It makes no sense to me to read that scientist argue that because animals have no language they can't express pain and because of it we cannot be sure they are feeling pain. First of all, language is not only verbal, there is body language, expresions, etc. If you do anything to cause an animal pain they do react. They screech or cry or run away scared. You can clearly can see that an animal is in pain or suffering. Is Roger Scruton saying that if you can't do obligations, you have no rights? So according to him does that mean babies or handicap people who can't do their obligations have no rights either? I believe it is our duty as human beings to be compasionate and considerate to our fellow human beings. I agree with Kant.
Torturing animals is very concerning and shows how emotionless we as humans are to accept this in our “modern society.” The only time this should be acceptable is when it is laboratory work has a positive benefit for the human race or species involved. Today corporations are making slaughterhouses not sound as inhumane as they really are. What do they mean by “humane slaughterhouse?” Humans eating as much meat as they do (especially in the United States) are having horrible health effects. The environment is also hurting from all of this abuse that we humans put on Earth. How is it acceptable to eat meat in front of your pet, but say it is inhuman to eat them? There is a horrible double standard in this country.
I can't agree with either position outright. On one hand animal cruelty is wrong because a) it inflicts pain on an innocent creature and b) is unnecessary in terms of survival. Therefore, unnecessary cruelty towards another animal should not be inflicted upon it. That being said, I do not think that it is wrong to eat animals. The law of nature and natural selection dictate that for survival animals will eat other animals lower on the food chain. While we have a variety of options on what we can eat, we aren't obligated, and shouldn't be, to eat me, but we certainly shouldn't be asked to abstain from it either. The counter to this argument is that animal products are bad for us and cause health issues, but this is not always the case. Yes certain animal products are bad for us, but not all. Some animal products are good for us and have numerous good effects. This is not to say that we should exclusively eat animals, but like with all things dietary, in the proper amounts eating animals can be quite healthy for us. In short we shouldn't feel guilty about eating animals. However it is wrong to inflict unnecessary cruelty and pain upon them.
I can't fathom the idea that there are humans out there who believes that animals can't feel pain as we do. Pain doesn't have any particular dialect that it speaks, so there is nothing that can prove animals don't feel pain as we do. I have seen and heard for myself animals react to pain the way they screech or cry. I feel that this earth is big enough to be shared by humans and animals. How selfish can human beings be to hunt or torture animals for profit. The same way us as humans have a right to life so do animals. How would we feel if animals decided that they were going to hunt us for their own rituals.
First of all,I find the argument that scientists make that animals can not feel pain because they have no language to be totally absurd. It is common sense that animals do feel pain. I agree with Tania that just because they have no verbal language does not mean that they do not feel pain. As she said, there is body language after all. I am totally against animal cruelty, but then again I always eat meat. Consequently, I do sometimes think about these arguments that come up about animal cruelty. At the same time I also feel like its not my fault that I eat meat. I was raised a certain way and I do not believe it is bad to eat meat or chicken and believe that and animal cruelty are two different things. I must end this post with the words I saw on the picture, "Don't treat others the way you don't want to be treated." Even if it means that "others" refers to animals.
I was raised to eat meat, since I was a kid. I am cuban and much of the cuban cuisine incorporates some, if not a lot, of meat. I never had a problem with it until I was 16. I had a friend who was a vegetarian and she really opened my eyes to the cruel treatment of the animals we harvest. After that I tried to become a vegetarian, but after a few month, I started to crave meat so I gave in. Ever since, I have tried hard not to think about the malicious treatment of our harvest. However, when it comes to mean treatment to pets and such, I try to support the animal rights for a more humane treatment.
Cruelty to animals is a vicious and brutal crime and I personally do not see a difference between us and them. The idea of language and rights does not qualify to be as well thought out argument and I have to agree with Singer and Regan; actions can show pain and discomfort and who are we to decided their rights or rolls in this world. For example, an infant child who has no understanding of right and wrong or any knowledge of language has the ability to show when he is feeling sick by touching his ear, tired by rubbing his eyes and hungry by making motion to his mouth. With all the research in today’s society we can understand that animals also have a way expressing such needs, even when they are in pain. Animals do have a purpose; fore something cannot be made of nothing, right? We as humans take into possession anything that we feel is owed to us; we are all guilty of this. I do not understand how an animal, especially a wild animal that has lived freely and carelessly in its own habitat for so many years can be trained to live a better life in our homes. Not that it’s impossible, but I feel that an animal of such power can rebel and has the right to. As a matter of fact we are doing the most damage to ourselves and the animals because we are mix breading and causing an over population of animals, most often with snakes. I remember reading a segment of how the Everglades has been a dropping ground for Pythons and that son it will become a battle between Alligators vs. Burmese Pythons. These Exotic Snakes are taking over the native alligator’s habitat and we are basically to blame. On a lighter note, I just as so many other people do not think of the killing or slaughtering of the animals we eat. I think of the circle of life and luckily we seem to be on the top of the food chain. I do believe that our culture has brought us up to behave like carnivores in which case may lead us to become cannibals when the well runs dry. I do not agree the hormones that are injected into the animals or plants in order to produce an abundant amount of meat and vegetables; again I feel that we are digging our own grave.
I have been a vegetarian for 15 years now and it would be really hard for me to go back to the way my culture is used to eating. I come from a country where we eat red meat for lunch and dinner and no one questions on whether or not the animal we are eating felt pain when it was killed. This is never ever mentioned. It is so terrible that we do not care about the suffering of all these animals we kill everyday for our consumption. I know that in some countries in the world, this concern with the issue of making an animal suffer is very important. Muslims and Jewish people slaughter their animals in such a way that they do not suffer but some animal rights activists have criticized even this technique. Scientist had created many amazing things for the evolution of our society. I believe we are capable of figuring out a better way of slaughtering animals without causing them so much pain. Diana Hernandez
I am really passionate about this topic and even though it is hard to talk about it, I understand how necessary it is to do so. As an Argentinean, I was raised eating meat with a side of meat. In 2008 I did the “impossible”: I became a vegetarian. I took that decision as I was watching the video “Meet Your Meat”. Two minutes in, and my life changed forever. I am not against people eating meat or using animal by products per se. I just would like for everybody to know what happens behind the scenes, and from there they can make a conscious decision about their choices. In order to mass produce and save money, companies are more than willing of creating a living hell for animals (from “debeaking”, culling, and a million more torturing methods.) In the United States alone, the food industry is a multi billion dollar one: They have the means to spare the animals (and its workers) from these horrible living and working conditions. How much more money they need to save??? We are paying for this, and we do not question anything. I know is hard to change habits but the truth is that even if people choose not to see, that does not mean the problem is not there. If something is wrong, and we know it and do not even try to be part of the solution then, like to admit it or not, we are part of the problem. As meat eaters, you deserve to be able to enjoy your meals guilt-and-cruelty-free and know what you are putting in your mouth. For me is so clear that animals feel pain, as I have five fingers on my hand. If I step on my dog’s tail, he yells; when I leave him alone, he cries for a while, etc (check Dr. Christiaan Barnard’s Chimp/Heart Transplant experiment for a more qualified opinion). Animals express pain behavior and have a nervous system that functions similar to ours in most cases. And even if it is not proven that they can feel pain, it is NOT proven otherwise either, therefore, we should not have the right to harm them, period. Aren’t we the SUPERIOR beings with the ability to REASON? This means we are knowingly doing something terrible borderline evil. If this is what makes us superior then I am ashamed of my status. Human exceptionalism is nothing but an excuse, an easy way out.
For those interested in vegetarinism go to www.veggie123.com and download the easy-to-read book (it helped me a lot). Also, I can give you a list of cruelty free products and where to get them(including eggs and such.)Any step, even the smallest one, that we take towards change count. Mahatma Ghandi once said: "Everything you do in life will be insignificant, but it's very important that you do it"
I love this topic! I am a vegetarian, and I proud of being vegetarian. I became vegetarian one year ago because I am against animal cruelty. I respect people who eat meat, but I do not understand people when they say that animals do not feel pain. In order to feel pain you need a nervous system which animals have it, so I completely agree that animals' life should be respected. They are not only killed for food but also for clothes, fun, and so many absurd studies. I did a research for my writting class, and since that moment I understood better all the suffering that animals go through. Communication can be verbal and non-verbal; this means that animals do not need to talk to express their fear or their pain. When babies are scared or feel any pain they don't talk, but they find a way to let us know their feelings. Are babies' feelings less important because they can't talk? In my humble opinion not. I am not comparing humans with animals, but I think that we should be more informed about animals' rights. "Life is as dear to a mute creature as it is to man. Just as one wants happiness and fears pain, just as one wants to live and not die, so do other creatures" The Holiness The Dalai Lama
For one I have mixed feelings on the rights of animals. What kind of rights are we talking about? As far as animals, what animals should or shouldn’t have rights? I do believe that imposing unnecessary pain on animals’ pets is wrong. And in this case yes, pets should have some type of rights. If all and any animals have rights we all will be forced to become vegetarians. To say animals don’t have a language and don’t know when they are suffering is absurd. They do whimper run away, hid etc. Such as babies that can’t say “I am in pain” they just cry and parents have to guess what is wrong. Animals have what should be called “the unspoken” language. They don’t talk but they can communicate.
My opinion is that animal are capable of feeling pain and therefore we have a moral obligations to recognize their rights. However people react or think according to what they experience in their community or their surroundings. I grew up in a third world country I seen people kill animals on a daily bases to make ends meet. At the time that was the norms for me, until I started traveling in country with better structure or as we say it more civilize my attitude have change. However as bad as I feel about animals’ cruelty, I’m still a meat eater. I was having a conversation with a friend of mine I explain to her how I used to witness how they kill animal; her answer was if would of seen something like that I wouldn’t eat meat anymore. That makes me realize that most people used that as an excuse since I don’t see it than I have no guilt. I would be a liar if I denied the fact that I’m one of them. I do feel bad for the animals but when I’m enjoying a nice New York steak, animal cruelty is the last thing on my mind.
Animals have as much right in this world as human do. Just because animals can’t speak like people do, doesn’t mean they can’t feel pain. You’d be blind if you say you can’t tell when an animal is in pain. Animals, like human, have feelings; though they can’t say “I’m in pain” they can express their pain through body language. No animal should ever be experimented on for human gain. These innocent creatures should be treated with value just like any human living on this planet.
Animals feel pain as human being does. It is not necessary to express pain through language to recognize the suffering of an animal. It is true that animals are not subject of obligations however; we need to treat them with respect. A comparison can be made with the babies who cannot express their pain using the language. In fact, they cry and make different sounds to communicate the pain like the animals do in the same situation. In addition, babies don not have obligations only rights, the same condition can be applied to animals. I think that we have to respect the animals whether or not the society recognized animal’s rights. Nevertheless, it is difficult to create consciousness in this matter in a society where the human rights sometimes are not respected and preserved. Juliana Canon
Animal Cruelty is one of those topics and issues that straddle a fine line as to what our western culture would define as animal cruelty. I personally have very strong feelings towards animal cruelty as it reflects to inhuman and abusive treatment of any animal. Yet, I also have some biases and mixed feelings towards the benefits such as meat, and other uses we consume in our daily lives that come from the life of an animal. I have seen other videos like the one linked too on animals being abused in farms where they slaughter animals, and I must confess that I had to turn my head away because its cruel to treat any human thing in that manner.
I feel that animals do need rights, yet what will that look like? I have been always bothered when I have stumbled upon an ESPN show where these hunters shoot a deer in the woods. I find that to be inhumane and cruel to kill an animal as a sport. I personally think their cowards and need to be shot at… Just kidding.
My bias would appear to be that our consumer markets benefits greatly from the life of an animal. Just imagine what restaurants would look like not being as profitable without the selling of meat, local markets, Nike and other shoe manufacturing companies would cease to exist since most shoes are leather made material, clothing stores would be exempt of leather jackets, and so on.
If I may interject something spiritual or biblical for a second, Acts 10:9-16, the Apostle Peter was hungry after a long journey and while falling into a trance saw a vision of a all kinds of four-footed beast, and other types of creatures. Then as God calls to Peter, He says, “Rise, Peter; kill and eat”. Though this has other theological implication, the fact is that God permits us to eat meat. The question is not rather we eat meat or not, but rather we treat animals in away that is humane or abusive.
I believe animals that are raised to later be slaughtered for their meat need to be treated better in many situations. I enjoy eating meat, but sometimes I question the treatment of the animals I am consuming, especially from massive corporations. Foie gras totally repels me, but sometimes a giant burger is all I want to eat. I guess I am torn, it is difficult to stop eating meat when you've grown up unaware of the animal cruelty involved in preparing many meals served by fast food restaurants.As for science, unfortunately many drugs must be tested on animals before they can be approved by the FDA, I think it is sad, but necessary.
Animals are part of our living, for example they can be man’s best friends. Animals should have certain rights to not be treated in such a cruel manner. Animals may not have language to speak to us but we can certainly tell what they may be expressing through facial expressions or body language. All animals can relate to some type of human characteristic, for example when animals hunt for their food or when they are in pain one can hear yelling, squirming, or screeching. My dog, Shadow, is afraid of a child safety gate, so every time we move the gate my dog runs as far as possible from the gate. So in a sense animals have their way of expressing how they feel and what they want through body language. Animals should have some rights so they are not run over and mistreated. Michelle Mazoleny
This is a very interesting topic and to understand that animals have rights is a little difficult. I am from Cuba, and I was a fisherman. I remember that I killed many sea turtles for meat and profit. In this country, I do not want to say that I will not it again, but if I need it because I am hungry, that could be almost impossible, I would think in something else. In my opinion, some animals do not have rights like farm animals but the rest of them should have rights. I remember the class before when the professor said do not kill the ants, and I thought about this issue and my opinion was that because they are always in my kitchen in the middle of the way and in some foods they bother me and I should kill them. Analyzing these problems my conclusion was that the main responsible is me to leave everything dirty in my kitchen. Right now, I clean everything in my kitchen to avoid them. Also, tortures animals are very inhume, and the person who do it, should be sick or have any problem.
This is a very interesting topic and to understand that animals have rights is a little difficult. I am from Cuba, and I was a fisherman. I remember that I killed many sea turtles for meat and profit. In this country, I do not want to say that I will not it again, but if I need it because I am hungry, that could be almost impossible, I would think in something else. In my opinion, some animals do not have rights like farm animals but the rest of them should have rights. I remember the class before when the professor said do not kill the ants, and I thought about this issue and my opinion was that because they are always in my kitchen in the middle of the way and in some foods they bother me and I should kill them. Analyzing these problems my conclusion was that the main responsible is me to leave everything dirty in my kitchen. Right now, I clean everything in my kitchen to avoid them. Also, tortures animals are very inhume, and the person who do it, should be sick or have any problem.
It's a complex situation. I suppose there are sacrifices made for science. The question is: what is the motive behind the testing. If the reasoning is: scientists are doing it to improve the qualiity of life for people, or to preserve a species or something, then it's completely understandable. If they are hoping to find a way to more humanely dispatch animals from their ability to live, so we may have food, that is understandable too. I do agree with nadelson, seeing as we are the nation of excess, obesity, and overindulgence we have a high demand for food and need to kill a large amount of animals and that is a reason finding a humane way of killing them is necessary. But, I believe that man should not be allowed to eat anything we cannot kill ourselves. That's how it works in nature, if you can't kill it you can't it eat. I think it's ridiculous all these fat people complaining that they hate seeing animals killed and they despise seeing raw meat, but they are the first ones to down 5 hamburgers. I suppose we are modern scavengers. Someone else has to kill the food and whatever scraps they sell, we consume. To avoid all these issues with scientists trying to find ways to humanely kill food for us, we should have to raise and kill our own food, it should give us a different outlook on food, help us slim down and value the meat we eat, as well as teach us some self control. If you have to kill and slice your own meat, it'll weed out the men from the mice.
When one looks at things with balance and acts as, its outcome will be truly wise. I believe that animals has the right to be treated with kindness. For intances, I have a parrot at home and I would say that I try to keep him safe according to his needs. Even though animals can not reason like human beings do, they are capable to follow their instinct to defend their gender coservation. In regards to animals cruelty just for pleasure is something that disgust me. However, when the use of animals is for food, coat or labor is something that has to be respected. And in my humble opinion is something that is not against my belief; although I think that is the process we used to kill the animal is what we need to be aware of. There are different ways to feed ourselves and if somone has dicided to not eat meat because it considered cruel can not critizice the one who decided to eat meat.
When I eat meat, I do think about these issues. I think about the reasons why I eat meat and about the animals. I was raised in a culture were eating meat is a must because really…we are all considered meat eaters and if we don’t eat meat at least once a week it can have serious consequences to our health. I believe everyone needs to eat meat at least once a week to maintain a good healthy body. Meat is considered to have the best natural source of iron, protein, zinc, and b vitamins. Zinc, can help you maintain a healthy skin and a healthy immune system especially in winter because it prevents the body from colds and other infections. Iron, can prevent the body from anemia, protein helps the muscles and organs it also produces amino acids that the body cannot produce on its own. Last but not least meat also produces B vitamin which is only found in animal foods and these can help maintain nerve cells and a normal blood formation in the human body. I eat meat because my body needs it and because I like the taste. I eat meat from cows but to survive. Some people abuse animals for many reasons. Some people kill or abuse animals for sports, others abuse animals because they probably like to feel power or know that they have some sort of control over others and they express these actions with the poor and innocent animals. When this kind of abuse is expressed by a human it may be a consequence of psychological problems, because I can’t see myself hurting an animal. I think about the animals that can’t defend themselves or speak their feelings and thoughts like us. Animals do deserve rights just like us. I believe that animals should never be abuse for any sport, any bet, any angry reaction, or just for the simple pleasure of seeing someone suffer. The people that are pleased and obtain any satisfaction by observing an in defenseless creature suffer from pain and up to point where they can die, needs serious therapy and should be treated. This is what I think about animal rights and about what goes through my head when I eat meat. Nora..
Simply stated, humans are animals. We have been conditioned to hunt and ensure our survival; a matter of natural selection. When viewed in this perspective, eating meat is normal and justified, but when we resort to cruelty, wether it be for food or research, the line between necessity and savagery is crossed. Has it ever occurred to anyone that most attacks on humans by animals happen when humans invade their space, and take advantage of what they provide? Humans evolved from animals, we're made of the same parts- muscles, nerves, brains, etc. It only makes sense that if WE feel pain THEY feel pain. The fact that they cannot express their feelings eloquently and with corresponding terminology does not mean they do not have them. In my opinion animals do have rights, and when humans take advantage of them we are the ones that are crossing lines and in the wrong.
Personally, I think there is a difference between eating animals and animal cruelty. I definitely think that cruelty, in the sense of causing unnecessary bodily harm, torture, or suffering is inhumane and unethical. On the other hand, eating animals is a practice that humans have been doing since the beginning of time. I don’t believe that there’s anything wrong with eating animals, it the circle of life! Just as animals eat other animals to survive, humans have been brought up to eat meat for nutrition. And yes, we should be more conscious of the food we eat, where it comes from, and how it was raised, but companies and culture make it hard for people to boycott meat that comes from large inhumane slaughter houses. Most people cannot afford to go to a fresh local market where beef is raised locally and fed its natural food, so by force most people have no other choice than to buy the meat sold at supermarkets by large companies. I have thought about this subject while eating in the past, but unfortunately I’m a carnivore at heart and my neurons want MEAT!!!
I can’t say I think about it every time I eat, but it does get my blood boiling if I hear about a case of animal abuse. I can’t say I side with any particular side on this matter either. To me it just seems like a natural thing to care about animals. I can feel my dog loving me, and that’s all the prof I need. They bleed, hurt, love, and are sentient beings in my eyes. Eating meat for survival may not be necessary, but many of us do it because we were conditioned to believe it’s ok. It’s part of our own culture in other words. Many people in this day and age would think twice if they actually had to kill the animal with their own bare hands to eat meat on a constant basis. Unless of course they lived on a farm or someplace far away from modern conveniences were it was a way of life. We depend on other people to do the dirty work. I my self would kill an animal to feed my self and my family if it was necessary for our survival, but I would feel bad about it. Man has been doing it as long as we have existed, so on one hand it is a means to an end, but on the other, we do have alternatives. At the very least, respect that life which sustains us.
Ok so my understanding of this topic is that our civilization is arguing about animal rights. I'm not sure how the meat that i eat every night is gathered from these animals but it does bother me if the animal was tortured to death. I don’t think that it is moral to cause pain to an animal without a legitimate reason, such as hunger or self defense. Other than that i would treat any animal like if it was a baby with its own rights. The animals do not need to know nor understand these rights since it’s just something that we as the homo-sapiens (wise man) should do. Everything that lives feels their own way of pain and we might never know how these animals feel since we may never be in their shoes. There’s many types of abuse that we use on animals today, there’s too much testing going on these creatures, that’s its even sad when a makeup product says not tested on animals. So as far as eating meat for survival I’m ok with but torturing the food that you eat i am not ok with. There has to be rights for these animals to a certain degree where we don’t look so inhumane.
To begin with I will say that I am an animal lover and agree with the notion that they should be protected from cruelty. I agree with Kant's view and idea that a lack of sympathy for suffering animals is a diservice to human behavior. If you feel not the least bit of empathy towards any suffering living being there is something wrong with that. That would mean that you take pleasure in the pain of others and therefore are a potential threat to those around you which is why I see why this is being studied in the criminology field.
Tom Regan I believe, has the right idea aswell. I like the designation he uses in naming animals "subjects of life". In my opinion because they are indeed subjects of life they deserve at minimum the right not to be tourtured when applicable. If we are talking about animals being killed for the sake of feeding us humans then that is simple lifes' order of operation. This is also my sentiments when it comes to killing animals for the sake of human advancement. If it must be done then it should take place in the most humane and practical possible way.
I believe that any person that eats meat and when they do is saying that they do not believe in animal rights. Blind by the addiction, just as any other addiction where the consequences are not weighed fairly or simply they just don't know. I am an animal lover and I do enjoy eating all meats except pork. Imagaine if there was this married couple that we decided to breed so we could eat them. No I'm not a cannibal but what values our lives more that one of an animal? But looking at it from a religious point God told Moses and the others what you could eat and could not eat and made law that the animal must feel no pain in its death. So is it really wrong to eat these animals that are Kosher?
Let me start off by saying that in my mind animal do have right! I live my life by the saying “treat others how you would like to be treated”. I believe that the answer is that simple. Whenever I eat meat I cant say that I think about any animal rights issues. I also have many friends that could care less about the issues. It makes me feel very hypocritical and selfish whenever I see articles like this about animal rights. My problem is that to me the solution is a simple one. We have to treat the animals that are being raised to be eaten the same way we would want to be treated if we where the animals. For example, if I were a chicken I would not want to be hung by my wings because that would make my thighs less muscular therefore making the meat in my thighs tenderer. As competitive as the food industry has gotten and as demand for food raises we must hold people accountable for the way that they are treating the animals that we are eating on a daily basis. It’s the right thing to do. Lazaro Garcia
Animals may not be able to govern themselves like human beings nor accept the responsibility that comes along with having "rights" , however they are able to express their emotions figuratively. To conclude that because animals do not express their pain verbally is insensitve and absurb. Animal welfare may very well aid to the comprehension that animals are in deed owned or of property to society when in reality to have rights is shall mean to be un-owned , to be free.
I believe that an animal sometimes can be the best friend for a human being. I also believe that animals feel pain and also they can demonstrate it all the time. Animals do not speak but they make sounds and do gestures that will corroborate with such assumption. Also it has been demonstrated that animals have intelligence and it has been proved every time we see on the news that a dog or any other animal saves a human life. I believe that we should show more compassion toward each and every animal we interact on a daily basis. I believe that even when the animal is used for medicinal purposes, it’s unacceptable.
33 comments:
It makes no sense to me to read that scientist argue that because animals have no language they can't express pain and because of it we cannot be sure they are feeling pain. First of all, language is not only verbal, there is body language, expresions, etc. If you do anything to cause an animal pain they do react. They screech or cry or run away scared. You can clearly can see that an animal is in pain or suffering. Is Roger Scruton saying that if you can't do obligations, you have no rights? So according to him does that mean babies or handicap people who can't do their obligations have no rights either? I believe it is our duty as human beings to be compasionate and considerate to our fellow human beings. I agree with Kant.
Torturing animals is very concerning and shows how emotionless we as humans are to accept this in our “modern society.” The only time this should be acceptable is when it is laboratory work has a positive benefit for the human race or species involved. Today corporations are making slaughterhouses not sound as inhumane as they really are. What do they mean by “humane slaughterhouse?” Humans eating as much meat as they do (especially in the United States) are having horrible health effects. The environment is also hurting from all of this abuse that we humans put on Earth. How is it acceptable to eat meat in front of your pet, but say it is inhuman to eat them? There is a horrible double standard in this country.
I can't agree with either position outright. On one hand animal cruelty is wrong because a) it inflicts pain on an innocent creature and b) is unnecessary in terms of survival. Therefore, unnecessary cruelty towards another animal should not be inflicted upon it. That being said, I do not think that it is wrong to eat animals. The law of nature and natural selection dictate that for survival animals will eat other animals lower on the food chain. While we have a variety of options on what we can eat, we aren't obligated, and shouldn't be, to eat me, but we certainly shouldn't be asked to abstain from it either. The counter to this argument is that animal products are bad for us and cause health issues, but this is not always the case. Yes certain animal products are bad for us, but not all. Some animal products are good for us and have numerous good effects. This is not to say that we should exclusively eat animals, but like with all things dietary, in the proper amounts eating animals can be quite healthy for us. In short we shouldn't feel guilty about eating animals. However it is wrong to inflict unnecessary cruelty and pain upon them.
I can't fathom the idea that there are humans out there who believes that animals can't feel pain as we do. Pain doesn't have any particular dialect that it speaks, so there is nothing that can prove animals don't feel pain as we do. I have seen and heard for myself animals react to pain the way they screech or cry. I feel that this earth is big enough to be shared by humans and animals. How selfish can human beings be to hunt or torture animals for profit. The same way us as humans have a right to life so do animals. How would we feel if animals decided that they were going to hunt us for their own rituals.
Eduardo Duran
First of all,I find the argument that scientists make that animals can not feel pain because they have no language to be totally absurd. It is common sense that animals do feel pain. I agree with Tania that just because they have no verbal language does not mean that they do not feel pain. As she said, there is body language after all. I am totally against animal cruelty, but then again I always eat meat. Consequently, I do sometimes think about these arguments that come up about animal cruelty. At the same time I also feel like its not my fault that I eat meat. I was raised a certain way and I do not believe it is bad to eat meat or chicken and believe that and animal cruelty are two different things. I must end this post with the words I saw on the picture, "Don't treat others the way you don't want to be treated." Even if it means that "others" refers to animals.
I was raised to eat meat, since I was a kid. I am cuban and much of the cuban cuisine incorporates some, if not a lot, of meat. I never had a problem with it until I was 16. I had a friend who was a vegetarian and she really opened my eyes to the cruel treatment of the animals we harvest. After that I tried to become a vegetarian, but after a few month, I started to crave meat so I gave in. Ever since, I have tried hard not to think about the malicious treatment of our harvest. However, when it comes to mean treatment to pets and such, I try to support the animal rights for a more humane treatment.
-Adrian Garcia
Cruelty to animals is a vicious and brutal crime and I personally do not see a difference between us and them. The idea of language and rights does not qualify to be as well thought out argument and I have to agree with Singer and Regan; actions can show pain and discomfort and who are we to decided their rights or rolls in this world. For example, an infant child who has no understanding of right and wrong or any knowledge of language has the ability to show when he is feeling sick by touching his ear, tired by rubbing his eyes and hungry by making motion to his mouth. With all the research in today’s society we can understand that animals also have a way expressing such needs, even when they are in pain. Animals do have a purpose; fore something cannot be made of nothing, right?
We as humans take into possession anything that we feel is owed to us; we are all guilty of this. I do not understand how an animal, especially a wild animal that has lived freely and carelessly in its own habitat for so many years can be trained to live a better life in our homes. Not that it’s impossible, but I feel that an animal of such power can rebel and has the right to. As a matter of fact we are doing the most damage to ourselves and the animals because we are mix breading and causing an over population of animals, most often with snakes. I remember reading a segment of how the Everglades has been a dropping ground for Pythons and that son it will become a battle between Alligators vs. Burmese Pythons. These Exotic Snakes are taking over the native alligator’s habitat and we are basically to blame.
On a lighter note, I just as so many other people do not think of the killing or slaughtering of the animals we eat. I think of the circle of life and luckily we seem to be on the top of the food chain. I do believe that our culture has brought us up to behave like carnivores in which case may lead us to become cannibals when the well runs dry. I do not agree the hormones that are injected into the animals or plants in order to produce an abundant amount of meat and vegetables; again I feel that we are digging our own grave.
I have been a vegetarian for 15 years now and it would be really hard for me to go back to the way my culture is used to eating. I come from a country where we eat red meat for lunch and dinner and no one questions on whether or not the animal we are eating felt pain when it was killed. This is never ever mentioned. It is so terrible that we do not care about the suffering of all these animals we kill everyday for our consumption. I know that in some countries in the world, this concern with the issue of making an animal suffer is very important. Muslims and Jewish people slaughter their animals in such a way that they do not suffer but some animal rights activists have criticized even this technique. Scientist had created many amazing things for the evolution of our society. I believe we are capable of figuring out a better way of slaughtering animals without causing them so much pain.
Diana Hernandez
I am really passionate about this topic and even though it is hard to talk about it, I understand how necessary it is to do so. As an Argentinean, I was raised eating meat with a side of meat. In 2008 I did the “impossible”: I became a vegetarian. I took that decision as I was watching the video “Meet Your Meat”. Two minutes in, and my life changed forever. I am not against people eating meat or using animal by products per se. I just would like for everybody to know what happens behind the scenes, and from there they can make a conscious decision about their choices. In order to mass produce and save money, companies are more than willing of creating a living hell for animals (from “debeaking”, culling, and a million more torturing methods.) In the United States alone, the food industry is a multi billion dollar one: They have the means to spare the animals (and its workers) from these horrible living and working conditions. How much more money they need to save??? We are paying for this, and we do not question anything. I know is hard to change habits but the truth is that even if people choose not to see, that does not mean the problem is not there. If something is wrong, and we know it and do not even try to be part of the solution then, like to admit it or not, we are part of the problem. As meat eaters, you deserve to be able to enjoy your meals guilt-and-cruelty-free and know what you are putting in your mouth.
For me is so clear that animals feel pain, as I have five fingers on my hand. If I step on my dog’s tail, he yells; when I leave him alone, he cries for a while, etc (check Dr. Christiaan Barnard’s Chimp/Heart Transplant experiment for a more qualified opinion). Animals express pain behavior and have a nervous system that functions similar to ours in most cases. And even if it is not proven that they can feel pain, it is NOT proven otherwise either, therefore, we should not have the right to harm them, period. Aren’t we the SUPERIOR beings with the ability to REASON? This means we are knowingly doing something terrible borderline evil. If this is what makes us superior then I am ashamed of my status. Human exceptionalism is nothing but an excuse, an easy way out.
For those interested in vegetarinism go to www.veggie123.com and download the easy-to-read book (it helped me a lot). Also, I can give you a list of cruelty free products and where to get them(including eggs and such.)Any step, even the smallest one, that we take towards change count. Mahatma Ghandi once said: "Everything you do in life will be insignificant, but it's very important that you do it"
I love this topic! I am a vegetarian, and I proud of being vegetarian. I became vegetarian one year ago because I am against animal cruelty. I respect people who eat meat, but I do not understand people when they say that animals do not feel pain. In order to feel pain you need a nervous system which animals have it, so I completely agree that animals' life should be respected. They are not only killed for food but also for clothes, fun, and so many absurd studies. I did a research for my writting class, and since that moment I understood better all the suffering that animals go through. Communication can be verbal and non-verbal; this means that animals do not need to talk to express their fear or their pain. When babies are scared or feel any pain they don't talk, but they find a way to let us know their feelings. Are babies' feelings less important because they can't talk? In my humble opinion not. I am not comparing humans with animals, but I think that we should be more informed about animals' rights.
"Life is as dear to a mute creature as it is to man. Just as one wants happiness and fears pain, just as one wants to live and not die, so do other creatures"
The Holiness The Dalai Lama
Miluska Delgado :)
For one I have mixed feelings on the rights of animals. What kind of rights are we talking about? As far as animals, what animals should or shouldn’t have rights? I do believe that imposing unnecessary pain on animals’ pets is wrong. And in this case yes, pets should have some type of rights. If all and any animals have rights we all will be forced to become vegetarians. To say animals don’t have a language and don’t know when they are suffering is absurd. They do whimper run away, hid etc. Such as babies that can’t say “I am in pain” they just cry and parents have to guess what is wrong. Animals have what should be called “the unspoken” language. They don’t talk but they can communicate.
My opinion is that animal are capable of feeling pain and therefore we have a moral obligations to recognize their rights. However people react or think according to what they experience in their community or their surroundings. I grew up in a third world country I seen people kill animals on a daily bases to make ends meet. At the time that was the norms for me, until I started traveling in country with better structure or as we say it more civilize my attitude have change. However as bad as I feel about animals’ cruelty, I’m still a meat eater. I was having a conversation with a friend of mine I explain to her how I used to witness how they kill animal; her answer was if would of seen something like that I wouldn’t eat meat anymore. That makes me realize that most people used that as an excuse since I don’t see it than I have no guilt. I would be a liar if I denied the fact that I’m one of them. I do feel bad for the animals but when I’m enjoying a nice New York steak, animal cruelty is the last thing on my mind.
Animals have as much right in this world as human do. Just because animals can’t speak like people do, doesn’t mean they can’t feel pain. You’d be blind if you say you can’t tell when an animal is in pain. Animals, like human, have feelings; though they can’t say “I’m in pain” they can express their pain through body language. No animal should ever be experimented on for human gain. These innocent creatures should be treated with value just like any human living on this planet.
-Norma Zeron
Animals feel pain as human being does. It is not necessary to express pain through language to recognize the suffering of an animal. It is true that animals are not subject of obligations however; we need to treat them with respect. A comparison can be made with the babies who cannot express their pain using the language. In fact, they cry and make different sounds to communicate the pain like the animals do in the same situation. In addition, babies don not have obligations only rights, the same condition can be applied to animals. I think that we have to respect the animals whether or not the society recognized animal’s rights. Nevertheless, it is difficult to create consciousness in this matter in a society where the human rights sometimes are not respected and preserved.
Juliana Canon
Animal Cruelty is one of those topics and issues that straddle a fine line as to what our western culture would define as animal cruelty. I personally have very strong feelings towards animal cruelty as it reflects to inhuman and abusive treatment of any animal. Yet, I also have some biases and mixed feelings towards the benefits such as meat, and other uses we consume in our daily lives that come from the life of an animal. I have seen other videos like the one linked too on animals being abused in farms where they slaughter animals, and I must confess that I had to turn my head away because its cruel to treat any human thing in that manner.
I feel that animals do need rights, yet what will that look like? I have been always bothered when I have stumbled upon an ESPN show where these hunters shoot a deer in the woods. I find that to be inhumane and cruel to kill an animal as a sport. I personally think their cowards and need to be shot at… Just kidding.
My bias would appear to be that our consumer markets benefits greatly from the life of an animal. Just imagine what restaurants would look like not being as profitable without the selling of meat, local markets, Nike and other shoe manufacturing companies would cease to exist since most shoes are leather made material, clothing stores would be exempt of leather jackets, and so on.
If I may interject something spiritual or biblical for a second, Acts 10:9-16, the Apostle Peter was hungry after a long journey and while falling into a trance saw a vision of a all kinds of four-footed beast, and other types of creatures. Then as God calls to Peter, He says, “Rise, Peter; kill and eat”. Though this has other theological implication, the fact is that God permits us to eat meat. The question is not rather we eat meat or not, but rather we treat animals in away that is humane or abusive.
I believe animals that are raised to later be slaughtered for their meat need to be treated better in many situations. I enjoy eating meat, but sometimes I question the treatment of the animals I am consuming, especially from massive corporations. Foie gras totally repels me, but sometimes a giant burger is all I want to eat. I guess I am torn, it is difficult to stop eating meat when you've grown up unaware of the animal cruelty involved in preparing many meals served by fast food restaurants.As for science, unfortunately many drugs must be tested on animals before they can be approved by the FDA, I think it is sad, but necessary.
Animals are part of our living, for example they can be man’s best friends. Animals should have certain rights to not be treated in such a cruel manner. Animals may not have language to speak to us but we can certainly tell what they may be expressing through facial expressions or body language. All animals can relate to some type of human characteristic, for example when animals hunt for their food or when they are in pain one can hear yelling, squirming, or screeching. My dog, Shadow, is afraid of a child safety gate, so every time we move the gate my dog runs as far as possible from the gate. So in a sense animals have their way of expressing how they feel and what they want through body language. Animals should have some rights so they are not run over and mistreated.
Michelle Mazoleny
This is a very interesting topic and to understand that animals have rights is a little difficult. I am from Cuba, and I was a fisherman. I remember that I killed many sea turtles for meat and profit. In this country, I do not want to say that I will not it again, but if I need it because I am hungry, that could be almost impossible, I would think in something else. In my opinion, some animals do not have rights like farm animals but the rest of them should have rights. I remember the class before when the professor said do not kill the ants, and I thought about this issue and my opinion was that because they are always in my kitchen in the middle of the way and in some foods they bother me and I should kill them. Analyzing these problems my conclusion was that the main responsible is me to leave everything dirty in my kitchen. Right now, I clean everything in my kitchen to avoid them. Also, tortures animals are very inhume, and the person who do it, should be sick or have any problem.
This is a very interesting topic and to understand that animals have rights is a little difficult. I am from Cuba, and I was a fisherman. I remember that I killed many sea turtles for meat and profit. In this country, I do not want to say that I will not it again, but if I need it because I am hungry, that could be almost impossible, I would think in something else. In my opinion, some animals do not have rights like farm animals but the rest of them should have rights. I remember the class before when the professor said do not kill the ants, and I thought about this issue and my opinion was that because they are always in my kitchen in the middle of the way and in some foods they bother me and I should kill them. Analyzing these problems my conclusion was that the main responsible is me to leave everything dirty in my kitchen. Right now, I clean everything in my kitchen to avoid them. Also, tortures animals are very inhume, and the person who do it, should be sick or have any problem.
It's a complex situation. I suppose there are sacrifices made for science. The question is: what is the motive behind the testing. If the reasoning is: scientists are doing it to improve the qualiity of life for people, or to preserve a species or something, then it's completely understandable. If they are hoping to find a way to more humanely dispatch animals from their ability to live, so we may have food, that is understandable too. I do agree with nadelson, seeing as we are the nation of excess, obesity, and overindulgence we have a high demand for food and need to kill a large amount of animals and that is a reason finding a humane way of killing them is necessary. But, I believe that man should not be allowed to eat anything we cannot kill ourselves. That's how it works in nature, if you can't kill it you can't it eat. I think it's ridiculous all these fat people complaining that they hate seeing animals killed and they despise seeing raw meat, but they are the first ones to down 5 hamburgers. I suppose we are modern scavengers. Someone else has to kill the food and whatever scraps they sell, we consume. To avoid all these issues with scientists trying to find ways to humanely kill food for us, we should have to raise and kill our own food, it should give us a different outlook on food, help us slim down and value the meat we eat, as well as teach us some self control. If you have to kill and slice your own meat, it'll weed out the men from the mice.
When one looks at things with balance and acts as, its outcome will be truly wise. I believe that animals has the right to be treated with kindness. For intances, I have a parrot at home and I would say that I try to keep him safe according to his needs. Even though animals can not reason like human beings do, they are capable to follow their instinct to defend their gender coservation. In regards to animals cruelty just for pleasure is something that disgust me. However, when the use of animals is for food, coat or labor is something that has to be respected. And in my humble opinion is something that is not against my belief; although I think that is the process we used to kill the animal is what we need to be aware of. There are different ways to feed ourselves and if somone has dicided to not eat meat because it considered cruel can not critizice the one who decided to eat meat.
When I eat meat, I do think about these issues. I think about the reasons why I eat meat and about the animals. I was raised in a culture were eating meat is a must because really…we are all considered meat eaters and if we don’t eat meat at least once a week it can have serious consequences to our health. I believe everyone needs to eat meat at least once a week to maintain a good healthy body. Meat is considered to have the best natural source of iron, protein, zinc, and b vitamins. Zinc, can help you maintain a healthy skin and a healthy immune system especially in winter because it prevents the body from colds and other infections. Iron, can prevent the body from anemia, protein helps the muscles and organs it also produces amino acids that the body cannot produce on its own. Last but not least meat also produces B vitamin which is only found in animal foods and these can help maintain nerve cells and a normal blood formation in the human body. I eat meat because my body needs it and because I like the taste. I eat meat from cows but to survive. Some people abuse animals for many reasons. Some people kill or abuse animals for sports, others abuse animals because they probably like to feel power or know that they have some sort of control over others and they express these actions with the poor and innocent animals. When this kind of abuse is expressed by a human it may be a consequence of psychological problems, because I can’t see myself hurting an animal. I think about the animals that can’t defend themselves or speak their feelings and thoughts like us. Animals do deserve rights just like us. I believe that animals should never be abuse for any sport, any bet, any angry reaction, or just for the simple pleasure of seeing someone suffer. The people that are pleased and obtain any satisfaction by observing an in defenseless creature suffer from pain and up to point where they can die, needs serious therapy and should be treated. This is what I think about animal rights and about what goes through my head when I eat meat. Nora..
Forgot to put my name: Agape is Maria Nieves
Simply stated, humans are animals. We have been conditioned to hunt and ensure our survival; a matter of natural selection. When viewed in this perspective, eating meat is normal and justified, but when we resort to cruelty, wether it be for food or research, the line between necessity and savagery is crossed. Has it ever occurred to anyone that most attacks on humans by animals happen when humans invade their space, and take advantage of what they provide? Humans evolved from animals, we're made of the same parts- muscles, nerves, brains, etc. It only makes sense that if WE feel pain THEY feel pain. The fact that they cannot express their feelings eloquently and with corresponding terminology does not mean they do not have them. In my opinion animals do have rights, and when humans take advantage of them we are the ones that are crossing lines and in the wrong.
Personally, I think there is a difference between eating animals and animal cruelty. I definitely think that cruelty, in the sense of causing unnecessary bodily harm, torture, or suffering is inhumane and unethical. On the other hand, eating animals is a practice that humans have been doing since the beginning of time. I don’t believe that there’s anything wrong with eating animals, it the circle of life! Just as animals eat other animals to survive, humans have been brought up to eat meat for nutrition. And yes, we should be more conscious of the food we eat, where it comes from, and how it was raised, but companies and culture make it hard for people to boycott meat that comes from large inhumane slaughter houses. Most people cannot afford to go to a fresh local market where beef is raised locally and fed its natural food, so by force most people have no other choice than to buy the meat sold at supermarkets by large companies. I have thought about this subject while eating in the past, but unfortunately I’m a carnivore at heart and my neurons want MEAT!!!
I can’t say I think about it every time I eat, but it does get my blood boiling if I hear about a case of animal abuse. I can’t say I side with any particular side on this matter either. To me it just seems like a natural thing to care about animals. I can feel my dog loving me, and that’s all the prof I need. They bleed, hurt, love, and are sentient beings in my eyes. Eating meat for survival may not be necessary, but many of us do it because we were conditioned to believe it’s ok. It’s part of our own culture in other words. Many people in this day and age would think twice if they actually had to kill the animal with their own bare hands to eat meat on a constant basis. Unless of course they lived on a farm or someplace far away from modern conveniences were it was a way of life. We depend on other people to do the dirty work. I my self would kill an animal to feed my self and my family if it was necessary for our survival, but I would feel bad about it. Man has been doing it as long as we have existed, so on one hand it is a means to an end, but on the other, we do have alternatives. At the very least, respect that life which sustains us.
Ok so my understanding of this topic is that our civilization is arguing about animal rights. I'm not sure how the meat that i eat every night is gathered from these animals but it does bother me if the animal was tortured to death. I don’t think that it is moral to cause pain to an animal without a legitimate reason, such as hunger or self defense. Other than that i would treat any animal like if it was a baby with its own rights. The animals do not need to know nor understand these rights since it’s just something that we as the homo-sapiens (wise man) should do. Everything that lives feels their own way of pain and we might never know how these animals feel since we may never be in their shoes. There’s many types of abuse that we use on animals today, there’s too much testing going on these creatures, that’s its even sad when a makeup product says not tested on animals. So as far as eating meat for survival I’m ok with but torturing the food that you eat i am not ok with. There has to be rights for these animals to a certain degree where we don’t look so inhumane.
Christopher Paulino T 5:40
To begin with I will say that I am an animal lover and agree with the notion that they should be protected from cruelty. I agree with Kant's view and idea that a lack of sympathy for suffering animals is a diservice to human behavior. If you feel not the least bit of empathy towards any suffering living being there is something wrong with that. That would mean that you take pleasure in the pain of others and therefore are a potential threat to those around you which is why I see why this is being studied in the criminology field.
Tom Regan I believe, has the right idea aswell. I like the designation he uses in naming animals "subjects of life". In my opinion because they are indeed subjects of life they deserve at minimum the right not to be tourtured when applicable. If we are talking about animals being killed for the sake of feeding us humans then that is simple lifes' order of operation. This is also my sentiments when it comes to killing animals for the sake of human advancement. If it must be done then it should take place in the most humane and practical possible way.
I believe that any person that eats meat and when they do is saying that they do not believe in animal rights. Blind by the addiction, just as any other addiction where the consequences are not weighed fairly or simply they just don't know. I am an animal lover and I do enjoy eating all meats except pork. Imagaine if there was this married couple that we decided to breed so we could eat them. No I'm not a cannibal but what values our lives more that one of an animal? But looking at it from a religious point God told Moses and the others what you could eat and could not eat and made law that the animal must feel no pain in its death. So is it really wrong to eat these animals that are Kosher?
Let me start off by saying that in my mind animal do have right! I live my life by the saying “treat others how you would like to be treated”. I believe that the answer is that simple. Whenever I eat meat I cant say that I think about any animal rights issues. I also have many friends that could care less about the issues. It makes me feel very hypocritical and selfish whenever I see articles like this about animal rights. My problem is that to me the solution is a simple one. We have to treat the animals that are being raised to be eaten the same way we would want to be treated if we where the animals. For example, if I were a chicken I would not want to be hung by my wings because that would make my thighs less muscular therefore making the meat in my thighs tenderer. As competitive as the food industry has gotten and as demand for food raises we must hold people accountable for the way that they are treating the animals that we are eating on a daily basis. It’s the right thing to do.
Lazaro Garcia
Animals may not be able to govern themselves like human beings nor accept the responsibility that comes along with having "rights" , however they are able to express their emotions figuratively. To conclude that because animals do not express their pain verbally is insensitve and absurb. Animal welfare may very well aid to the comprehension that animals are in deed owned or of property to society when in reality to have rights is shall mean to be un-owned , to be free.
-Katiana
I believe that an animal sometimes can be the best friend for a human being. I also believe that animals feel pain and also they can demonstrate it all the time. Animals do not speak but they make sounds and do gestures that will corroborate with such assumption. Also it has been demonstrated that animals have intelligence and it has been proved every time we see on the news that a dog or any other animal saves a human life. I believe that we should show more compassion toward each and every animal we interact on a daily basis. I believe that even when the animal is used for medicinal purposes, it’s unacceptable.
Reyniel Hernandez
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