Animal Rights

Humans have rights that are either natural rights or earned rights. Natural

rights are rights that every person is born with and keeps throughout his life.

Some of these rights include freedom of speech, the right to an attorney, and

other common sense rights. Some people believe that animals do not have souls;

therefore, they do not have any rights (Regan 104). On the other hand, there

are earned rights like the rights given to hunters. Hunters have the right to

hunt as long as they do not break any laws while doing so. For instance, they

should not hunt out of season or hunt extinct animals. Also, hunters are always

trying to find a new hunting buddy, so they are trying to convert a non-hunter

into a hunter. Everyone wants to get closer to nature in some shape, form, or

fashion. As long as humans do not hunt until an animal becomes extinct, there

is no harm being done (Chepesiuk).

Also, animal owners have rights. They have the right to keep or sell their

animals. If they keep the animals, then the animal will be treated as a pet or

work horse, but if the owner sells the animal, it is usually either slaughtered

or very rarely kept as a pet. "The US government will no longer try to adopt

the thousands of horses that are on public lands. Instead, it will allow horses

to be sent directly to auctions where they can be bought, slaughtered, and then

sold for horse meat" (Chepesiuk). In other words, the government has been

protecting some horses from being slaughtered but is tired of doing so because

it is losing money. On the other hand, some people believe that animals have

the same rights as humans do. Like us, animals can feel pain and fear, but also

excitement and satisfaction" ("Animals are Equal to Humans"). Although there

are many ways to avoid using animals for testing makeup and other things, I

believe that animals do not have the same rights as humans because they are not

in the same species Homo sapiens. Therefore, animals should be used for

testing.

The abuse of animals has greatly increased over the years. "Animals are

crammed into small crates, dragged to auctions with chains, and slaughtered

while they are fully conscious" (Bauston). Some humans do not believe that

animals have rights. On the other hand, "Every living thing has basic rights

and should be treated with respect, regardless of appearance, personality, or

perceived relationship with humans" (Nelson). So, people that are taking part

of the animal rights movement believe that animals have rights just like humans.

"If the inherent value of humans means that they have the right to be treated

with respect, then the same applies to animals" ("Animals are Equal to Humans").

Also, they do not like the idea of animals being hurt in any way. "Because

animals do not have a life after they die, we should do everything in our power

to ensure that this, their only life, is as long and good as possible" (Regan

104). So regardless, animals have rights, but exactly how many rights do they

have?

Animals' rights are different from human rights. Although animals can not

talk, some humans speak up for the rights of animals. These humans are

sometimes known as animal rights activists. Some of these people hold protests

to make their points. People may think that protests never happen, especially

the ones that end up in a brawl. "According to a list compiled by the

Foundation for Biomedical Research, at least 37 demonstrations were planned by

groups in 15 states for World Laboratory Animal Liberation Week" (Holden). "A

new law could send animal rights activists in Britain to jail for up to five

years if they cross the line between peaceful protest and harassment" (Vogel).

Also, according to a statement by the government, illegal protests include those

that are outside of people's homes the cause alarm, harassment, or distress to

the residents (Vogel). They believe that humans mistreat animals even though

animals have human-like rights. Some people believe that "...animal rights...grant

moral standing to only a few creatures. Most of these favored with rights are

birds and mammals, stressing qualities of beauty, intelligence, charisma,

'awareness', or traits that seem human-like" (Nelson). According to Michel de

Montaigne, humans and animals are more closely related to each other than most

people want to think. For instance, rationality is used by both humans and

animals when it comes to making decisions (Carlin). The majority of animals'

rights are "understood" by humans. In other words, they will not exploit the

animals