Post by AnimalAvenger on Jun 28, 2010 1:42:01 GMT -5
Under Construction.
Submit questions by PM.
Use CTRL+F to go to a certain section.
CONTENTS:
Section 1: General
Section 2: Misconceptions
Section 3: Religion
Section 4: Cruelty (Note to self: don't forget to include the free-range labels)
Section 5: Animal Organizations
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Section 1: General
=============
Q: What does "animal rights" mean?
Animal rights is a philosophy that animals shouldn't use animals for their own benefits and also that animals deserve basic rights, such as the rights to live, be free, and unharmed for human use. Most also believe that non-human animals deserve the same concern as humans.
Animal rights supporters are typically against using animals for food, science (animal testing, dissection, etc.,) entertainment (rodeos, circuses, etc.,) the pet industry (breeding, buying, showing, etc. [the industry itself, not caring for domesticated animals,) clothing, and much more.
Q: Are the animal welfare and animal rights movements identical?
Actually, the two different movements are quite different from each other. The animal welfare movement is for "better, cruelty-free" slavery of animals if it is convenient for the human species, while the animal rights movement aims to eventually eliminate the use of animals.
Q: Do animal rights extend to "pests" like insects, rats, etc.?
Animal rights extends to all animals, including the flies and moths. Of course, there is nothing wrong with self-defense and defense on behalf of one's companion animals against parasites, such as tapeworms, fleas, mosquitoes, etc.
A great invention is live trap. These are capable of trapping a dangerous animal and freeing him or her into another location. Of course, caution should be exercised when dealing with wild animals, such as raccoons.
Check out Havahart traps.
Prevention also goes a long way. There are many repellents that don't kill "pests."
=============
Section 2: Misconceptions
=============
Q: Aren't all animal rights supporters against having any animals at all, including pets?
Actually, animal rights supporters believe that no animals shouldn't be used. This includes breeding, capturing, or using an animal for one's own benefit. Animal rights is not, however, against caring for domesticated animals that are dependent upon humans.
Some feel it'd be better if no domesticated animals existed at all while others do not. It depends on the individual themselves.
Q: Aren't all animal rights supporters for PETA?
This is a huge misconception.
PETA has many flaws.
Please read here.
Q: Are all animal rights supporters for the ALF?
Actually, that depends on the individual themselves. Some believe the ALF to be violent while others don't.
ALF discussion here.
Q: Isn't the animal rights philosophy against human rights?
Actually, depending on the individual themselves, one can be both pro- animal rights and human rights.
Human rights and animal rights are linked together. Many who are active for animal rights also do things for human rights, though their concentration may be more on animal rights, depending on the individual themselves.
Animal abuse is heavily linked to human abuse.
From PAWS.org:
Those who care about animal rights are more likely to care about human rights, although there are a few misanthropic animal rights supporters.
Those who are misanthropic feel that humans cause way too much suffering to other species and therefore shouldn't exist at all. There are certain degrees to this misanthropy. Some misanthropes don't believe that humans should suffer while others do. It really comes down to the individual. Generally, most animal rights supporters are not misanthropic.
Since humans are animals, one may classify human rights as animal rights, though this is rare.
Q: Isn't vegetarianism unhealthy and nutrition-lacking?
On the contrary, vegetarians and vegans can easily receive enough protein, iron, etc. if they know vegetarian/vegan sources rich in those nutrients.
See the nutrition board for nutrient-rich vegetarian/vegan foods.
Q: If lions can eat meat, then why can't I?
Lions can't survive without meat; they are carnivores. We can easily get all of our nutrition and more without meat (see above question.) They also only kill to survive; many humans in developed countries needlessly kill for our own gluttony.
Q: What about those in undeveloped countries?
They depend on eating meat; we in developed countries don't. Just because there are people in other countries who can't become vegans doesn't mean us in developed shouldn't. We also kill to the point of waste; tons and tons of food goes to waste in developed countries daily.
Q: Wouldn't the world become over-populated with cows if we all went vegan?
You have to remember that cows and other farm animals are domesticated. Obviously, they won't be bred nearly as much if there is a decreased demand for them. Those who took care of farm animals may wish to separate sexes to prevent them from breeding as much.Those who kept farm animals would obviously not let them out in the wild to fend for themselves, since they are domesticated animals.
The worldwide consuming of animal flesh actually puts many more livestock animals on this planet at a time, since it keeps the demand for meat up. The demand for it has been increasing pretty steadily.
Another thing to think about is that mass vegetarianism is not going to happen overnight. The demand for meat will decrease quite gradually, thus the supply will. Much less cows will be bred.
Q: Since humans are omnivores, aren't they meant the eat meat?
This is quite debatable. Our nails weren't meant to tear flesh, and neither were our teeth, including our "canine" teeth.
Dr. Richard Leakey, a renowned anthropologist, summarizes, "You can't tear flesh by hand, you can't tear hide by hand. Our anterior teeth are not suited for tearing flesh or hide. We don't have large canine teeth, and we wouldn't have been able to deal with food sources that require those large canines"
Q: Due to "pest" elimination, doesn't the vegan diet claim more lives than the omnivorous diet?
It is true that many animals are killed, such as insects, rabbits, deer, etc. for plants used for food. However, it takes an immense amount of plants, which were, indeed, involved in the murder of "pests," to produce a pound of meat than a pound of plants used for food.
Q: Aren't all vegans preachy?
It depends on the individual themselves. Some keep to their veganism themselves, while others obviously don't. Vegans who don't are usually the only ones who are known to even be vegan.
It is always your choice to listen to another person about their beliefs. If telling them to not to talk about them doesn't work, you can always leave. As long as they aren't tying you down or are following you, they are not "forcing their beliefs upon you." As long as you willfully stay, it's your choice.
=============
Section 3: Religion
=============
=============
Section 4: Cruelty
=============
=============
Section 5: Animal Organizations
=============
Submit questions by PM.
Use CTRL+F to go to a certain section.
CONTENTS:
Section 1: General
Section 2: Misconceptions
Section 3: Religion
Section 4: Cruelty (Note to self: don't forget to include the free-range labels)
Section 5: Animal Organizations
=============
Section 1: General
=============
Q: What does "animal rights" mean?
Animal rights is a philosophy that animals shouldn't use animals for their own benefits and also that animals deserve basic rights, such as the rights to live, be free, and unharmed for human use. Most also believe that non-human animals deserve the same concern as humans.
Animal rights supporters are typically against using animals for food, science (animal testing, dissection, etc.,) entertainment (rodeos, circuses, etc.,) the pet industry (breeding, buying, showing, etc. [the industry itself, not caring for domesticated animals,) clothing, and much more.
Q: Are the animal welfare and animal rights movements identical?
Actually, the two different movements are quite different from each other. The animal welfare movement is for "better, cruelty-free" slavery of animals if it is convenient for the human species, while the animal rights movement aims to eventually eliminate the use of animals.
Q: Do animal rights extend to "pests" like insects, rats, etc.?
Animal rights extends to all animals, including the flies and moths. Of course, there is nothing wrong with self-defense and defense on behalf of one's companion animals against parasites, such as tapeworms, fleas, mosquitoes, etc.
A great invention is live trap. These are capable of trapping a dangerous animal and freeing him or her into another location. Of course, caution should be exercised when dealing with wild animals, such as raccoons.
Check out Havahart traps.
Prevention also goes a long way. There are many repellents that don't kill "pests."
=============
Section 2: Misconceptions
=============
Q: Aren't all animal rights supporters against having any animals at all, including pets?
Actually, animal rights supporters believe that no animals shouldn't be used. This includes breeding, capturing, or using an animal for one's own benefit. Animal rights is not, however, against caring for domesticated animals that are dependent upon humans.
Some feel it'd be better if no domesticated animals existed at all while others do not. It depends on the individual themselves.
Q: Aren't all animal rights supporters for PETA?
This is a huge misconception.
PETA has many flaws.
Please read here.
Q: Are all animal rights supporters for the ALF?
Actually, that depends on the individual themselves. Some believe the ALF to be violent while others don't.
ALF discussion here.
Q: Isn't the animal rights philosophy against human rights?
Actually, depending on the individual themselves, one can be both pro- animal rights and human rights.
Human rights and animal rights are linked together. Many who are active for animal rights also do things for human rights, though their concentration may be more on animal rights, depending on the individual themselves.
Animal abuse is heavily linked to human abuse.
From PAWS.org:
National and state studies have established that from 54 to 71 percent of women seeking shelter from abuse reported that their partners had threatened, injured or killed one or more family pets (Anicare Model workshop, Tacoma, 2004. Created in 1999, the AniCare Model of Treatment for Animal Abuse treats people over 17 by bringing abusers and animals together. A companion program treats children.)
More than 80 percent of family members being treated for child abuse also had abused animals. In two-thirds of these cases, an abusive parent had killed or injured a pet. In one-third of the cases, a child victim continued the cycle of violence by abusing a pet.
A 1997 study by the Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals and Northeastern University found that 70 percent of animal abusers had committed at least one other crime. Almost 40 percent had committed violent crimes against people.
The researchers also compared matched groups of abusers and non-abusers over a 20-year period. They found the abusers were five times more likely to commit violent crimes than the non-abusers.
The researchers also compared matched groups of abusers and non-abusers over a 20-year period. They found the abusers were five times more likely to commit violent crimes than the non-abusers.
Those who care about animal rights are more likely to care about human rights, although there are a few misanthropic animal rights supporters.
Those who are misanthropic feel that humans cause way too much suffering to other species and therefore shouldn't exist at all. There are certain degrees to this misanthropy. Some misanthropes don't believe that humans should suffer while others do. It really comes down to the individual. Generally, most animal rights supporters are not misanthropic.
Since humans are animals, one may classify human rights as animal rights, though this is rare.
Q: Isn't vegetarianism unhealthy and nutrition-lacking?
On the contrary, vegetarians and vegans can easily receive enough protein, iron, etc. if they know vegetarian/vegan sources rich in those nutrients.
See the nutrition board for nutrient-rich vegetarian/vegan foods.
Q: If lions can eat meat, then why can't I?
Lions can't survive without meat; they are carnivores. We can easily get all of our nutrition and more without meat (see above question.) They also only kill to survive; many humans in developed countries needlessly kill for our own gluttony.
Q: What about those in undeveloped countries?
They depend on eating meat; we in developed countries don't. Just because there are people in other countries who can't become vegans doesn't mean us in developed shouldn't. We also kill to the point of waste; tons and tons of food goes to waste in developed countries daily.
Q: Wouldn't the world become over-populated with cows if we all went vegan?
You have to remember that cows and other farm animals are domesticated. Obviously, they won't be bred nearly as much if there is a decreased demand for them. Those who took care of farm animals may wish to separate sexes to prevent them from breeding as much.Those who kept farm animals would obviously not let them out in the wild to fend for themselves, since they are domesticated animals.
The worldwide consuming of animal flesh actually puts many more livestock animals on this planet at a time, since it keeps the demand for meat up. The demand for it has been increasing pretty steadily.
Another thing to think about is that mass vegetarianism is not going to happen overnight. The demand for meat will decrease quite gradually, thus the supply will. Much less cows will be bred.
Q: Since humans are omnivores, aren't they meant the eat meat?
This is quite debatable. Our nails weren't meant to tear flesh, and neither were our teeth, including our "canine" teeth.
Dr. Richard Leakey, a renowned anthropologist, summarizes, "You can't tear flesh by hand, you can't tear hide by hand. Our anterior teeth are not suited for tearing flesh or hide. We don't have large canine teeth, and we wouldn't have been able to deal with food sources that require those large canines"
Q: Due to "pest" elimination, doesn't the vegan diet claim more lives than the omnivorous diet?
It is true that many animals are killed, such as insects, rabbits, deer, etc. for plants used for food. However, it takes an immense amount of plants, which were, indeed, involved in the murder of "pests," to produce a pound of meat than a pound of plants used for food.
Q: Aren't all vegans preachy?
It depends on the individual themselves. Some keep to their veganism themselves, while others obviously don't. Vegans who don't are usually the only ones who are known to even be vegan.
It is always your choice to listen to another person about their beliefs. If telling them to not to talk about them doesn't work, you can always leave. As long as they aren't tying you down or are following you, they are not "forcing their beliefs upon you." As long as you willfully stay, it's your choice.
=============
Section 3: Religion
=============
=============
Section 4: Cruelty
=============
=============
Section 5: Animal Organizations
=============
