animal rights Essay Examples

Write an Essay on Animal Rights

The topic of animal rights is a highly controversial one. However, opinions are not that different when it comes to the outcome of acknowledging the fact that humans are not the only living beings that have rights. By animal rights, we understand that humans should not be allowed to engage in actions that may cause harm to other living creatures. According to the moral principles encompassing the subject of animal rights, it is not acceptable to treat animals in ways that may be regarded as cruel. People ought to acknowledge the fact that animals must not be treated badly. Moreover, as advocated by animal rights, as well as the moral principles surrounding them, humans ought to abstain themselves from growing, breeding and murdering animals for the purpose of turning them into food. By acknowledging certain animal rights philosophies, one would agree that it is wrong to carry out scientific experiments on animals. Moreover, animal rights doctrines stipulate that animals must not be reproduced or murdered, regardless of the circumstances. This restriction of breeding and killing animals applies to the situation in which one would want to use them for nourishment, clothing, and even pharmaceutical products. In addition to that, non-human entitlements also state that animals must not be exploited for hard labor, as is the case with domestic animals, like mules or horses. Once again, as per the moral doctrine behind human rights, exploiting animals is strictly prohibited and cannot be justified regardless of the context. Philosophers have generally steered clear of the subject of non-human rights. Apparently, they have refused to speak their mind on this topic because the outcome of animal rights implies restrictions when it comes humans reliance on animals. Furthermore, philosophers also state that the concept of granting legal rights to an animal is so straightforward that it appears to be disregarding common sense. In general, the topic of animal rights springs from the situation of the entitlement that humans benefit from. Those in favor of this perspective point out the fact that people are also animals and that there is no substantial distinction between full-aged mammals and the animals that do not belong to the homo sapiens species. As a result, they claim that grown-up mammals are also entitled to rights. The primary motive that substantiates the concept of an animal being worthy of receiving the same rights as a human is the fact that humans and animals are quite similar in terms of biological features and intricacy. Similarly to humans, animals are conscious of their existence. Simply put, animals are aware of the fact that they are alive. Furthermore, animals are also aware of the things that they are going through. Same as humans, other mammals have both likes and dislikes and can make deliberate choices. These are a few of the arguments that are sustained by those who advocate human rights. Animals also tend to conduct their existence in a manner that provides them with an optimal standard of living, a behavior that is not at all different to that of humans. Another aspect related to this matter is the fact that animals can organize their existence and take care of their lifespan. An even more challenging issue is to grant animals the rights that they are entitled to by putting an end to hard animal labor. All in all, according to the viewpoints of animal rights advocates, non-human mammals have innate codes of behavior, same as humans. Therefore, they must be offered the same rights as humans.

Another moral issue brought to the attention by those in favor of animal rights is the fact that it is not ethical to prey on non-human animals for the purpose of eating them, regardless of the circumstances. Animals also benefit from the right of living their life. As such, it is wrong to murder them for food. In addition to that, using animals for amusement or tourism-related purposes ought to be prohibited. This also means that zoological gardens should be closed down. From a moral perspective, animal rights advocates justify this idea by claiming that both human and non-human animals have identical rights; namely, those of being granted the respect they are owed as living creates. Consequently, it is pivotal to regard animals with the utmost respect, as living beings, who are not supposed to be exploited for the amusement of people or as any other means of accomplishing human the needs (BBC Ethics Guide). A lot of mammals have been used in scientific studies in plenty of laboratories from all over the world. This way, people have been trespassing the rights that animals are inherently entitled to. The concept and the procedure of using animals as specimens for scientific trials have been shrouded by dissensions. All of these controversies led to the conclusion that the use of non-human mammals for research purposes should stop. This statement is especially important now, as more and more animals are dying in the wake of some of these studies. Any living creature has the natural born right to lead an independent existence, which is something that no one should ever be allowed to meddle with. A large number of people have pets such as cats, dogs, guinea pigs, or turtles. From a moral perspective, this is not so different from enslavement, seeing as these creatures are held captive inside people’s houses and are not allowed to live their life as intended by the natural order of things. One should never forget that both humans and non-human animals have the natural right of leading their own existence and being free to do as they please at any given time. Any living being, whether human or animal, has senses and ought to be allowed to dispose of those senses as they see fit.

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