Why should we care about animal rights?

Once animal rights are recognised, you can appeal to them

Freedom is a fundamental right for humans. Asking whether it also applies to animals can be a liberating insight. It can also be satisfying to do something for animals or to stop doing something that harms them. What matters most is that the abuse of animals is prevented. It must be possible to set limits to it. On this point a noncommittal society is not a just one. Respecting animals also gives a better guarantee of respect for human rights.

Our (eating) behaviour has consequences for people and animals in the rest of the world, because part of our food comes from far away. Our food choices also affect the animals close by, out of sight in factory farms. You can help these animals by no longer buying meat from factory farms. Saying as often as possible that you are against factory farming also helps, at school or at work too.

On this page

• Animal rights are not yet laid down in law
• The collective silence about animal rights
• Situations in which humans kill animals
• Is factory farming a form of senseless violence?

The difference between animal rights and animal welfare is discussed in Animal rights or animal well-being, does it matter?

Animal rights are not yet laid down in law

It is important that animal rights are laid down in law. That is not yet the case. As long as improvements cannot be enforced through the courts, it is very difficult to help animals in factory farming or to have it banned altogether. Not enough people realise how important it is to be able to set legal limits to the way livestock farms are run. Recognising the intrinsic value of animals or their right to well-being is not enough to make farmers do more than feed their animals properly. Farmers cannot be obliged to prevent boredom in their animals or to give them the opportunity to show their natural behaviour.

Respecting animals is a voluntary act. It is important that people do it of their own free will. Read what you can do to prevent animal suffering. We think that animal abuse can be prevented by setting limits for ourselves and for others in the way we treat animals.

The collective silence about animal rights

If violating animal rights means "eating meat from factory farms or keeping animals in small cages", then probably the large majority of people do not really take animals into account. This fits with the observation that so few people stand up for animals in factory farming. Most people think they will lose something if they take animal rights seriously: it will cost them money and effort. They will also have to admit that they have not been doing the right thing. That is neither easy nor attractive.

Unlike in the struggle for equal rights between black and white people or between men and women, animals cannot call humans to account for the injustice done to them. Like human emancipation, the emancipation of animals is a development that has to take place in people's minds. Humans must free themselves from the arrogance that they are better than animals, that animal interests do not matter and that they need not concern themselves with them.

Responsible eating and buying habits do not have to cost more. What we need is lower meat consumption together with fairer prices for organic meat for people who still want to eat meat. The two effects balance each other out.

Situations in which humans kill animals

Most of these situations concern animals that are bred specially for people. Most of the killing can be avoided by finding substitutes for animals or by keeping animals away from what needs to be protected.

Is factory farming a form of senseless violence?

Few of us would use senseless violence against people, but what about animals? Does the boredom of animals in factory farming serve any purpose? Is our wish to eat meat enough to deny these animals a natural and free life?

Can we honestly say that we take no part in this? If you eat meat from factory farms, you contribute passively to passive and senseless violence. If you watch a bullfight, a rodeo or another show with animals, you contribute a little less passively to active violence.