Read the articles and commentary below about animal rights extremists and the recent car firebombings. What rights, if any, do animals have? Why or why not? Is the type of violence discussed in these articles ever justified as a means to stop animal research?
Animal Research Activists Firebomb Car
Press Release from UCLA Newsroom
More on the UCLA Firebombing
From the LA Times
Commentary on Animal Rights Extremists
From Adventures in Ethics and Science Blog
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18 comments:
As sad as this to say, animals don’t have a right. But should they be guaranteed rights? The reason why humans are granted rights is that we are able to make our own moral and ethical decisions. As I was reading the article about the car bombings, it’s ironic how they’re trying to protect animals, yet willing to hurt people who are just trying to come up with medical research or improve a drug. I believe that medical research should only occur to a certain extent. I was surprised that there was still a car bombing. I am all for animal research as long as the scientists give them proper care and treatment of animals to further their experiments. But, who are we to judge if animals do carry any rights at all? In my opinion, the rights of animals and human beings are totally different. The violence the animal activists act upon is no better than other people who commit horrible crimes. Honestly, I don’t think they can fully save animals, because if they steal animals or kill scientists for their own sake of saving animals, then their justification wouldn’t mean a single thing.
I do not believe that protesters should go to the extreme of killing researchers or attempting to kill them. Imagine if they would've killed an innocent bystander in their attempt to make a point! I do believe that researchers do their best to care for the animals they are experimenting on. They provide the best environment that they can. I believe that animal research will eventually help cure many diseases and have already given us so much. The fact that animal research has been going on for many years and has given us cures for many things actually proves how vital animal research is. Protesters are trying to make a point but the wrong message is going out. Animals have rights and I do believe that researchers do their best to make them as comfortable as possible. In a lot of ways researchers give them a longer life and they have more comfort than they would in their natural environment. If protesters really want to make a point, why don't they all refuse treatment for any diseases for illnesses they may have if the treatment came from animal research. I think that would make their point heard and it would only hurt themselves.
I would hope that researchers would take the animals welfare into consideration before testing is done. I look at it in the way that if the type of research that is being tested, is for the benefit of finding a cure or possible treatment for a disease or illness, then why not test it out on a animal first to see if it would work. I would rather see it tested on an animal than a human. I think that humans live longer and lead more productive lives than that of an animal. It would be nice if the type of research being done was not harmful to the animal, but I’m not a scientist that could make that happen. Violence is never the way to solve anything. The extremists are taking it way too far!!! There are nonviolent protests that these groups of people could have been involved in and voice their opinions, but bombing someone’s car or making threats to someone’s life is ridiculous!! Hopefully, with the implementation of the Three R’s system, less animals will be used and less suffering of pain will the animals endure.
I believe animals have the right not to be mistreated. They feel pain, stress, excitement, and love just like we do. I think we bite off more then we can chew therefore the rest going to waste. We do need animals for survival, but the violence is extreme no one deserves that. Who are they to take power like that into their own hands. Fire bombings? Come on now do they not understand that they could harm others in the process. If there wasn’t animal research where would be today? I’m sure these people use products that maybe, once upon a time was tested on animals even though it doesn’t say it on the label. I stand mutual on the subject if I couldn’t eat meat I don’t know if I could really be healthy, considering I have terrible food allergies to veggies and fruit.
The results and findings through animal research have benefited every individual and society as a whole. The positive gains through biomedical research of animals have been the use of various types of medicines that have enhanced the health and quality of life of humans as well as animals. It goes without saying that without the research that had been conducted scientists would not have made advances in controlling diseases. Of course humans have the right to be free from danger that animals can pose. However, animals have automatic basic rights, such as, to be safe and dwell in a suitable environment with a proper diet, clean water and to be kept clean and if applicable free of disease. This is especially important when they are kept as pets or even at exhibits at a zoo. Animals should not be abused in the process of any research, and that means free from injury and all research should be regulated and approved as of their purpose, and how they intend to carry out that purpose, along with the risks. It’s obvious, that these rights vary from animal to animal especially when comparing a dog to a lizard. Now as for the behavior of the extreme animal activists, was uncalled for. No one has the right to take justice in their own hands. In their minds as in this case, the meaning of justice can vary. Believe me we all like to take matters in our own hands at times, but hopefully we realize that we cannot and it is not worth it.
First of all I am the biggest animal lover you will ever meet. I cringe when I hear the horrific stories and see pictures of what some animals have to go through. I think that animal research is good because it has made sooo many technological advances but I do think that the animals should be treated with respect and dignity. I feel that animals do have a set of rights and that is to be treated like humans SHOULD be treated simply because they live on this earth too and can feel as well as express different emotions, including pain. As far as the violence that some people are doing to save animals, they don’t realize that they’re not doing the right thing. They’re harming people because they think somehow that will stop animals from being harmed. If they want to help they should get involved in organizations like PETA that are supposed to enforce the ethical treatment of animals. As far as animal rights go, I believe that animals should have the basic rights to live on this earth in peace and not be harmed but rather be cared for. As far as zoo’s and things like that, as long as the animals are safe and happy, what’s wrong with that? Some people believe that how could they be happy? They’re not in their natural environment…but that also comes with the fact that they’re probably away from danger that way. It’s like having a pet I guess, I guess it’s like a pet doesn’t know any better. If u take a baby animal and put it in a zoo, with it’s fake “natural” environment, how is it going to know that it’s not its natural environment? This is an area of animal rights where I’m unsure. As far as eating meat, I love my steak, I could never eat a dog or cat or monkey or even a duck (since I have one as a pet lol) but I guess for a lot of people its true that what you don’t know and don’t see, won’t hurt you. I think that meat is needed in a proper diet but I don’t believe that the animals should suffer, there has got to be a humane way of killing a cow or whatever for its meat. I could understand why animals are used in society but I really believe that they should have the right to be treated humanely.
First of all animals do not have the same rights as human beings do.When you have right, you also have responsibility that goes along with it.Can we hold animals responsible for committing and kind of crimes?Of course not.Actually, the owner of the animals is responsible for the animals any kind of unwanted acts.Putting human rights on the same plate as animal rights is obscured.Human do have responsibility to treat animals right but not at the expense of another human beings.Humans also do have to pay if acted in cruelty against animals like committing an abuse of some sort.Any kind of violence crime against the researchers was not justified.The extreme animal rights activists are totally out of their right mind to think they can solve these problems by violence.No body can solve society's problems by violence.There are lot of peaceful ways to demonstrate and fight any violation of animal rights.Figthing animal rights is not worty of destroying human lives.These extreme animal right activists should try to live out in the wilderness and see whose life they value most when the Tiger is trying to make them a dinner.May be they will put things in to perspective and think twice before blowing anybody's car by fire bomb.
To be fully honest I feel animals do not have rights. But as Humans we have the moral obligation to protect them. Animals are not able to raise their voices and tell us they don't want that nor can they respond outside of instinct to most situations. Animals can concieve of rights nor even follow through with basic concepts of rights. Humans on the other hand can and do so. It is Humans job to protect and shelter animals does that mean testing is wrong I honestly can't say but I can say Animals don't have rights not because they don't understand but rather because they can't even hold the concept of them in any form. As for the Violence its absured to protect life that very rarely if ever is indanger by repeatedly indanger people both those responsible and not responsible. The firebomb in the car could have caused the gas can to explode like a bomb sending car fragments flying at high veliocty shredding anything in its path very easily it could have killed innocent children or people. Martin Luther King Jr. Showed us near on 40 years ago that Violence is never the answer for these things rather deicedated resolve in non-violent ways speaks more clearly and farther then raised fists and voices. Very rarely is Violence the answer and this is not a case where it was so I say let these men and women know that they are no better then the worst of those they accuse.
If we as humans choose to use animals to benefit ourselves, whether it is through eating their flesh or using them as test subjects, then animals have the right to be treated as humanely as possible. I’ve had pets ever since I can remember, and you can tell when an animal is in pain or is suffering. They may not experience pain as we experience it, but it is real to them. They benefit us in so many ways. Through experimentation, they have given us a better understanding of how our own bodies work. Their sacrifices helped to develop new medicines, new surgical techniques and therapies. We eat them for food, and use their hides for clothing. Domesticated animals give us companionship. And who hasn’t laughed at the antics we see in the animal world. Our lives would be very different without them. This gives them an inherent moral value. Therefore, we should exercise compassion in our dealings with animals.
There have been great strides in how animal test subjects are treated. The number of animals that are sacrificed to determine the toxicity of a substance has been reduced dramatically. There are also committees that must approve the value experiments before they are started, and there are many rules and regulations that must be followed, depending on the type of animal used. And yes, animals do die during experiments, but proper care of the animals during experimentation is required. And there are the three Rs: replacement, reduction, and refinement, which will further reduce the number of animals used in experimentation. Maybe someday, scientists will develop methods and models that will allow them to experiment without having to use animal subjects at all.
The violence that is being unleashed upon those researchers who use animal subjects is never justifiable. While animals should be treated with compassion and respect, they do not have the same worth as another human being. Humans can reason and think. We have a consciousness of our world that animals do not have. Those who feel that violence is the only option is doing a great disservice to their cause. Who will listen to the opinion of someone who is willing to kill another human over an animal? I know I wouldn’t, nor would I have much compassion for his cause. Animal activists don’t want animals to be used in experiments and are willing to use violence to stop it, yet they accept all the benefits that animals have sacrificed their lives for. They get vaccines to prevent disease; they use medicines to cure illnesses when they’re sick and so on. To me, that is hypocritical. Instead of violence, protestors need to try to change laws, not set off bombs.
I feel that though, humans and animals are very different, that they do deserve certain rights. Of course I don’t mean certain rights such as one turning 18 is eligible to vote. However, an animal has the right to not be harmed or go through any sort of pain, and be able to lead a peaceful life. Almost all animals aren’t able to defend themselves and that is why people need to. Many of my views come from religious beliefs. For example, it mentions in the bible that God made a covenant with animals as he did with human beings. That shows that God also loves animals as He loves us. Animals are a creation of God, and everything He created should be treated respectfully because harming an animal is harming God. Jesus told human beings to be kind to the weak and helpless. Animals are weak compared to us, which is why we should therefore show compassion to animals.
In my opinion there are certain limits. For example, animals are a big source from which we get food from. I believe that God gave us these animals for our nourishment, and if it dies based on natural causes then its okay to later take it as food. Experimentation is difficult. I believe if it is a morally acceptable process in which the animal is not being harmed but also useful to save a human’s life then that is okay.
No type of violence can ever justify harming others. I understand that many are not interested in animal research and want to prevent researchers from harming or could possibly be even hurting animals, but it is wrong for them to try to save animals from being harmed or killed and then they kill humans. If they think that killing animals is wrong then killing humans is also wrong. That is why we have a voice so we are able to voice out our own opinion on different matters. This argument should have been handled in a very different way. In which no one comes out being hurt.
There are not too many people in the United States that have not directly or indirectly benefited from animal research. Animals naturally cannot speak for themselves because they are not that evolved. We however as humans do have that right and we are fortunate to have that right. Personally I don’t think that there is anything wrong with animal research as long as it is done in compliance with the law of both the state and federal government and is strongly mandated by humane organizations. Unfortunately this is just the way things are in this world. Humans are at the top and animals are not. Don’t misunderstand what I am saying here. I love animals as much as the next person but if it were not for certain types of animal research we would not have life saving medications and procedures. We have people that speak for our animals both appropriately and inappropriately. To answer the question technically, no animals do not have rights because they don’t have a “voice” specifically I mean they do not have a way to communicate how they feel about being used for testing and research. I don’t feel it is right to hurt or torture an animal for any reason anywhere. These people that use violence as a “scare tactic” to stop animal research and testing are completely nuts. Violence has never solved anything nor will it…ever! I don’t think that these people do any type of valid research about the facilities that conduct research. Animals are not harmed and are under strict observation and guidelines. It is so wrong to try and get a message across by putting humans and possibly animals in harm. There are so many vaccinations and medical procedures that were discovered through animal research that our country and this world is still growing and evolving to become even better. We can’t please everyone all of the time so this will forever be a problem. Sadly, this is just the way things are.
This extremism defeats their purpose. I do believe there is some abuse of animals who are used in research, I have to admit it bothers me, but to resort to bombing a car! That goes too far. The Humane Society's undercover work recently showed the neglect and abuse of apes at one University, I do hope that that leads to a crackdown and improved care of those animals and safety of staff. We cannot deny that without animal research many of the drugs we use daily would not be here. And many more drugs save lives. I agree with Dr Devin, most of these extremist have never been in a research lab and lack a certain amount facts. Much like anti-abortion protesters, they end up failing to get their point across, while looking a bit unstable.
Animals do not have rights. We have to understand that humans and animals cannot be compared. Human beings are conscious whereas animals are living organisms but are not conscious of their actions. Also, God put us in the position to be ruler of all creatures. I am not saying torture animals for our entertainment. We have to be responsible enough to use animal research to benefit the masses of the human race. As long as the study is aimed towards curing a disease or saving human lives, animal research is okay. However, Animal research should not be used for luxury tests such as cosmetics, performance enhancers, or Botox. The violence created by the extremist of animal rights can never be justified. Basically, their actions portray that animal lives are more valuable than human lives. They are willing to trade life for life in hopes of stopping animal research. By bombing the car of the scientist, they are threatening a human life in order to send a message. Who knows how far they will go next time. I don’t think animal researched should be stopped. There needs to be a compromise between the animal research groups and the anti animal research mediated by the government to make sure that animal research follows a strict guideline. This guideline should include what animal research should be used for or not.
Animals I would say that animals have a few rights but they are limited and not the same as human rights. I believe this because animals have the right to be treated right and not harmed. But that’s where I think their rights end because animals don’t have the same rights as humans and will never have the same or similar rights as humans. Regan said in order to have rights contracts are used to help protect those rights and animals can’t sign them because they don’t understand the meaning of it. So their rights are limited and almost nonexistent. These extremist believe that they are doing something noble for the animals but they are just making their cause more dangerous and less effective and make people turn against them. With their extreme tactics more people are more likely to be against them and their causes. They are making it seem like most other animal rights people are crazy and willing to anything to harm those researching on animals. But this makes no sense to cause harm to end animal research does not send out the right message. I think that most of these extremist believe that they are justified in trying to harm those doing animal research. It would make more sense to try and end animal testing with simple protest and non violent approaches. So I don’t believe that animal rights extremes are helping their cause by firebombing cars and send threaten emails or calls.
I do not believe that animals have inherent value and rights equal to humans like Regan argues. They cannot have the same inherent right to life because we must use them as a food source. However, we do know that animals are not merely machines as Descartes argued so there must be a middle ground. Reagan argued against the fact that one must have the ability to reason to receive respect because we protect the mentally handicapped. The sensible middle ground is sentience, which is the ability to feel and process pain. While animals have the biological means to feel pain it is argued if they have the capacity to process the pain. Some make the distinction of whether or not they can feel and know their own pain as “my pain”. They can feel the pain, react to the pain and do have instincts to avoid such an occurrence. These mechanisms are in place to ensure their survival. I do not agree with research that cause unnecessary or undo pain or fails to relieve pain, if possible. Impaired infants and adults are protected because as a human they have the ability to be sentient and reasonable but other uncontrollable factors do not allow for their full potential to be reached. A monkey however, even at its full potential does not have the same capabilities as a human and being limited by their species isn’t the same as being limited by a medical problem. Potential value is not actual value but we do not punish people for things beyond their control. We don’t allow children to starve to death since their parents can’t afford to feed them so we give them food stamps, food boxes and free lunch at school. With impaired infants and adults it’s the same principle of humanism at work. You could call it specisist but taking care of one’s species is how we survive and is programmed into our genes. We would not have a great number of medical procedures if we did not use animals for research. Today from all of that research we have been able to progress to the point where we have reasonable alternatives that do not require humans and are more effective. However, there are instances where there are no alternatives to use for animal research. In these instances, it’s important to relieve their pain and suffering because it is the ethical thing to do and because their distress could alter the results of such research. In the cases where animals need to be used and the use of medication for pain relief interferes with the experiments then the research should still be carried out and is still ethical because the possible benefits to humans outweigh the burden on the animals. I also do think that genetic engineering of animal is ethical because the altering of their genes does not harm the animal and the genetically engineered animals are in a controlled environment i.e. cannot breed in the normal population of their species. We used to need animals for clothes and other items along with food. We no longer have that necessity need from animals so I do not think that animals need to be killed specifically for making clothes or other objects, we can use other material. However, if we are killing them for their meat and have a way to also use their skins then that would be fine since the cow is dying anyways. However, with other animals like zebras and alligators if we are not already killing them for a necessary purpose like food then they do not need to be killed for their hides. While harming an animal is considered animal abuse and is a punishable act because the act is done with malicious intent and causes harm to the animal. Animal research and experimentation however is done in a controlled environment, is not done to specifically cause the animal pain for the researcher’s pleasure and is done with the intent to help others, human or nonhumans. There is a clear difference and am completely consistent in my beliefs for agreeing with animal research and punishing people for animal cruelty.
No, violence like this is never justified; just like abortion bombings are not justified. This violence does more harm than good and gets in the way of real discussion about this issue. Even if one disagrees with our laws we have freedom of speech and peaceful protest so that their objections will be heard and if necessary changes can be made. This is not a dictatorship where there are no other options, this is a democracy where not everyone will agree with the ways things work but impeding and harming other human beings is illegal and unethical. An eye for an eye is not a motto this society stands by.
Animal have the right to protection. I believe scientific experimentations should continue with animals but sometimes there might be an abuse of animals. This right should be formal and should be enforced towards forcing the experimenters to operate in as safer condition as possible. That means things that are required to be done should be done out of necessity not authority. There are other right but they are all centered around the protection of the animals. As of the violence, its ridiculous how the dangers directed towards human experimenters doesn’t have any effectiveness of reminding other researchers the cruelty or other claims of animal right extremism. I don’t see any effective means that can create the acceptance of complete abolition of animal research because its likely we need it now and its likely we need it in the future. So we should aim our objectives towards reducing cruelty and improper handling of animal life. Whatever your belief is, any act of violence towards other human being is no different than the usual act of crime.
For Miriam -
The question of do animals have any rights is an obvious answer to me. No they do not as far as the meaning of the word “rights”. They may have the option of obeying their masters, if they are worthy enough to be owned as a pet. Farm animals are considered nothing other than commodities with no other reason other than a spot to fill on a grocery store shelf. Wild animals are only acknowledged when being hunted, either for there fur or for a trophy on somebody’s wall. Animals will never be able to voice there opinion, and obviously never be able to have the same right’s humans have because they can not show the same intellectual equality to man. I think as far back in history in evolution humans have used the weaker species, whether it is human or non human animal for survival, more for personal gain and profit. Unfortunately the non human species will always fall being the victim. We all know animals feel pain; they get lonely and need affection just as we do. We all know it is a crime to leave your grandmother on the side of the road when she becomes too old and no longer has any beneficial value left, as well as your child if he or she becomes sick. But people have a tendency to overlook an old arthritic dog or a sick puppy. I think it all boils down to the weighing out of worth. Kind of like an old shoe that has gone out of fashion. If there is no more use, then it is thrown out. By the insensitive behavior of the people who fire bombed the professor’s car, is simply showing what animals are up against. Violence is just an excuse, and an unacceptable way to acquire attention. There are other ways in which we can capture the Medias attention, which is all they accomplished. These people were not thinking of the innocent people around them, or for that matter there could have been a dog or a cat underneath the very same car they blew up. That would have been a good next paragraph in there media caption! There is no justification in creating more violence to stop violence ever. History has repeatedly proven that. All they are doing is creating more violence, and literally killing any chance for the animal wright’s argument to be heard without prejudice.
I believe that animals do have rights. I think that they should have the same freedom us we do to be out in the wild without having to be scared because some hunter is out there trying to kill it. Just because they can’t make their own moral and ethical decisions doesn’t mean that they can’t have the same rights that we the humans do. As far as animal research I think that researchers should first take into affect the animal’s safety before beginning any kind of experiment. These researches may help find a cure for some diseases but these animals also have the right to live. They should also take into affect that when the research is being to these animals that they will be able to recover and live there normal lives that they were given. Many people think that just because there animals it’s ok if they die in an experiment. But animals can also feel pain just like we do. So I think that these are few of the many considerations that people should take before doing the research.
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