Animals deserve the same rights as humans and shouldn't be used by humans for food or research
Animals deserve the same rights as humans and shouldn't be used by humans for food or research
A group of people believes that animals deserve the same rights as humans and shouldn't be used by humans for food or research while others think that it is OK to employ animals for research or other human requirements.
Discuss the statement analytically from both points of views. Also, take a stand on the topic.
Animal exploitation refers to a treatment which causes suffering or harm to animals. Depending upon the intensity of treatment, it can be referred to as cruelty also. Though there are lots of organizations in India and world which aim to prevent animal exploitation, but their intentions and success has always been in question.
This is due to the fact that animal protection is not just a matter of enforcement of laws and regulations but more of mentality change and scratching a person’s conscience to enhance sensitivity towards animals. Cruelty to animals is one of the biggest moral issues. While giving them same rights as humans may not seem very practical in terms of implementation but surely things can be and should be done to prevent/reduce their exploitation.
But before addressing the issue of animal exploitation, it is important to understand the reasons for which animals are exploited. Animal testing alone accounts for billions of animal deaths every year. Cruelty towards animals is of two types – passive and active. Passive cruelty refers to abuse that happens due to neglect or lack of action towards their protection and care. Starvation, dehydration, lack of shelter and medical care etc belong to this category.
Active cruelty is due to mal – intentions of people towards the animals. It is exercised by purposely inflicting harm on an animal in order to feel more powerful and gain control. Also, for one’s own selfish needs. Like, leather business is a very profitable business but it also involves animal exploitation and killing of highest order.
It is true that lot of animals are used in research. For example, humans share 95% of their genes with that of a mouse. Hence, mouse becomes a very suitable model for conducting research related to human body. At the same time, without animal research even the basic vaccines like tetanus, penicillin and insulin would never have been developed. Hence, it is fictitious to say that animal research can be completely banned but sure it can be monitored to avoid its misuse.
The animal protection laws should be vigilant enough to distinguish whether the exploitation was done for a valid research – a research which aims to discover or invent a medicine/treatment for enhancement of life and environment or the one which is done to satisfy selfish need of the business thriving on animal husbandry. Those found guilty of animal exploitation without a license from a specified agency should be penalised heavily. This will ensure a proper balance is maintained between animal exploitation, research and future discoveries.
Discussion
- RE: Animals deserve the same rights as humans and shouldn't be used by humans for food or research -Deepak Chari (09/06/14)
- It's silly to see the literal cruelty towards these beings. As rightly said by someone above, the human mentality should change in order to stop this. People intentionally trouble stray dogs and cats moving around us as they cannot survive without humans being around them. Specially the youth today does not realise the value of their life and trouble them just to show a superior hand over them. Whilst these idiotic youth want to impress their girls by troubling this silent creatures, they should be punished not by law but in the way they hit the animals. People still do not halt if ever the Animal is hit by their car. They are not even that affectionate to look behind if the being is even alive or not. Instead, they will forget driving and turn around if there is a girl passing by. Globally, people still respect pets and animals however we Indians are yet to understand the real pinch of hurting these innocent animals. Stop their sacrifices in temples, etc and let's BE HUMAN!!!!
- RE: Animals deserve the same rights as humans and shouldn't be used by humans for food or research -Teena Bhatia (09/06/14)
- The word “balance” plays a very important role in life. If balance is there, everything is justified. Coming to the topic whether the animal deserve the same right as humans or not varies as per the situation. No matter it is human, animals or a non-living thing, if it is wasted or harmed without any reason, it is unjustified. At the same time, if it serves a purpose, it is not wrong to use them.
Humans are considered superior to animals because they are gifted with extended intelligence that allows them to control animals. However, animals are also living things and deserve to be treated with care. They cannot be mistreated just because they cannot express their feelings. Remember, inability to express the feelings doesn’t mean that they don’t have any. Animals have got feelings and conscience too. It is the prime reason why many animals are the loyal companions of humans. Even in a place where human mistreat the human who are blind or deaf, pets come as a rescue for them. Therefore, treating animals with cruelty should never be accepted in any case.
Coming to the second aspect of using animals for food or research is an entirely different topic. Using them is not mistreating them. In fact some of the animals are here on this earth with a specific objective for helping mankind. Cows, buffalos and goat provide milk to humans, horse and elephants serve as a means of transport and the list goes on. In the same respect, some of the animals are used for research purposes. There is nothing wrong in it as it is the only way through which humans can find out the treatments of severe illnesses. The tests are means to know the effectiveness of treatment. Most of the times, these tests are conducted on mouse who have got 95% of similar genes as that of human. So, humans don’t have any option but to use them for research purposes. Using for a healthy objective cannot be termed as cruelty to animals.
