Animal Welfare And Relative Welfare

Introduction, animals that are being tested safety of their products that’s been a subject of an intense debate for over 10 years. While, a lot of people that alleged animals, the remained animals are being subjugated by the research cosmetics companies all over the country/all over the world. Even though, the scientists frequently profit from animal research, I don’t think all the suffering, the pain, and the animals dying are worth just trying find out the human benefits from the products.

The idea of animal rights has been around for centuries. Even decades ago, people were taking action for the welfare of animals. Marc Bekoff and Ned Hettinger share this idea all the way back in 1994 when they said that there is evidence that scientist are concerned with animal welfare by acknowledge that they use the guidelines in place to protect animals during research, in order to have their work published (Bekoff 219). Guidelines are the basis for the moral and ethical treatment of animals. Each person may have his or her own standard, but having a standard among the entire population ensures the welfare of the animals. Unfortunately, these standards are not at a level to where the animals are being protected. Many animals in captivity are treated in ways that would shock the average person. Orcas for example, are starved until they do the desired task (Cowperthwaite). This form of operant condition can lead to success, but often leads to resentment and hostility towards the trainers.

In “The Case for Animal Rights”, Regan explores different philosophical ideologies regarding the treatment of animals by humans. He finds flaws with each having done so he puts forth the idea of animal rights as the philosophy which solves the conundrum. The ideologies he discards are such:

There are arguments made that would support the eating or medical testing of animals, but there are also other arguments that do not support eating or medical testing of animals. When a person views these arguments using a virtue ethics position, the result would have to be in accordance with the view that the right actions are produced by the virtuous characteristic. The question asked is what would the moral status of animals be according to a virtue ethicist’s perspective; and if virtuous ethics is can be applied to the animal’s moral status? There are two types of moral statuses, a moral agent and moral patient: A moral agent is an individual whose actions can be established by moral reasons; a moral patient is an individual who needs

Where do happy cows actually come from? Most of our minds create an image of large fields where cows and other animals are free to roam and graze. In reality, however, most farms today are actually large corporate factories, not the vast fields and red barns that most Americans imagine. These consolidated operations known as CAFOs (Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations) are able to produce meats in high volume but have little to no regard for animal or human welfare, the environment, or food safety. CAFOs in the United States are able to produce and process these large amounts of meat year-round by providing sheltered farms for a range of livestock such as cattle, swine, and sheep. However, within these farms animals are

“Hormone-free”, “organic”, “grass-fed”, and “natural” are labels that animal and plant producers use to inform consumers of what they are eating. These claims are misleading and usually increase the prices of those products. By increasing the price and sticking a label that reads “natural” makes consumers think that this product is better for them. Animal Welfare Approved gives an example of an egg carton boasting the statement that its eggs are “natural.” This statement can legally come from an industrial farm where the hens do not forage the way a chicken does “naturally.” According to the USDA, farms have to get organic certifications and accreditations in order to sell, label, and represent their products as organic. It is difficult to

This Act has for the first time introduced legislation for pet owners meaning that the owners have a legal duty of care to meet the five welfare needs of their pets. The welfare needs are also known as the five freedoms and they are the basic needs of any animal. The law also applies to people who are responsible for animals, such as breeders and those who keep working animals. (APGAW. No Date)

Did you know that 56 billion animals are slaughtered each year? People believe that farmers are abusing and causing stress on the animals. Farmers use confined feeding operations to maximize the production. By having the confined feeding operations, it gives the animals no room to graze. When they can’t graze, it restricts the animal to move or to exercise (“On The Farm”). The animals are not given any pain relief during certain practices like castration or dehorning. Animal welfare is not needed in the farming aspect, because the animals are meant for food.

Health, benefit, well-being, progress, care, profit, thriving, all words that are synonyms to welfare. Animal welfare has been an agricultural issue for several decades. Animal welfare refers to the physical, emotional, and mental state an animal is in. There are several organization in the United States along with other corporations around the world that have the same mission; to promote animal welfare. This issue has a deep-rooted history, various legislative acts being voted on and passed, as well as many effects from these organizations, and legislative bills.

In the article “Animal experimentation up 73 percent, study says” Casey michael claims “the number of animals tested rose from 1,566,994 in 1977 to 2,705,772 in 2012”(par.2).The author states that most of the test done on animals does not translate into humans.There are programs like PETA (a program built to reduce animal testing) which are helping but “17 million to 100 million” (par.4) animals are still being tested on in laboratories.

Peter Singer argues, in regard to animal rights, that equal beings with equal interests should be considered equally. Singer makes three claims about equality to support his position; equality is based on equal consideration, speciesism is unjustified, and the ability to feel pain makes one worthy of moral consideration. He believes equal interests deserve equal treatment, and guidelines for having interests concern sentience; the ability to experience suffering. Comparing to the ideas of Mill, both are utilitarians and have a similar ideology around interests and moral consideration around the treatment of animals. Singer’s position on not eating meat is based on the utilitarian principle that ethical

Animal welfare issues exist everywhere in the world, some places more so than others. In saying that, over the years thanks to organizations like PETA, SSCS, SAFE and IDA and so many more amazing groups have led society to become more aware of the problems that exist when it comes to issues relating to the proper care of animals. One very important example of animal cruelty is animals that are brutally skinned for their fur, whether it's dogs in China or seals being culled for their fur, it's inhumane. This is mostly because of the lack of compassion the fashion industry has when it comes to fur. No matter how you look at it, there is no way to make a fur coat in a humane way. Whether fur comes from animal farms or from wild animals, it is simply a barbaric action. Animals killed for their fur in animal farms are normally electrocuted by having an electrical cable attached to their mouths and another cable inserted into their rectum. Wild animals that are caught for their fur are usually trapped in a steel leghold trap, a device that has been proven to be completely inhumane and has, in fact, been banned in 65 countries, but is still allowed in the United States.

It is suggested that pitbull owners feed their pets the foods that have what the breed requires in nutritional value. The dog food should contain nutrient sources that are similar to that found in their native lands that their ancestors ate. The requirements for a pitbull are a balance of protein, carbohydrates, fatty acids, vitamins and minerals. Many dogs are taken to the vet because of nutritional related problems. If the dog is not getting the proper nutrients that their diet requires they can suffer from dry/itchy/flaky skin, hot spots, yeast infections in the ears, or thyroid-liver-kidney problems. The best diet for the pitbull is one that the owner makes fresh, using quality ingredients, without preservatives.

Caring for animals is the ultimate question in my research paper, this is meant for the people who have taken in a stray animal or two; and who has given love care and support to those needy animals. Whether running a kennel or catteries out of your own home would be the ethical question in detail.

“The greatness of a nation can be judged by the way its animals are treated.” - Mahatma Gandhi. These famous words still ring true in today’s society as we struggle to overcome the scientific experimentation on animals. Animals have acted as the archstone of human civilization since the dawn of man, from a source of food, to companionship. However, in the past century, we have been blurring the line between environmental entitlement and environmental rape. Every member of the human race interacts and depends on animals, and we owe them a certain level of respect in our society. Animal Experimentation should be banned in all forms within the borders of the United States; prohibited under an expansion of the Animal Welfare Act. This paper will explore the problems, causes and solutions pertaining to animal experimentation.