Featured Idea: Animal Bill of Rights

categories: Activism and Actions, Politics and Law

Published December 29, 2008 @ 01:19PM PT

One of the AR ideas posted to Ideas for Change in America centers on passing an Animal Bill of Rights, crafted by the Animal Legal Defense Fund. It calls for the following rights for animals:

The Right of animals to be free from exploitation, cruelty, neglect and abuse.

The Right of laboratory animals not to be used in cruel or unnecessary experiments.

The Right of farm animals to an environment that satisfies their basic physical and psychological needs.

The Right of companion animals to a healthy diet, protective shelter, and adequate medical care.

The Right of wildlife to a natural habitat, ecologically sufficient to a normal existence and self-sustaining species population.

The Right of animals to have their interests represented in court and safeguarded by the law of the land.

Vote for this idea here. Following is what the ALDF has to say about this effort on its Web site, pointing out, among other things, the frustrating and disturbing fact that animals are still considered property in this country, "in most cases no different than a table or chair":

Throughout civilization, nations have codified the basic and essential rights of their people—rights that must not be infringed upon by the government or other individuals or entities. In the United States, our Bill of Rights enumerates cherished essential rights including freedom of speech, freedom of religion, and freedom of assembly.

However, as far as the law is concerned, the situation for animals in this country is dire. Despite the fact that they are living, feeling beings, animals in the U.S. are still considered merely “property” by law—in most cases no different than a table or a chair. When laws protecting animals do exist, they are often insufficient or full of loopholes. The federal Animal Welfare Act explicitly excludes birds, rats and mice—which account for the vast majority of animals used in laboratories. And there are no federal laws at all protecting the billions of animals raised for food from the most egregious abuses.

The Animal Legal Defense Fund’s Animal Bill of Rights is a petition to the United States Congress, stating the basic, inalienable rights that all sentient beings have—and that our government should protect.

Is the right "to an environment that satisfies their basic physical and psychological needs" enough for farm animals? Is the right "not to be used in cruel or unnecessary experiments" enough for the animals imprisoned in labs? No, these conditions are not enough. But I'd like to think that in the future, when we've really achieved the first goal listed, "for animals to be free from exploitation, cruelty, neglect and abuse," and we're no longer killing them for our convenience or pleasure or experimenting on them at all (i.e., once we've realized that all experiments on animals are unnecessary), we will be able to focus on their right to just appropriate environments--because their basic right to simply live will already be established. Go vote.

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Comments (16)

It's high time that animals' suffering reached human consciousness and compassion. Perhaps respect, even reverence, might have a chance to prevail.

Posted by Margaret Bowman on 12/29/2008 @ 02:47PM PT
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Excellent Objective Stephanie. Animal Rights are not enough in a civilized society such as ours, but it is a start and we can only hope for ongoing improvements for thier dire situation.

Posted by Ariel Rose on 12/29/2008 @ 06:06PM PT
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Please stop this painful reality!!

Posted by Joy Tanner on 12/29/2008 @ 06:39PM PT
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Animals are property and animal rights activists kill a lot of animals just to get rid of them.

www.petakillsanimals.com

Posted by T K on 12/29/2008 @ 09:19PM PT
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Also, human rights supersede animal rights. The only way that you can give "rights" like that to animals is to remove the effect of human rights.

Posted by T K on 12/29/2008 @ 11:17PM PT
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Quote:
"Animals are property and animal rights activists kill a lot of animals just to get rid of them."
PETA is not an "animal rights" organization under the definition being posited by the ALDF Thomas, therefore, your attack hardly follows. However, as with human rights, where euthanasia isn't necessarily prohibited, even if an animal rights organization endorses euthanasia, there isn't a conflict -- there certainly isn't hypocrisy, as you seem to imply. As such, PETA's euthanasia program is in fact analogous to human animals believing it acceptable -- even ethically necessary -- to euthanize those in severe pain, for example.
Thomas, you are assuming things about the animal rights position that isn't even being premised, which make's your challenge ridiculous.
Quote:
"Also, human rights supersede animal rights. The only way that you can give "rights" like that to animals is to remove the effect of human rights."
Thomas, please explain your reasoning because it doesn't really follow. Indeed, as a statement of fact, human rights "supersede" animal rights because animal rights are not recognized, legally -- in effect, then, you really aren't saying anything at all.
Secondly, how would eliminating the property status of nonhuman animals remove your right not to be property, which is a human right? If you could articulate a single plausible defense of that argument, I will stop telling you that animal rights is the only reasonable conclusion if we actually believe that suffering is a bad thing.

Posted by Alex Melonas on 12/30/2008 @ 09:01AM PT
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First of all your use of the term "nonhuman animal" implies that animals and humans are equals. This is something I would like to be explained to me as I fail to see the logic. Secondly the idea that giving animals rights serves to lessen the value of human rights and therefore human life is a sound one. By giving animals equal rights of humans you inherently lower the value of humans. Also you assume that animals themselves are capable of upholding these same rights in relationship to one another. For example, you must assume that wolves will recognize the right of deer to live peacefully because to do otherwise would violate the right of the deer. Just some thoughts please respond.

Posted by Tmcd Mcd on 04/21/2009 @ 11:00PM PT
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Denying that PETA is an animal rights organization is one very poor way to try to gain ground here.

Posted by T K on 12/30/2008 @ 03:23PM PT
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Also, use and ownership of animals is inherently compassionate.

Posted by T K on 12/30/2008 @ 03:27PM PT
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PETA, by definition according to the "rights" theory being proffered by the Animal Legal Defense Fund (ALDF), is an animal welfare organization -- as is HSUS, for example. However Thomas, that was merely a means to aid you in correcting your confusion.

To the substance then. Regardless of the name we apply to PETA -- welfare or rights --, their support of euthanasia doesn't lend itself to a credible challenge from critics as I explained by analogizing to human right discourse -- which you avoided.

Quote:

"...use and ownership of animals is inherently compassionate."

Okay, after you defend your statement about animal rights necessarily coming at the expense of human rights, please explain the preceding statement Thomas.

"Compassion" is not contrary to justice, however, justice is the issue at hand when we discuss rights. Therefore, as with human slavery, "compassionate" exploitation was better than torturous exploitation, however, the "compassion" applied to an unjust institution, which is the position being defended by the animal rights movement in regards to animals-as-property, is quite a non-issue. I'm certain that human slaves appreciated "kind" exploitation, however, no exploitation as property is justice manifested.

Please stay on topic Thomas.

Posted by Alex Melonas on 12/30/2008 @ 07:11PM PT
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I am on topic, Alex. You are trying to confuse issues and saying that PETA is not an animal rights organization is simply lying. I do love it when you piss on each other, though.

Posted by T K on 12/31/2008 @ 03:51AM PT
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"...human rights supersede animal rights. The only way that you can give 'rights' like that to animals is to remove the effect of human rights." - Thomas Kirby

That's very Germany-late-1930's of you.

I seem to recall a group of people at that time who took the same attitude toward members of their own species, designated them as "animals" and set about systematically torturing and killing millions of them. They didn't use the dead for food (although it wouldn't surprise me to find out that did happen), but they did make use of some of their parts (human skin lampshades, for example).

That was racism; speciesism is no different, as much as you might like it to be.

"Also, use and ownership of animals is inherently compassionate." - Thomas Kirby

That's a bizarre statement. Prior to 1865 here in America, was the use and ownership of humans "compassionate", or was it simply slavery, which is what you're espousing with that comment?

Humans are not a "superior" species, just a different one. In fact, I find it hard to justify any "superior" status based on our behaviors (war, murder, addiction, self-destruction... the list goes on). What DOES set us apart from ALL other speicies on this planet is not the fact that we can speak, use toilets, wear hats and text in traffic, but the fact that we are the ONLY species on earth that does not live in harmony with its own environment. Much like a virus, we overpopulate and selfishly overuse, exploit and exhaust everyone's resources (not just our own) and then use our power of speech to do little more than complain loudly and bemoan our fates.

There are people here who are using their power of speech to try to improve the systems we've inherited that just don't work in anyone's best interests, human animals and non-human animals alike.

Thomas, why not stop defending and championing those systems and either sit quietly or join those trying to be productive against overwhelming opposition?

If you're not part of the solution, then you're part of the problem. My guess is you either see no problem or you think that coming here (and presumably other places) and tossing little misinformed verbal grenades is part of the solution... but it's not.

Posted by Keith Berger on 12/31/2008 @ 11:40AM PT
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Yes, we all love animals - wild and domestic. And they should be protected, through changes of consciousness and legislation. Now go over to change.gov on Obamas site and add your concerns. And THEN, vote on the questions on Israel and Gaza in the Foreign Policy Section. The people of gaza are treated WORSE than animals (penned in and slaughtered) by weapons supplied by US. We send 8 BILLION dollars to Israel every year to buy weapons to kill civilians. ANd poison their wells. And destroy their olive groves - AND their animals. Because AIPAC lobbyists own US politicians. Help animals. Rescue them. Love them. But we have to make Obama break free from the Zionist $ and save the planet -- or there will be no animals, no sanctuary, no future. Please multitask - spread your activism around, and help the children of Gaza, as well as animals. Thanks

Posted by Terry Bever on 01/02/2009 @ 07:08AM PT
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I think they should have an Animal Bill Of Rights, they r jsut like people, they have feelings, would u like it if someone came along adn decided "hey look a human, let's go kill tehm adn have them for supper tonight"? how would u feel if u were to be killed for some meal? I bet u wouldnt like it that much would u? NO!!!! so why should we do that to animals? its wrong to hurt them, so stop doing it!!!! DON'T HURT ANIMALS!!!!

Posted by Samantha price on 01/06/2009 @ 12:04PM PT
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ALSO,we should all help to stop killing animals for the greater pleasure of mankind, it's stupid, so everyone please help, thank u^_^

Posted by Samantha price on 01/06/2009 @ 12:06PM PT
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I strongly & fully support the Animal Bill of Rights! These living feeling creatures need protection and they have the right to exist/live freely & safely - free from human abuse, exploitation, torture etc. They need a voice! BTW animals roamed the lands & seas before humans, then we came along & destroyed/polluted their homes, & worse, wiped out quite a few species! The Bill of Animal Rights is long overdue! Implement it!

Posted by Jiun Lam on 01/11/2009 @ 07:20PM PT
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Author

Stephanie is an independent animal rights advocate, a vegan, a tree-hugging environmentalist, and a freelance editor and writer. She lives in St. Louis with an aging corgi-lab and an adolescent rescued pit bull.