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. Physically, the muscles and the bones of the animals atrophy from lack of use. FRIEDRICH Washington, Jan.

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New York Times New York Farm Sanctuary Gestation 40

Animal Ethics

JANUARY 30, 2012

The legal rights of nonhuman animals might first be achieved in any of three ways. For example, the Treaty of Amsterdam that came into force on May 1, 1999, formally acknowledged that nonhuman animals are “sentient beings” and not merely goods or agricultural products. Wise , “ The Evolution of Animal Law Since 1950 ,” chap.

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Animal Ethics

AUGUST 31, 2008

My view, then, is not that which it has often been taken to be in discussion and which Singer, Regan, Clark, and others blast in their work; I am not suggesting that, because they lack language, animals can be factory farmed without suffering. Animals can suffer, which they could not unless they were conscious; so they are conscious.

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Animal Ethics

MAY 14, 2008

The question of whether animals possess rights is once again topical, largely as a result of the recent surge of interest in animal welfare and in the moral pros and cons of eating animals and using them in scientific research. Arguments to show that animals do have rights, therefore, are at a premium. (

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Animal Ethics

APRIL 4, 2007

Hello Keith: I recently completed a documentary on the science, ethics, and politics of animal agriculture entitled "Beyond Closed Doors." The film contains personal interviews with prominent professionals such as Dr. Temple Grandin, Dr. Bernard Rollin, Dr. John Webster, Steve Wise, and many others.

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Animal Ethics

JUNE 11, 2008

So far McCloskey is on solid ground, but one can quarrel with his denial that any animals but humans have interests. I should think that the trustee of funds willed to a dog or cat is more than a mere custodian of the animal he protects. The animal itself is the beneficiary of his dutiful services.

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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. Jean Kazez Dallas, Nov.

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New York Times New York Vegan Vegetarian 40

Animal Ethics

MAY 23, 2008

To the Editor: Re “ A Disgraceful Farm Bill ” (editorial, May 16): While the farm bill recently approved by Congress deals with enormous agricultural policy issues, it also includes three important provisions to protect animal welfare. Enforcement has been inconsistent at best.

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New York Times Humane Society Of The United States Wayne Pacelle Animal Welfare Act 40

Animal Ethics

FEBRUARY 27, 2012

I think it is safe to say that yes, an intelligent animal is unhappy, even downright miserable, being confined to a crate two by seven feet for months on end. I served on the Pew Commission on Industrial Farm Animal Production, which released a report in 2008 that detailed exactly how much these “efficiencies” are costing America.

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Animal Ethics

DECEMBER 14, 2009

I foresee a day, perhaps not far in the future, in which it is illegal to raise cows, pigs, and other animals for food. The ground for this will not be animal welfare, as you might expect, but environmentalism. The natural environment, unlike individual animals, is inanimate, unconscious, and insentient.

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Animal Ethics

JULY 25, 2007

To the Editor: “ For ‘Animal Precinct,’ Reality Subject to Dispute ” (news article, July 23) missed the entire point of comprehensive animal welfare: that effective animal welfare requires both response and prevention. The real story here is our tireless commitment to fighting animal cruelty.

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New York Times New York Animal Welfare Animal Cruelty 40

Animal Ethics

SEPTEMBER 17, 2009

The exploitation of farm workers reverberates in the treatment of farm animals and degradation of the environment. 9, 2009 The writer is on the staff of the Farm Animal Program, Animal Welfare Institute. To the Editor: The sentence in your Sept. Deborah Dubow Press Washington, Sept.

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New York Times Foie Gras Animal Welfare Institute New York 40

Animal Ethics

OCTOBER 13, 2008

9): Thank you for encouraging California voters to support the state’s Prevention of Farm Animal Cruelty Act, or Proposition 2, on the November ballot. While well intended, Proposition 2 is primarily based on emotion and not on a thorough scientific evaluation of all factors that contribute to animal well-being.

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New York Times Proposition 2 New York Egg Industry 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.

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Animal Ethics

AUGUST 22, 2007

Though it may be too late for too many, we can only hope that diseased animals are not left in pain but are humanely euthanized to end their suffering. In 2005, a survey commissioned by the International Fund for Animal Welfare showed that the Chinese are similar to Americans in their concern for animals.

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New York Times International Fund For Animal Welfare Wayne Pacelle Humane Society Of The United States 40

Animal Ethics

JULY 11, 2008

Madoff to criticize Leona Helmsley’s charitable giving by saying her fortune “is going to the dogs,” but those of us who give to the Humane Society of the United States and other animal-rescue organizations feel otherwise. July 9, 2008 Note from KBJ: All of my donations go to animal-welfare organizations.

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

Animal Ethics

DECEMBER 11, 2008

But the leaner meat from grass-fed animals actually tastes richer and more savory. To the Editor: Missing from your article was mention of deleterious environmental and health effects resulting from intensive animal farming in addition to global warming. A carnivore is an organism that, by nature, feeds only on animal flesh.

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New York Times New York Meat Animal Welfare 40

Animal Ethics

JULY 30, 2007

This arises from the fact that we have duties to animals and to infants. We had better therefore take the less complicated case of animals, which we commonly suppose not to be even potential moral agents. It may of course be denied that we have duties to animals. Professor D.

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Animal Ethics

MARCH 17, 2008

To the Editor: Thank you for publicizing the plight of satos—street dogs—in Puerto Rico in “ Scrutiny for Puerto Rico Over Animal Treatment ” (news article, March 9). As one animal advocate put it, “we need to work together and keep the finger in the side of government.”

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New York Times Puerto Rico World Society For The Protection Of Animals New York 40

Animal Ethics

MARCH 12, 2008

The killing and maiming of animals for sport is a cruel and violent activity that is the antithesis of what schools should be teaching. Brad Goldberg President, Animal Welfare Advocacy Mamaroneck, N.Y., We should not use public schools to try to reverse the inexorable decline in the “sport” of hunting. March 8, 2008

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Animal Ethics

DECEMBER 18, 2007

If there were transparency to the public spectacle of bull riding, it would be clear that this is a frantically scared animal desperately trying to escape. The use of animals in entertainment when animal cruelty is involved is deplorable, whether it is dog fighting or bull riding.

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New York Times Flank Strap New York Animal Cruelty 40

Animal Ethics

APRIL 8, 2008

To the Editor: While businesses that rent dogs may be well intentioned, they’re unlikely to benefit the overall welfare of pets, and may actually do harm to the individual dogs they “rent” (“ For a Temporary Best-Friend Fix, Rent a Dog (Kibble Included) for a Day ,” news article, March 30).

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

Animal Ethics

DECEMBER 19, 2006

We are an animal welfare group working for animals in India— www.hopeandanimal.org we have tie up with a US based company for fund raising—If you buy pet products from www.petmedusa.net 10% of sale proceeds are donated to our organisation—Pls Bid and buy the product. with regards, Praveen Ohal

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Animal Ethics

AUGUST 3, 2007

Lawmakers, animal control officers and animal welfare organizations need to work together and delve into the origins of shelter subgroups—such as stray, feral or surrendered pets—to address the issues that bring them to the shelter. Lisa Peterson Director of Club Communications, American Kennel Club New York, July 31, 2007

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New York Times New York American Kennel Club Neutering 40

Animal Ethics

NOVEMBER 24, 2008

But this question of Butchery is not merely one of kindness or unkindness to animals, for by the very facts of the case it is a human question of no slight importance, affecting as it does the social and moral welfare of those more immediately concerned in it. Henry S.

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Animal Ethics

JANUARY 31, 2007

Each one of these animals suffered extreme cruel and inhumane conditions in the transportation and slaughter process. Brad Goldberg President Animal Welfare Advocacy Mamaroneck, N.Y., 30, 2007

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New York Times New York Horse Slaughter Slaughter 40

Animal Ethics

AUGUST 4, 2007

In terms of welfare (i.e., What we should be concerned with is not the gap between "rich" dogs and "poor" dogs, but the absolute welfare level of dogs. What's important is welfare. overall well-being), there is great inequality among dogs. Some, such as my niece's Tag, are utterly spoiled. I don't see why we should.

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Animal Ethics

AUGUST 2, 2008

Kristof, who takes note of the trend represented by the animal welfare proposition on the ballot in California this fall. It’s time that our tax dollars no longer finance the inhumane conditions—for workers and animals and the climate—of factory farms. We know that animals suffer as well. To the Editor: Nicholas D.

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New York Times New York Factory Farm Factory Farming 40

Animal Ethics

MAY 8, 2008

To the Editor: Re “ Another Horse-Racing Horror ” (editorial, May 6): Thank you for adding your voice to the many who are demanding that the welfare of racehorses should come before profits.

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New York Times New York Stud Horses 40

Animal Ethics

JANUARY 9, 2009

A third of a century ago, when the modern animal-liberation movement was in its infancy, Martin published an essay entitled “A Critique of Moral Vegetarianism,” Reason Papers (fall 1976): 13-43. On the traditional position, justification of vegetarianism was in terms of animal welfare, happiness, rights, and so on.

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Animal Ethics

SEPTEMBER 30, 2009

The Argument from Human Grain Shortage All of the clearly moral arguments for vegetarianism given so far have been in terms of animal rights and suffering. New moral vegetarianism, however, rests on moral arguments couched in terms of human welfare. Nobody wants existing animals to be slaughtered.

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Animal Ethics

NOVEMBER 16, 2008

But there is a net loss in all meat production, not just of farmed fish or feeding fish to land animals being raised for food. Feeding grain to chickens, pigs and cows is even more inefficient, with 70 percent of grain grown in the United States going to animals raised for food. Danielle Kichler Washington, Nov. Lerner Woodside, Calif.,

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New York Times New York Factory Farm Factory Farming 40

Animal Ethics

JANUARY 16, 2010

So, how you would respond a person like me who cares for animal welfare, consciously stays away from the worse meat he can, and eats it mostly for cultural reasons. If a person is in a discipline in which he or she is attempting to understand a culture or wants to experience a culture, vegetarianism is nearly impossible.

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Animal Ethics

FEBRUARY 12, 2007

It takes a slightly different take on vegetarian advocacy—trying to quantify the effects of single meal decisions to protect the environment and improve animal welfare. Hello, We've recently launched a new website, the PB&J Campaign. Please let me know if you have any questions about it.

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