Animal rights

Résumé du document

The British have long been concerned about animal welfare and were among the first to call for legislation on this subject. There are three main concepts reflecting different approaches to the topic:
- Conservation, which may be defined as the protection of wildlife and endangered species
-Animal welfare, which refers to the well-being of animals. Welfare activists call for the "best possible conditions" for animals, free from cruelty or unnecessary bodily harm.
- Animal rights, which covers conservation and animal welfare plus the more radical idea that animals should not be help in captivity (on farms, in zoos or in circuses) or eaten.
Animal rights activists are either vegetarians or vegans (i.e. they do not eat meat, fish, poultry, animal milk, cheese or eggs). The move to protect animals has led to the creation of cruelty-free products, i.e. products which have not been tested on animals.

Extraits

[...] Around the world, animals are used to test products ranging from shampoo to new cancer drugs. British law requires that any new drug must be tested on at least two different species of live mammal. One must be a large non-rodent. Almost every medical treatment you use has been tested on animals. Animals were also used to develop anesthetics to prevent human pain and suffering during surgery. Does animal testing work? YES NO Animal testing has helped to develop Animal experiments can be misleading. [...]

[...] products which have not been tested on animals. In Britain, animal activists have successfully waged a campaign for such cosmetics. This resulted in a bill passed in November 1998 which bans all cosmetics tested on animals in Britain, although it does not apply to imported products. Another sensitive issue is the use of animals by the fur trade. Anti- fur campaigns have led to a sharp decline in fur sales and there is now a stigma attached to wearing fur in Britain. [...]

[...] Welfarists call for the “best possible conditions” for animals, free from cruelty or unnecessary bodily harm. - Animal rights covers conservation and animal welfare plus the more radical idea that animals should not be help in captivity (on farms, in zoos or in circuses) or eaten. Animal rights activists are either vegetarians or vegans (i.e. they do not eat meat, fish, poultry, animal milk, cheese or eggs). The move to protect animals has led to the creation of cruelty-free products, i.e. [...]

[...] March 1998 - After the Foster bill passes its second reading in the Commons the pro-hunting Countryside Alliance organizes a massive protest rally in London. An estimated 250,000 people join the countryside march to protest against the bill and threats to other aspects of rural life. July 1998 - Mr. Foster withdraws his bill citing the “cynical tactics” of his opponents. He insists that to carry on would deprive other valuable legislation, such as a law on puppy farms, of valuable Parliamentary time. He predicts that fox hunting will still be banned during this Parliament. [...]

[...] May 2000 -Labor backbenchers urge the government to put its weight behind a hunting ban or risk losing voters, and Labor MP Gordon Prentice proposes an amendment to the Countryside and Rights of Way Bill to ban the sport. June 2000 - The burns inquiry report ill due a week ahead of proposed government legislation that will offer a number of options, from preserving the status quo to introducing a total ban. Discussion . A rather hypocritical welfare . Public sympathy for animals is selective. “Scientists who experiment on beagles get vilified. But no one gives a stuff what happens to the laboratory rats. [...]