Animal Rights

What are animal rights? ▪ Animal rights is the idea that some, or all, non-human animals are entitled to the possession of their own lives, and that their most basic interests – such as the lack of suffering – should be afforded the same consideration as similar interests of human beings. (Wikipedia) ▪ Animal cruelty is when some or all of these rights have been taken away through neglect, psychological harm or acts of violence.

The use of animals as pets. ▪ Keeping animals as pets is a big responsibility. No matter what animal you choose to have, it needs food, water, love and shelter. In return, pets show you loyalty, affection and can help keep you healthy and happy. ▪ Sadly many people do not realise this and often, animals are returned or dumped because the owner can no longer cope. Sometimes, animals are kept but badly mistreated and forced to fight other animals. ▪ What would you do if you knew someone who could not cope with or mistreated their pet? How could you help them?

The use of animals for food. Since the world began, people have been using animals as a source of food. In the Ancient World, status and power had much to do with what exotic food one ate and people gave little thought to the rights of the animals. In Genesis 1:26, the scripture infers that God made man superior to all other animals and was therefore able to do with nature what he pleased. Christian thinkers believed they could treat animals badly because humans had no moral obligation to the animals and the animals did not feel pain or suffering. Today, the majority of people in the world are still omnivores but they are increasingly trying to think of ways to continue eating meat and poultry but also doing so sustainably and ethically, such as free range farms and grain and grass fed animals. Times are changing….. What are your views?

The use of animals for sport. ▪ Many animals are used for sports around the world and have been for many years. ▪ Racing, specifically involving horses and greyhounds, is the most popular animal related sport and is enjoyed by millions of people worldwide. ▪ Many trainers and owners treat their animals with respect and care but what about those that don’t? Is it fair to be making animals partake in these sports? ▪ Recently, 55 greyhounds were found in a mass grave in Bundaberg, Queensland, because they did not perform on the track to the satisfaction of their owners. ▪ Did they deserve that kind of cruelty?

The use of animals for research purposes. ▪ One of the biggest issues in animal rights relates to using animals for research. Most agree that cosmetic testing on animals is cruel and unnecessary, but many are torn when the ‘testing’ is for research purposes for human diseases. ▪ The ‘Cruelty to Animals Act 1849’ was passed in UK parliament and it set limits on the practice of using animals for experimentation. Many countries have their own variation but the main focus is that the research is scientifically justified or absolutely necessary. ▪ Animal rights movements started in the early 1970s by university students in the UK and there are many organisations set up today that focus on animal cruelty through testing. The difficulty lies in this….. If testing on 50 mice could save millions of human lives, is it animal cruelty or a necessity for us to advance in science?

THERE ARE MANY OTHER ORGANISATIONS THAT ADVOCATE ANIMAL RIGHTS AND HELP FIGHT AGAINST ANIMAL CRUELTY. WHICH ONES WILL YOU RESEARCH FURTHER AND WHAT MIGHT YOU BE ABLE TO DO TO HELP…….

Assessment Task 1. A mini-research project on an allocated contemporary personal or social issue. Issues in the Teaching and Co-ordination of Religious Education - EDRE 623 Debra Hague S