilia and childhood leukemia, and the development and trials of vaccines for meningitis in children. Oxford has helped contribute to our understanding of heart disease, cancer, bird flu, infectious diseases and numerous other illnesses. And if we are able to continue our research with animals, we can help find cures for these illnesses.

Animal Welfare • • Encourages proper care Humane treatment Reduce stress to maintain profits Humans have more rights than animals

Animal Rights • Goes beyond welfare • Animals have rights equal to humans • Animals should not be used for food, clothing, research, etc…

Other topics of Discussion… • Rodeos • Hunting – http: //sun. menloschool. org/~sportman/ethi cs/project/topics/wessler/

What do you think?