Animal Rights

[Andúnië]

So, animal rights. How far do you think it should go? Where is the boundary between "human" and "animal?" What should other species be entitled to in the eyes and judgement of humans? Do you think humans are superior to other species? Why do many people consider themselves as not being an animal?

[Scroll]

I want to say that I hate it when any animal is harmed. But I would contradict myself cause we kill cows and others for their meat to feed us. I also kill flies, bugs, mice, and things when hey are in my house.

[Andúnië]

I agree, we are self-contradictory sometimes in this case. There is no problem with killing animals to eat, because all carnivores and omnivores have to eat something to survive. It should also be okay to get rid of animals that invade our homes; that's self-defense. There is nothing wrong with killing if it is for a legitimate, ethical, and understandable purpose. However, some things, like going out to kill or harm animals that have done us no harm is like sending someone to jail before he committed a crime. Killing and using animals for sport is rediculous.

[Scroll]

Here here so true.

[Zaku]

Eh, I don't really think they have any rights. They are just products/forces of nature. We eat them and study them. But it does kinda suck when they're put through unnecessary suffering, and I frown on that.

[Andúnië]

I see where you're coming from. In a way, I do agree, other animals are pretty much part of the rest of the environment, as much as algae or anything else. But then, so are we. I think that campaigning all-out for animal rights equivalent to humans' is taking it a little to far, but I also believe that people should not assume that all other species are below us. Abuse is still unnecessary and unethical.

[LOTRfan1414]

animals are below us. We have the ability to think and reason, and they do not. They don't build beautiful civilizations, and amazing technologies. They are inferior to us, but that does not mean we shoul harm them. I agree that we should take care of our animal bretheren, but i definitly do not see them as equals.

[Beren One-Hand]

We definitely need to respect the "animal kingdom" - so to speak.  As humans, we are charged with being caretakers of this world - our environment.  But I do believe that animal testing is right when it comes finding cures for diseases.  This does not mean we are to be cruel.  I find it ironic that some people feel the need to protest this kind of stuff.  When, most probably, their own health and well-being most likely depended on some animal being tested, at some point in the past.

I don't condone hunting for sport either.  If one is hunting for food, then I would say that is okay.  Sport fishing seems to be okay too - because from what I've seen, the fish often get let go.

[QuietLunatic]

I live in an area whose main source of income are the mink ranches. We haven't been hit by animal rights activists, but I know of other mink ranches where they've set the mink free--which is stupid. These are ranch raised mink with NO hunting skills, and even if they do develop fairly quickly, you've just released maybe 200 predators into the ecosystem, which will wreak havoc on the natural balance.

I'm not against animal rights, and I think we should be decent to them, but let's not be insane about it.

[Beren One-Hand]

Good point.  Just think about the domestication of animals in general.  Most of these animals would have trouble surviving and adapting.  Try throwing the family dog out into the wild - I know for sure the coyotes would get her.

[kisna]

Human is of course superior among the living beings but that doesnt mean they have right to do anything to the animals. But the killing can be taken as a ecosystem. They depend upon other and we depend on them. I am talking about killing for meat.

[mtajim]

I think unless we dont bring things we say into our works , there is no way we can sa we support animal rights , we talk about it but kill animals for our food , its not going to help

[QuietLunatic]

But the animals we kill for food are raised for that purpose. If they weren't being raised for meat, they would simply vanish because they're not viable pets, and they don't exist in the wild, so then there's a chance they'd become extinct.

Human beings are omnivores and raising animals for meat is better than killing wild ones (we've already brought too many wild species to the brink of extinction and beyond). Same with raising animals for their fur. It's a business and no one has to buy fur who doesn't want it. But there's no need to be cruel to your livestock, whatever they might be.

[LOTRfan1414]

but don't animals kill each other for food anyway? If we kill only what we need, then I have no problem. I believe that we are on the right track for animal rights.

[Andúnië]

There is nothing wrong with killing for what you need. This argument should not really be about that, but how people acutally treat animals.