Treat fellow creatures with equal respect When it comes to the right to life, we associate it with human life, rather than all forms of life, both human and non-human. The concept is related to the right to live. Every living animal- yes, human beings are animals- has the right to live and not to be unjustly killed by a fellow. The right to life is usually related to topics like abortion and euthanasia, which involve killing people or babies for different sort of reasons. But what about non-human life? We have self-proclaimed the superior specie, and therefore we believe we have got the right to treat the inferior ones as we think it is correct in order to satisfy our very own needs, and sometimes, whims. Up to what extent is this correct? Throughout this essay, the different “dimensions” from where animal rights are not respected plus the alleged excuses human beings give so as to justify their barbaric actions will be analysed. To begin with, some industries do not involve just mistreating animals. They also involve massive murder. For instance, food industry is maybe the most violent one. We are used to hear that proteins coming from animal flesh are vital for our bodies. However, we are not told how animals are treated during their lives in slaughterhouses. What’s more, all of these proteins can be obtained from vegetable-based food, which is at the same time healthier. As Paul McCartney said, “If slaughterhouses had glass walls everyone would be vegetarian”. Most farm animals spend their lives within tiny and uncomfortable cages or suffering in dark and unsuitable places waiting for their final day to come. When the moment has arrived, they are not just killed. They are tortured. They are left to die in terrible conditions just for people to have a greasy burger or some “tasty” nuggets. Nobody stops to think where those things come from, and what’s more, how much an animal has suffered. Even worse, it is true that eating people is illegal cannibalism. But what about animals? Is it correct to eat them? We discriminate other species just because they are different or because they are more inferior to us. This is called speciesism. As Peter Singer has said “If one entity shares an equal capacity with another to be harmed or benefited, then, whatever other differences may exist between them, this equality requires us to treat them equally”. So it is true our intellectual capacity is superior to animals’ (though this could be questioned judging some human actions), both animals and humans share the capacity to feel both pain and pleasure. Therefore, any other difference is immediately annulled, highlighting the equality between them, if this makes any sense. The other industry to quote is fashion industry. This also involves massive murder in a completely unnecessary way. Millions of animals are killed each year for designers to get their leather and luxurious fur. Shoes, coats, dresses, jackets and even pants are sometimes made of these two. Industries make us believe we need that non-cruelty-free stuff making us pay high prices for what is no less than a dead animal. But don’t we realise fur and leather look better on their natural owners? Human beings keep on killing animals to satisfy their needs. Animal, or nonhuman life, is not respected at all. There are alternatives to animal flesh in our plates. There are alternatives to fur coats and leather jackets. The change depends on us.
In addition, animal rights are ignored when it comes to drug and cosmetics testing. Starting by analyzing drug testing, endless toxic and corrosive chemicals are tested generally on rats before being used with humans. We use animals as means to our ends. We sacrifice them in order to avoid the death of members of our own specie. This is, dear reader, no less than speciesism. Our disrespectful attitude towards animals shows how, up to certain extremist extent, “involuted” we are. Our barbaric actions do not show any kind of respect towards other forms of life. Experimenting on animals is morally accepted as it could bring benefits to humanity. However, those benefits are not proved. Moreover, if a being suffers, this cannot be ignored no matter the circumstances. Scientists usually state that without animals, drug testing and medical experiments would not be possible or maybe human beings would be used. So either you stop or you use the ones of your own specie! Why would animals be involved in experiments that do not benefit them at all? Furthermore, they are not sure at all that those experiments will be valid on humans. Therefore, can’t these experiments be avoided? Can’t experimental techniques be improved so as not to involve animals? Their lives do matter. Quoting the BBC’s “Ethics & Experimenting on Animals”, “The possible benefits to humanity of performing the experiment are completely irrelevant to the morality of the case, because rights should never be violated”. A limited amount of philosophers have concluded that there are certain things that humans will never learn. This is one of them. This same quote applies to cosmetic testing. This is maybe the most unnecessary and most harmful action carried out. Beauty industry usually involves mice, rats, rabbits and guinea pigs. These are used to test from lipsticks to shampoo. Products are sometimes injected, sometimes put on their shaved skin or even dripped into their eyes. Tests usually last for weeks or months as industries look for signs of illness or health hazards. Many animals end up suffering from cancer or even birth defects. Even worse, lethal doses are applied so as to determine which dose can cause death. Do companies have the chance to choose whether to use animals or not? Sadly, yes. Why Sadly? Because they still choose to do it. This is due to their desire to use new ingredients which do not have safety data. Therefore they “must” generate a new safety data before selling the products. Last but not least, animal cruelty and mistreatment can be seen in zoos or circuses as well. They are exposed for humans to see their exotic beauty. They are locked within habitat-like “huge”, yet enclosed, cages. In the case of circuses, they are treated as actors so as to impress the audience. However, they are not either actors or circus clowns. As well stated by PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals), “(…) these animals are forced to perform silly, confusing tricks under the threat of physical punishment; (…) and are separated from their families and friends—all for the sake of human “entertainment.” Many of these animals even pay with their lives.” The previous examples of violation of animal rights are usually justified as humanity savers, if this makes any sense at all. But what is the excuse for this? Children are taught to love zoos. Children are taught to wish a circus seat to watch a performance. However, they, who are the addressees of these entertainment forms, are not told how much suffering hides behind a costume or a zoo cage. Yet adults encourage children to increase their desire to
attend to these shows. Entertainment cannot be based, under any circumstance or silly excuse, on cruelty and death. Animal rights were made to be respected. We must do so. To conclude, our alleged superiority has taken us to a violent extreme were non-human life is not respected. This superiority is quite mistaken, though. We are not superior, but equal. Going back to Peter Singer’s quote, no matter what difference (intellectual capacity) may exist between beings, one capacity in common (to feel pain or pleasure) makes equal, and therefore we must treat them equally. Moreover, the fact that we, human beings, are animals does mean that we are, no matter our specie, all the same, and therefore have the right to live and not be killed unjustly either to be eaten, worn, used for tests or even entertainment. We do not have the right, no matter our excuses, to use other forms of life to benefit ourselves. We are all equal and we must treat our fellows with equal respect.