Living Together with Animals

What are the Ethical Questions on This?

Animals as Objects Animals as Objects of Useof Use Pets- abandonment, over-population.Pets- abandonment, over-population. FoodFood ClothingClothing Leather GoodsLeather Goods Medicines and ShampoosMedicines and Shampoos HuntingHunting EntertainmentEntertainment ZoosZoos

Objects of Use- Objects of Use- PetsPetsAbandonedAbandonedAbusedAbusedOver-Over-

populationpopulation

Animals as Objects- HensPacked in cages Packed in cages (typically less (typically less than half a than half a square foot of square foot of floor space per floor space per bird), 6 hens bird), 6 hens can become can become immobilized and immobilized and die ofdie of

asphyxiation or asphyxiation or dehydrationdehydration

Laying Laying HensHens“[T]he American laying hen passes her brief span piled together with a half-dozen other hens in a wire cage. Every natural instinct of this animal is thwarted, leading to a range of behavioral ‘vices’ that can include cannibalizing her cage mates. She rubs her body against the wire mesh until it is bleeding and featherless.10 percent or so of hens that can’t bear it and simply die.

Animals as Objects of Use-PigsReal-life ‘Babes’ see Real-life ‘Babes’ see no sun in their limited no sun in their limited lives, with no hay to lie lives, with no hay to lie on, no mud to roll in.on, no mud to roll in.

Piglets are weaned from their mothers [2–3 weeks] after birth (compared with 13 weeks in nature).This premature weaning leaves the pigs with a lifelong craving to suck and chew- they bite tails of other pigs.

PigsPigsApproximately 200,000 pigs

arrive dead at U.S. slaughterhouses each year. 12 Many of these deaths are caused by a lack of ventilation on transport trucks in hot weather. 15 Shown at left are U.S. pigs on a transport truck loaded in Oklahoma and destined for a slaughterhouse south of Mexico City—a journey that would last more than 30 hours.

In transit

CattleCattle“It takes 25 minutes to turn a live steer

into steak at the modern slaughterhouse

where Ramon Moreno works. “The cattle

were supposed to be dead before they

got to Moreno. But too often they

weren’t.‘They blink. They make noises,’

he said softly. ‘The head moves,

the eyes are wide and looking around.’

“Still Moreno would cut. On bad days,

he says, dozens of animals reached

his station clearly alive and conscious.

Some would survive as far as the tail

cutter, the belly ripper, the hide puller.

‘They die,’ said Moreno, ‘piece by piece.’”

EntertainmEntertainment ent Animals- Animals- UseUseStandard circus Standard circus industry training industry training tools used on tools used on animals include animals include bull hooks, whips, bull hooks, whips, clubs, and electric clubs, and electric prods.prods.

Employees report Employees report abuse of circus abuse of circus elephants.elephants.

Circus elephantsCircus elephants

Circus Circus ElephantsElephants

An elephant is being

trained to lie down.

Being trained to lay downBeing trained to lay down

EntertainmenEntertainment Animals-t Animals-ObjectsObjectsLions and Lions and tigers, are tigers, are constantly on constantly on the move in the move in their native their native habitats. In the habitats. In the circus, animals circus, animals spend most of spend most of their time in their time in cages or chains.cages or chains.

Elephant Elephant RidingRiding

Fun, But CruelFun, But Cruel

June 1, 2009

                                                                           

Dolphins and Dolphins and WhalesWhales

Whale Whale HuntingHuntingContemporary whaling is Contemporary whaling is subject to intense debate. subject to intense debate. Pro-whaling countries Pro-whaling countries wish to lift the ban on wish to lift the ban on stocks that they believe stocks that they believe have recovered have recovered sufficiently to sustain sufficiently to sustain limited huntinglimited hunting

Anti-whaling countries Anti-whaling countries and environmental and environmental groups contend that groups contend that those stocks remain those stocks remain vulnerable and that vulnerable and that whaling is immoral and whaling is immoral and should remain bannedshould remain banned

Dolphin Dolphin HuntHuntDolphin drive hunting, Dolphin drive hunting, also called dolphin drive also called dolphin drive fishing, is a method of fishing, is a method of hunting dolphins and and occasionally other small occasionally other small cetaceans by driving by driving them together with boats them together with boats and then usually into a and then usually into a bay or onto a beach. bay or onto a beach. Their escape is Their escape is prevented by closing off prevented by closing off the route to the open the route to the open sea or ocean with boats sea or ocean with boats and nets. and nets.

Research Research AnimalsAnimals112,200 monkeys used in labs in U.S.

Diseases-; Psychological disorders, transplants, vaccine, drub abuse tests.

Animals in Animals in ResearchResearch Animal tests aren’t reliable. People and

animals are different and that’s why a medicine or cosmetic ingredient that is safe on animals may not be it on people or vice-versa. For example aspirin is toxic to rats and mice but not to people

Animal testing is cruel. There are alternatives to animal testing

Benefits- Benefits- AnimalsAnimals Thanks to research using animals, Thanks to research using animals,

diseases such as polio have been virtually diseases such as polio have been virtually wiped out. Other illnesses, such as wiped out. Other illnesses, such as diabetes and arthritis, are controlled diabetes and arthritis, are controlled through animal research.through animal research.

Animals benefit from research, too! Animals benefit from research, too! diseases, and developed vaccines—all by diseases, and developed vaccines—all by using animals in biomedical research. using animals in biomedical research.

Regulations for Care Animal Care

Committees Refinement,

Reduction & Replacement-Three R’s

Other Countries

Animals as Rights Animals as Rights HoldersHolders Rights conferring characteristics- Rights conferring characteristics-

intelligence, sentience- ability to intelligence, sentience- ability to feel and suffer.feel and suffer.

What rights then do animals have?What rights then do animals have? LifeLife Life in natural habitatLife in natural habitat Freedom from pain and sufferingFreedom from pain and suffering..

The Five The Five FreedomsFreedoms Freedom from thirst, hunger and Freedom from thirst, hunger and

malnutritionmalnutritionFreedom from discomfort, pain, Freedom from discomfort, pain, injury, or disease injury, or disease Freedom to express normal behaviorFreedom to express normal behaviorFreedom from fear and distressFreedom from fear and distress

Freedom to be freeFreedom to be free

The Moral Question The Mental

Ladder-”We human beings do have a ladder representing our judgment as to “likeability”- those at the top are genetically like us and those we have domesticated to behave in ways we prefer.”

The Dismissal PositionDescartes-

animals are “mere” machines and do not feel.

Animal Welfare Position Enormous benefits Enormous benefits

to humans and to humans and necessary to necessary to medical progress.medical progress.

Humans Humans dominant/superior.dominant/superior.

Animals do not Animals do not suffer.suffer.

Utilitarian Position Ability to suffer is key.

Value increases with richness of life-ways can suffer and receive pleasure.

Raymond Frey- Quality of life of some humans lower than that of some animals.

UtilitarianismUtilitarianism““The question is not, The question is not, Can they reason? Can they reason? nor, nor, Can they talk? Can they talk? but, Can they but, Can they suffer?”suffer?”

Jeremy BenthamJeremy Bentham

An Introduction to the An Introduction to the Principles of Morals Principles of Morals & Legislation, 1789& Legislation, 1789

The Kantian Position Rational criteria-

intelligence, consciousness, intentions.

The way we treat animals is relevant to the way we treat humans.

Inherent Value & Rights Value not tied to

mental states or talents of others or use or how viewed by others.

“Rights”= “moral trump cards”-trump “collective interest.”

Nussbaum- Capabilities The opportunity

to unfold their powers and to flourish in their own way and to lead a life with dignity.

Koko- The Gorilla