A very touching article written by Linda Mathews, about animals feeling pain & why we should treat them equal. It is definitely worth a read! Thank you Linda for this piece.
What makes humans different from animals if it’s already proven that dolphins can speak almost like humans, recognize themselves in a mirror, grieve for their baby’s death, take care of ill dolphins, and help other fish for food?Can there be any doubts that animals and humans are equal if ‘rhesus macaques live in complex societies with strong dominance hierarchies and long-lasting social bonds between female relatives’, and some monkeys exchange objects they don’t need for food (meaning they use it as money)?Is human life more valuable than animal life, if dogs help in solving crimes where humans are useless, and the elephants are self-aware, while their cortex has as many neurons as a human brain?
Is it permissible to eat, kill animals, and make them suffer, living in the 21st century of tolerance and sensibility?
We’re deeply convinced that all medieval rituals like these should be strictly prohibited by law. However, we’re also sure that instead of just depending on the government to solve this huge problem of nowadays, we MUST pay more attention, engage ourselves in the fight for animals’ rights, educate people about the importance of considering animals like equal and protecting them.
Animals DO feel
pain
fear
loneliness
frustration
love
pleasure
They DON’T deserve to be
killed
eaten
used as entertainment
locked in cages
exploited as labor
used for lab experiments
Human Life VS Animal Life
We can’t deny there are lots of issues that make humans different from animals, but it doesn’t mean people are any better or higher than animals.
We’re all different in this world, and we share this Earth with 8.7 million other species – yes, we don’t own it, and other creatures are not meant to serve our convenience, to be our food, clothing, experimentation, or entertainment.
When talking about animals and humans as equal, we don’t require identical treatment (since even the most intelligent animals reach only the level of a 3 years old child – obviously, we can’t treat a toddler the same as an adult, but we do consider a toddler as an individual who has rights and freedoms).
Accordingly, animals’ rights should be sustained just as well as we respect the rights of kids. Seems easy, but humans break this rule daily:
1. The Plight of Stray Animals
Street animals throughout the world are in a very bad position: they live in miserable conditions, and people don’t let them die a natural death. Stray animals suffer from severe painful and deadly diseases, speeding vehicles often hit cats and dogs and run away, leaving the animals injured and wounded. A part of animals is being found dying because of mutilation.
2. Food
“We need meat for protein” – people say.
“Broccoli has 11.1 grams of protein per 100 calories while the steak has 6.4 grams of protein per 100 calories. That’s almost twice the amount of protein.” – Google says.
“Animal products contain several vitamins that can’t be gained anywhere else. But they aren’t vital.” – We say.
So, do you still have excuses not to be a vegan?
3. Leather, Fur, and Wool
More than 50 million foxes, minks, seals, and dogs and about 1 billion rabbits are killed for their pelts yearly. They’re raised on fur farms or trapped to be killed and worn as clothing. Is that humanely?
It would be fairer to make people raise these animals, feed, and treat them, and after that to kill and make clothing of their pelt by themselves. Bet people would wear less leather, fur, and wool outfits.
4. Entertainment
Shooting, fishing, hunting, circuses, zoos, racing… – animals can’t be a human’s source of entertainment, ‘cause it violates the animals’ rights. Wanna have fun – today there are lots of other opportunities for amusement.
5. Experimentation
Millions of mice, rats, cats, dogs, rabbits, and primates are locked in labs throughout the world right now. They’re suffering physically and psychologically – and that’s a real shame for a 21st-century human.
6. Animal Labor
Bearing in mind the fact child labor is still used in some countries of the modern world, it’s not surprising that animals are also exploited in various ways: to provide transport, carry heavy loads, in warfare, to enforce the law. However, this situation can’t be treated as normal and definitely should be changed asap.
Earth is our home, and no species is a host or an owner: animals and humans are equal in the universe scale, and it’s our responsibility to make our home a comfortable and safe place to live in for all creatures.
Linda Mathews is an editor of https://catspurfection.com/ Animals have always been a passion of hers. She enjoys animal science, animal husbandry, training, and market animal research.
