Ethics of Animal Rights - Coursework Example

Animal Rights

Different societies and cultural groups all over the world have varying moral values and ethical codes. There is a lot of conflict on the meaning of animal rights, and how non-human animals should be treated. Adopting animal rights means that humans are prohibited from hunting, breeding animals for clothes or medicine, performing animal experiments, using animals for entertainment, or for hard labor. People who support animal rights and welfare argue that animals can make conscious decisions, are aware of their existence, and have equal levels of complex biological makeup. Alternatively, animal rights critics argue that animals cannot think, behave morally, or make conscious decisions. Critics also state that humans are the superior species and animals were put here to serve them ("BBC - Ethics - Animal Ethics: Animal Rights").

Ethics is a reflection of how people should act and why they should behave in certain ways. Animal ethics discuss why we should consider nonhuman animals when making moral judgments. One of the most crucial ethical theories that contribute to this issue is utilitarianism. The theory states that human beings should act in ways that result in maximum happiness and reduce suffering in the world. According to the theory, each person’s wellbeing matters and failing to consider an individual’s happiness is unethical. For example, abusing animals that have a positive impact on people’s happiness is a violation of the utilitarianism theory. According to this theory, nonhuman animals can only be used if their exploitation will cause greater happiness than harm. However, it takes prolonged pain and suffering of an animal to give humans short-lived pleasure of tasting them or wearing clothes made out of them. Therefore, animal cruelty is considered morally unethical with regard to the utilitarianism theory ("Utilitarianism - Animal Ethics").

Another theory that contributes to this discussion is the Virtue ethics. This philosophical theory argues that ethics is not about what we do but rather the kind of people we are. The theory does not give guidelines on how humans should act; instead, it encourages them to develop strong moral characters. Supporters of the virtue ethics theory state that human beings are at a more advantageous position than animals because they have more power. Harming animals to benefit humans or lack of sympathy towards suffering animals is viewed as being selfish, insensitive, and abusive. These negative personal attributes go against the doctrines of the virtue ethics theory. People should act virtuously whether or not their actions will produce negative consequences. Therefore, the most virtuous action would be to refrain from harming animals and saving troubled animals ("Virtue Ethics And Care Ethics - Animal Ethics").

Examples of animal cruelty and unnecessary animal suffering

There are two types of animal cruelty; active and passive cruelty. In passive, cruelty is a result of lack of an action instead of the action itself. Types of neglect include dehydration, parasite infestations, starvation, poor shelter in extreme weather environments, letting collars grow into the animal’s skin, and refusing to take animals to veterinary centers when required. Animal cruelty takes place in industrial animal farming where they are housed in extremely large numbers. The nature of these industrial facilities involves practices of animal husbandry that many consider cruel to the animals. Studies have revealed that animals such as pigs, chicken, cows, and other farm animals are mostly exposed to cruelty. For instance, male chickens cannot lay eggs so the newly hatched ones are usually culled using grinders and macerators. The egg-laying hens are taken to cages where they are stored in large numbers. These chickens are likely to develop health issues such as osteoporosis. Broilers also suffer from cruel treatment as they are at times injected with steroids to fasten their growth. This growth is unnatural because their hearts, lungs, and bones fail to keep up. Many of these young birds endure painful crippling and others succumb to heart failure. To reduce aggression among pigs in crowded pens, their tails are cut off, teeth clipped, and they are castrated.

Animals are subjected to cruelty in some cultural rituals and traditional practices. In Thailand, Asiatic elephants are hunted, dehydrated, and starved so as the make them submissive to their captors. The captors may also perform cruel acts like inserting nails into the elephant’s feet and ears. Practicing animal cruelty for divine reasons dates all the way back to ancient cultures and religions. There are modern cultures like “Santeria” that perform animal sacrifices for healing rituals. Ancient Scotts performed an animal sacrifice ritual called “Taghairm” that was believed to help them summon demons.

Many popular Hollywood films have received heavy backlash for lethal and harmful animal treatment in the process of film production. Some films portray extremely cruel acts being performed on animals to create a dramatic effect. For example in the film “Heaven’s Gate”, many animals were killed or brutally injured on set. The main actor killed hens and even blew up a horse using dynamite in a battle scene. Animal crush or snuff movies are Internet films that depict animal cruelty and pornographic deeds with animals. These films also involve filming the death of animals including monkeys, insects, mice, dogs, cats, and birds.

Another common site for animal cruelty is the circus. Animal rights groups have documented numerous occurrences of cruelty when circus animals are being trained to perform. Such documented instances include lack of proper veterinary care, lack of regulating and oversight bodies, confining closures, and abusive training procedures. The animals trainers retaliated by saying that most accusations against them were not factual, for example, the belief that shouting at the animals will make them feel threatened. Bullfighting has also received a lot of criticism from animal welfare and rights activists for being a barbaric sport that subjects the bulls to stress and eventual death. Most of these bullfights end in the gruesome killing or profuse bleeding of the animals. There is a festival in Spain called “Toro Jubilo” where a bull’s horns are set on fire and then the bull is released into the open. The bull has no option but to run around in pain trying to extinguish the fire. The fire can last for prolonged hours and burn the bull’s eyes, body, and horns.

Military animals such as horses, dolphins, and dogs have often been employed for use in battles. During warfare, animals are subjected to cruel acts such as using them for military testing, fighting, and as live bombs. Performing unnecessary demonstrations on animals is also cruel as it causes them distress and physical pain. For example in classroom experiments, oxygen depletion is demonstrated by suffocating rabbits under a glass container. Frogs are also dissected to show their internal organs.

What does animal cruelty say about our society?

Numerous scientific studies and research have revealed a strong connection between animal cruelty and human psychopathology. Research in criminal psychology states that most murderers started by torturing and killing animals as children before progressing to killing fellow human beings ("Human Abuse Linked To Cruelty To Animals"). Animal cruelty is not simply a minor personality defect, but a symptom of severe mental illness. This cruelty depicts the heavy presence of violence in our society. Many animals live in fear and pain because they are constantly abused throughout their lives. Most people view animal cruelty as a minor issue because they believe that animals do not think or have a conscious.

Human violence is an old vice that many philosophers, scientists, historians, and healers have pondered upon over the years. In the recent years, scientists have dedicated their time and resources to research abusive and cruel acts performed by children. Troubled children are often identified by three main characteristics: bedwetting, fire setting, and animal brutality. Not every abused child grows into an abuser; however, all animal abusers were once abused in their early years. Antisocial crimes such as animal abuse and arson are performed for power. Children may abuse animals for the following reasons; to express aggression, to shock people, to retaliate against others, to control the animal or general sadism.

The cases of animal brutality demonstrate the lack of proper child rearing procedures in our society. Children who are well nurtured have a healthy sense of security, self-control, and self-esteem. On the other hand, children who were neglected or abused by their caretakers use animal cruelty as coping mechanisms. Children who watch their parents practice animal abuse and spouse beating are likely to imitate the same behavior.

Another factor that has greatly contributed to violence in the society is the media. An average child who watches TV daily is exposed to numerous scenes or murder and other types of violence. Children who are given little to none adult supervision have unlimited access to negative media and may learn to handle their problems in disturbing ways. Most of the negative media are guided as educational programs, and they end up misleading the children of unsuspecting parents ("America's Animal Abuse Problem - Petfinder").

Social and economic problems have increased the exposure of children to abuse and violence. Children who live in slum areas or inner cities do not have healthy and conducive growing environments and many succumb to a life of crime and violence. The most affected people are victims of racism such as African Americans and Native Americans. Their children are subjected to poor medical care, lack of proper education, poor housing, and nutrition. Their neighborhoods are also riddled with violent gangs and drug cartels. All these societal factors foster a generation of children who lack empathy and tolerate inhumane acts such as animal abuse.

Conclusion: How should animals be treated?

The main aim or moral thinking is to identify the existing contradictions in moral claims and the manner to handle them. For instance, people claim that it is moral to respect the defenseless, yet they exploit animals, children, and women. Societies should aim to resolve these contradictions because they result in the pain and suffering of the victims. There should also be programs to help abused children and adults who suffer from various psychopathologies. Governments should place stringent laws to warn and punish those caught harming or mistreating animals. Animals deserve to be treated with kindness and respect because it is the morally upright thing to do ("How Should Animals Be Treated?").