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Steven M. Wise on Legal Rights for Animals

Animal Ethics

In 2002 the German Parliament amended Article 26 of the Basic Law to give nonhuman animals the right to be “respected as fellow creatures” and to be protected from “avoidable pain.” Half of the sixteen German states already have some sort of animal rights provisions in their constitutions.

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From Today's New York Times

Animal Ethics

Kristof, who takes note of the trend represented by the animal welfare proposition on the ballot in California this fall. Kristof’s thoughtful exploration of animal rights, I was astonished to read that he continues to eat animals, like geese and pigs, for which he obviously has such affection and respect.

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Tom Regan on Rights

Animal Ethics

Those rights set forth in the Bill of Rights, for example, were not rights that citizens of the United States could claim as legal rights before these rights were drawn up and the legal machinery necessary for their enforcement was in place. First, moral rights, if there are any, are universal.

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