Comparing Animal Welfare and Animal Rights

Animal rights

philosophical belief that animals have rights, based on opinions

Animal use

The legal use of animals

Can be in research, teaching, agriculture, etc.

Animal exploitation

Abuse of animals outside the law

Animal liberationists

Those fundamentally opposed to animal use/ownership

Resort to illegal activities to rescue/release animals

Examples of animal liberationist

Animal liberation front ALF

PETA

What rights do animals have?

Animals under human care have the right to food, water, and shelter

Society gives rise to ______ in animal-related issues

Interest

How does urbanization affect social conditions and therefore beliefs?

Less interaction with animals

Idealize the way things are

Learn from TV

Social factors driving animal activism

Urbanization

Anthropomorphism

Evolution

Egalitarianism (equality)

Abundant, cheap food

What is the spectrum of interest in animal issues

Animal focus vs. human focus

Pragmatic vs. absolute

How do individuals differ in how animals should be treated?

Some disagree with one aspect of animal treatment

Some disagree with all animal use

Animal rights activists

A person who actively promotes their view of how animals should be treated

Can be a single viewpoint, multiple issues or to the extreme

Animal rights movement core beliefs

Eliminate animal exploitation

Animals should be free from human interference

Any tactic is justified for the longterm goal

What tactics are used by animal rights movements

Appeal to public’s love of animals and compassion (use caring names)

Get press coverage for good things they do

Hide what they don’t do

Fund raising, use the donations for other things

Use ideologically motivated individuals (individuals with single project concern)

Outlast opposition while gaining public recognition

Increase creditability through “large membership numbers”

Lie when necessary

Get attention, any attention

Use loaded manipulative words

Add welfare topics to state election petitioned ballots

Massachusetts Prevention of Farm Animal Cruelty act —- passed 2016

Prevent confinement of breeding sows, layers, and veal calves

Florida amendment 13 — passed 2018

Eliminated greyhound racing

Picketing stores

Harassing companies to force them to conform to activist ideology

Actions directed at public institutions

Filing lawsuits

Long-term targeting

Targets university mascots

What are some examples of extremists tactics

Take hidden (often staged) videos

Release laboratory and production animals

Destroy computer/laboratory equipment

Starting to target individual researchers

Our role as veterinarians

Understand the difference between animal welfare, animal rights, and animal rights activists

We are the experts on animal welfare

We are liaisons between animal producers/researchers and the public

Educate and inform law makers