RIGHTS
Updated: Sep 2
Enough Clarity?
Animal Rights represents animals not being used by humans. By contrast, Animal Welfare is improvement of animals’ existence. Feeding a demand, from some in society, for rights for animals, is: our knowledge of animals’ (all vertebrates’ and some invertebrates’) sentience; a realisation that to improve animals’ existence, and within the traditional paradigm, does not go far enough towards giving animals a life of high quality and full length (and also with the possibility present that not all humans would provide the betterment); seeing that we should not regard animals as property; recognising that we should not see animals as for humans’ use.
Let us look at how animal rights are seen and interpreted. Gary L Francione, a leader in consideration of animal rights, argues for the recognition that animals are persons, and who are moral. He speaks of animals ‘right not to be used as property’. He says that that right ‘protects animals against being commodified and exploited. It protects sentient beings from any suffering or death that is incidental to using them as things.’ (p 150, Why Veganism Matters: The Moral Value of Animals, 2020). Writing for The Human League United Kingdom, Laura Bridgeman defines animal rights thus: ‘Animal rights are moral principles grounded in the belief that non-human animals deserve the ability to live as they wish, without being subjected to the desires of human beings.’ (‘Our Movement, Animal Rights: Definition, Issues and Examples’, February 4th 2021). Animal Aid leaflet ‘Animal Rights in Five Minutes’ gives the differences between animal rights and animal welfare. Under the heading ‘What are animal rights?’, it says: Animal rights mean recognising that animals are not ours to use. Like us, they have one life - and it belongs to them. Under the ‘Rights over welfare’ heading it explains: ‘Animal welfare says it’s OK to use animals as long as they don’t suffer unnecessarily. Advocates for animal rights say that welfare is beside the point; animals are not ours to use at all.’
Last Saturday, 22nd August, the National Animal Rights March UK took place in London. A handout flyer ‘Join The Movement for Animal Rights’ gave some summary and opinion, amongst which was:
‘We have created a world that uses other animals for human gains: for food, clothing, sport and leisure, heavy work, entertainment, testing for science, medicine and products; ….
…. animals are not commodities or property. They are unique individuals who experience joy and suffering, pleasure and pain. They have families, friends and complex social structures. They are aware of the world around them - their lives matter to them.
Veganism and animal rights are built on the values of respect and justice and on the premise that all animals have the inherent right not to be bred, used, exploited, displaced or killed for our gain.’
From whom the flyer came was not indicated.
The March round the West End of London last Saturday was an animal rights march. The placards and notices held up by the marchers displayed a lot of different topics and subjects that were concerning them. From viewing those placards and notices, it could be thought that animal rights, while featuring in the March, was not the March’s item. But animal rights was the theme underlying. And the other major matter running through the event was veganism: of course it had to be, because for animals to attain right of good life, humans must be vegan. For noting is what Gary L Francione says in the Introduction to his book, referred to above, ‘if you think that animals matter morally, then you are committed to being a vegan.’ Whether the crowds of public - shopping and strolling and enjoying themselves - gathered that the March’s topic was animal rights can be debated.
What animal rights is essentially is clear. But within this, people and groups appear to see quite variously what is its tenor, of what it consists, what is its top priority. Animal rights can be seen as for non-human animals, right of life, right to natural span of life, right to freedom, right to choose way of life, right to have equivalent good life as do humans, and so on. Personally, I see animal rights as right to good treatment, always, and in every way. For decision is whether a ‘wish list’ is enough to bring about good life for animals. The question is whether the rights need to have legal imposition. The answer to that is ‘yes’.
Clarity, and decision-making, are needed for animal rights to be achieved.
27th August 2026