Animal Rights
To add interest throughout the website I have interspersed commentary with thought provoking quotations from philosophers, ethicists, scientists and other notable thinkers both past and present.
Animal Rights: Introduction and selection page
At the moment our human world is based on the suffering and destruction of millions of non-humans. To perceive this and to do something to change it in personal and public ways is to undergo a change of perception akin to a religious conversion. Nothing can ever be seen in quite the same way again because once you have admitted the terror and pain of other species you will, unless you resist conversion, be always aware of the endless permutations of suffering that support our society.
Arthur Conan Doyle
This is a an introduction and selection page to a section of the website that focuses on the issue of Animal Rights and will include articles and subsections on such topics as factory farming, the history of animal rights and so on. New articles will be included from time to time. Please scroll down to make your selection
Think differently about sheep. supports animal rights in its strictest meaning which is the abolition of all animal exploitation.
Below you will find links that will take you to information concerning Animal Rights Issues.
Animal Rights: What are animal rights?
In an earlier stage of our development most human groups held to a tribal ethic. Members of the tribe were protected, but people of other tribes could be robbed or killed as one pleased. Gradually the circle of protection expanded, but as recently as 150 years ago we did not include blacks. So African human beings could be captured, shipped to America and sold. In Australia white settlers regarded Aborigines as a pest and hunted them down, much as kangaroos are hunted down today. Just as we have progressed beyond the blatantly racist ethic of the era of slavery and colonialism, so we must now progress beyond the speciesist ethic of the era of factory farming, of the use of animals as mere research tools, of whaling, seal hunting, kangaroo slaughter and the destruction of wilderness. We must take the final step in expanding the circle of ethics.
Peter Singer
In essence Animal rights are the fundamental rights of animals claimed on their behalf by human beings.
Animal rights is the name given to the ideology that advocates the right to humane treatment that is claimed on behalf of animals on the basis that animals have the moral right not to have their basic interests violated, and that they should have legal entitlement to such rights, most particularly the right not to be harmed and exploited for human use. The term animal rights refers to the concept that animals are entitled to certain fundamental rights...
Read more about the definition of animal rights, the difference between animal rights and animal welfare, why we should grant animals rights and much more, includes videos from prominent animal rights advocates and quotations:
Animal Rights: What are Animal Rights
Animal Rights: Our Statement
Read our statement concerning our personal interpretation of Animal Rights:
Animal Rights: Our Statement
Animal Rights and Why they Matter
Why do animals rights matter. Why should we treat animals differently, with respect and with the recognition that they too have the right to life? Why is it important to review the way we think about the creatures with whom we share this world, particularly the animals which we use and abuse for food, clothing, labour and entertainment.
The human animal is a very inconsistent creature in many ways and none more so than his attitude to his fellow creatures...
Read Animal Rights and Why they Matter, which contains information and anecdotes concerning the importance of granting rights to animals and the rights to which animals should be granted
Animal Rights and Why they Matter
If a group of beings from another planet were to land on Earth - beings who considered themselves as superior to you as you feel yourself to be to other animals - would you concede them the rights over you that you assume over other animals?
George Bernard Shaw
Animal Rights: Factory Farming
It is my hope that our descendents will look back at our inhumane system of factory farming and other animal exploitation with shock and horror and uncomprehending revulsion, much in the same way that we now look back on the atrocities that we as a species have carried out on one another throughout the ages and into the present day...
This is a section containing in-depth information concerning the atrocities of factory farming and other exploitations. Included is a general introduction concerning the cruel and abusive treatment of factory farmed animals including separate sections on the inhumane treatment of poultry, cattle, pigs, sheep, aquatic animals and bees.
Animal Rights: Factory Farming
Animal Rights Issues
This section focuses on various animal rights issues.
Guest Article:
Meat = Death
This timely article discusses the devastating effects of a carnivorous diet for animals, man and the planet.
Animal Rights Quotations
"The assumption that animals are without rights and the illusion that our treatment of them has no moral significance is a positively outrageous example of Western crudity and barbarity. Universal compassion is the only guarantee of morality."
Schopenhauer
A selection of Animal Rights Quotations from scientists, ethicists, religious leaders, philosophers and famous people past and present
Animal Rights Quotations
More animal rights issues will be added in due course including the history of animal rights, information concerning animal experiments, hunting and other abuses.
Animal Rights: A History
Animal Rights: A History, provides highlights of some of the events and people that paved the way towards our modern day concept of animal rights. From ancient times to the present day, this section highlights the lives and writings of the advocates of animal rights, those who have made some contribution to helping humanity think differently about the millions of species of sentient life with whom we share this world. To view them as creatures with their own rights to live out their lives as nature intended and not as commodities for the use and exploitation by human beings.
Animal Rights: A History
Animal Sentience Stories
A collection of stories and other information concerning animal sentience. This is an on going section new stories and information will be added from time to time. Includes videos
Animal Sentience Stories
Further Animals Rights Articles (misc)
A section with numerous animals rights related articles
Useful Links: Action You Can Take
Important please note:I am not an animal expert of any kind just your average person who loves animals, all animals, and feels deeply about the plight of many of our fellow creatures. Neither am I a writer, or any other expert. Therefore please keep in mind that the information included in this website has been researched to the best of my ability and any misinformation is quite by accident but of course possible.
Copyright, accreditations and other matters, please read