Animal Ethics

JULY 24, 2015

Forty years ago, the suggestion that nonhuman animals have moral rights—indeed, many of the same rights as human beings—would have been met with incredulous stares, if not outright ridicule. Fast forward to the present. Other results from this Gallup poll can be found here.

Morals 40

Morals 2015 Industry Protection 40

Animal Ethics

MARCH 5, 2007

I don't expect that many readers will be converted to the cause of animal rights by reading this book. Nor have I dealt with advances in the legal protection of animals both in practice and in theory. Franklin, Animal Rights and Moral Philosophy [New York: Columbia University Press, 2005], xvii-xviii)

Animal Rights 40

Animal Rights Rights Animal Morals 40

Animal Ethics

AUGUST 15, 2012

The rights view is not opposed to efforts to save endangered species. If people are encouraged to believe that the harm done to animals matters morally only when these animals belong to endangered species, then these same people will be encouraged to regard the harm done to other animals as morally acceptable.

Endangered Species 40

Endangered Species Species Los Angeles Morals 40

Animal Ethics

JANUARY 7, 2015

To the Editor: As Mark Bittman rightly notes, California’s new farm animal welfare law presages what is coming for all farm animal industries nationally (“ Hens, Unbound ,” column, Jan. 1, 2015 The writer is director of advocacy and policy for Farm Sanctuary, a national farm animal protection group.'

New York Times 40

New York Times New York Farm Sanctuary Gestation 40

Animal Ethics

JUNE 7, 2016

In light of this horrible incident, is it right for the zoo to carry on a breeding program that subjects more animals to such unnatural lives? The zoo, surely, carries responsibility for deficiencies in its enclosure. Finally, what of the audience? Lisa Edmondson, Los Angeles

Los Angeles 40

Los Angeles Gorillas Zoos Non Human 40

Animal Ethics

NOVEMBER 24, 2009

To the Editor: Re “ Animal, Vegetable, Miserable ,” by Gary Steiner (Op-Ed, Nov. 22): Mr. Steiner might feel less lonely as an ethical vegan—he says he has just five vegan friends—if he recognized that he has allies in mere vegetarians (like me), ethical omnivores and even carnivores. How far do we go in protecting them?

New York Times 40

New York Times New York Vegan Vegetarian 40

Animal Ethics

SEPTEMBER 20, 2010

[T]here is another class of cases where the state is accorded the right to interfere with the individual when he is not interfering with any other person, namely, where cruelty to animals is involved. who cannot protect their interests.

Cruelty 40

Cruelty Legislation Kangaroos Animal 40

Animal Ethics

FEBRUARY 1, 2012

Their interests are primarily protected, if at all, through archaic state anti-cruelty statutes that were not passed in contemplation of the factory-farm or genetic engineering. Though factory-farming and biotechnological techniques massively violate the moral rights of farm animals, they have no remedy.

Farm Animal 40

Farm Animal Farmed Animals Farming Factory Farm 40

Animal Ethics

JULY 22, 2008

The Unalienable Rights of Chimps ,” by Adam Cohen (Editorial Observer, July 14): The Spanish Parliament’s decision to grant rights to apes is indeed groundbreaking, and will foster philosophical discussion about animal protection for some time. To the Editor: “ What’s Next in the Law?

New York Times 40

New York Times Humane Society Of The United States New York Apes 40

Animal Ethics

FEBRUARY 6, 2007

A column entitled "Ag Industry Threatened by Animal Rights" appeared in today's High Plains/Midwest Ag Journal [ HPMAJ ]. The column, which you can read here , is a call to arms to factory farmers to fight back against those individuals and organizations working to protect farm animals from the abuses inherent in factory farms.

Factory 40

Factory Factory Farm Factory Farming Gestation Crates 40

Animal Ethics

SEPTEMBER 17, 2009

The exploitation of farm workers reverberates in the treatment of farm animals and degradation of the environment. New York’s protection of laborers should be a first step toward recognition of the other systemic abuses that occur on farms that, like the long-ignored rights of farm workers, have been constantly disregarded by legislators.

New York Times 40

New York Times Foie Gras Animal Welfare Institute New York 40

Animal Ethics

JULY 7, 2009

The Argument from Animal Rights A stronger argument is made by people who maintain that animals have rights. In particular, it has been argued that animals have a right to life. So, even if animals are killed painlessly and raised for food in humane ways, it is wrong to kill them.

Morals 40

Morals Vegetarian Suffering Killing 40

Animal Ethics

OCTOBER 6, 2009

Court of Appeals reversed the decision by a vote of 10 to 3, overturning Stevens’s conviction and striking down the law on the grounds that it violated the right to free speech guaranteed by the First Amendment. Is the NYTimes right to support striking down the law banning depictions of animal cruelty on First Amendment/free speech grounds?

Pit Bulls 40

Pit Bulls Animal Cruelty Laws Animal 40

Animal Ethics

JANUARY 6, 2007

Here is an excellent article by Gayle Dean on the Bush Administration's excessive use of the rhetoric of terror, especially as it is being selectively applied to animal rights advocates.

Animal Abuse 40

Animal Abuse Laws Animal Rights Protection 40

Animal Ethics

DECEMBER 14, 2009

It is that coercion (via legal prohibition) is not a proper method of protecting animals, at least if the aim is to protect animals. The best thing that one can do for animals, in the long run, is to persuade people to stop eating them. Some will reduce their consumption of meat for the sake of the animals.

Meat 40

Meat Animal Welfare Vegetarian Protecting Animals 40

Animal Ethics

DECEMBER 31, 2011

But whether with a flintlock or a modern rifle, hunting cruelly takes the life of a living, sentient being that has as much right to live as any hunter or writer. It is only the prejudice of our species that justifies culling the deer population while protecting our own. EISENMAN Highland Park, Ill.,

New York Times 40

New York Times New York Mountain Lions Deer 40

Animal Ethics

MARCH 16, 2008

You are right that what is needed is “a sustained effort by world governments and other institutions to do something about it” and that “the problems are global and so, in the end, are the solutions.” To the Editor: Re “ Oceans at Risk ” (editorial, March 9): We are in danger of ruining the world’s oceans and endangering marine ecosystems.

New York Times 40

New York Times New York United States Laws 40

Animal Ethics

MARCH 16, 2007

To inflict death or pain on animals for scientific or medical research is wrong morally, and ought to be prohibited. This follows from everything said in the text about the rights of animals. This does not mean that animals may never be deliberately harmed or become subjects of research. Animals cannot give consent.

Research 40

Research Medical Research Morals Animal 40

Animal Ethics

OCTOBER 6, 2009

It also offers an equally harsh negative judgment of the federal authorities whose mandate is to protect the integrity of the public’s food supply chain but who have chosen to interpret this responsibility so lightly as to let such claims stand while ignoring repeated offenses by the industry. 4): Your article about E.

New York Times 40

New York Times New York Hamburgers Meat Industry 40

Animal Ethics

DECEMBER 30, 2009

But the Bush Administration reversed that decision five days before it was going to take effect after receiving several hundred letters from drug companies and farm animal trade groups. Protect your own health and the future effectiveness of antibiotics: Go vegetarian in 2010! Contact your U.S. Make a conscious choice to not eat meat.

Meat 40

Meat Meat Industry Farm Animal Farmed Animals 40

Animal Ethics

OCTOBER 2, 2007

As you know, the Animal Legal Defense Fund is committed to protecting the lives of animals everywhere. But you may not know that we have filed a lawsuit against Mendes Calf Ranch for its violation of California animal cruelty laws. Greetings, We need your help. Video footage here.)

Animal Legal Defense Fund 40

Animal Legal Defense Fund Animal Cruelty Campaign Cruelty 40

Animal Ethics

NOVEMBER 7, 2008

In order to protect himself, therefore, he is not likely to rest his case upon (an appeal to) the state and intensities of our feelings. Frey , Interests and Rights: The Case Against Animals [Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1980], 140-1 [italics in original; footnote omitted])

Factory Farm 40

Factory Farm Factory Farming Vegetarian Meat 40

Animal Ethics

JANUARY 21, 2009

But this reply is based on a confusion between the praiseworthiness or blameworthiness of a moral agent and the rightness or wrongness of the action of an agent. Although animals may be free from blame in eating meat since they are not moral agents, animals in eating meat may still be doing something that is prima facie wrong.

Morals 40

Morals Vegetarian Meat Lions 40

Animal Ethics

JUNE 17, 2008

And there are two relevant kinds of alternatives here: one is treating the animals better before we eat them, the only disadvantage of which is that it would make meat considerably more expensive. by which animal diets exceed vegetable diets for us. And the other is taking up vegetarianism. But what about the vegetarian alternative?

Vegetarian 40

Vegetarian Morals Vegetarian Cooking Slaughter 40

Animal Ethics

JULY 14, 2012

Whether individuals have legal rights depends on the laws and other legal background (e.g., the United States) citizens meeting certain requirements have the legal right to vote or run for elected office; in other countries (e.g., Libya) citizens do not have these rights. First, moral rights, if there are any, are universal.

Rights 40

Rights Morals Los Angeles Libya 40

Animal Ethics

NOVEMBER 29, 2006

As the Newsweek story indicates, 38 states have passed laws giving women the right to breastfeed in any public or private place she’d otherwise be allowed to be. One effective way of doing that is to boycott businesses that interfere with a woman's right to breastfeed her child. The legislators in these 12 states ought to be ashamed.

Animal 40

Animal Meat Cows District of Columbia 40

Animal Ethics

AUGUST 20, 2007

12): While this is a step in the right direction toward reducing the animal abuse inherent in all factory farming (from the chicken’s point of view), it’s still a long way from what nature intended. To the Editor: Re “ Suddenly, the Hunt Is On for Cage-Free Eggs ” (front page, Aug.

New York Times 40

New York Times New York Battery Cages Factory Farm 40

Animal Ethics

FEBRUARY 25, 2008

What we do to animals shows how we feel about other species. The federal government needs to recommit itself to putting boots on the ground in America and elsewhere to inspect and protect our food supply. If we must eat conscious beings, we must show them respect. Bertha Rogers Delhi, N.Y., Thomas Richard Concord, N.H., 21, 2008

New York Times 40

New York Times New York 2008 Factory Farm 40

Animal Ethics

JANUARY 21, 2008

Of course, the critics could be wrong, but if so, the responsibility for setting them right rests with one man: Interior Secretary Dirk Kempthorne. Secretary Kempthorne needs to do the right thing by following the model of Senator Kempthorne. Critics in and out of Congress have been quick to question the motives for the delay.

New York Times 40

New York Times Polar Bears New York Endangered Species 40

Animal Ethics

DECEMBER 2, 2006

Bush signed the “ Animal Enterprise Terrorism Act ” into law this past Monday (November 27, 2006). The law protects animal enterprises from courses of conduct designed to disrupt their normal profitable functioning. They enacted it to make animal abusers and the corporations that profit from that animal abuse richer.

Extremist 40

Extremist 2006 Laws Legislation 40