Animals are entitled to their own lives, and most importantly they should not be subjected to suffering the same as humans. We all exist mutually depending on each other; plants depend on animals as animals depend on plants. Humans are in control of all living things (plants and animals), to some extent humans treat other animals in a cruel manner causing pain and suffering on these animals. As we humans depend on other animals on many things, we should consider that these animals just like us have a brain and feeling with the ability to feel pain, suffering and get tired.

Human beings should not beat, harm, misuse and kill other animals for, please. Animals that are used to serve humans in doing work like transportation should be respect and treated with kindness, need to eat[1]. These animals need to rest and eat, drink and be subjected to works that do not harm them or beaten to serve human purpose. Most governments have made laws to protect animals from human exploitation and harm. In some countries, you require a license to own a donkey or a bull that will be used to carry goods and work on the farm. This ensures that the government monitors how you treat the animals. Humans tend to beat some of these animals like donkeys to force them when they are hungry, tired or thirsty. This act is against the animal’s rights, and one should be charged for abusing the animal.

Treating animals with compassion is a humane ethic that has been in place for many years since it was one of Gods command to humans to take care of these animals[2]. The goals of animal welfare are to ensure animal suffering caused by humans is eliminated. A human being has domesticated animals and devised ways for these animals to be helpful to them by providing food and source of livelihood by selling these animals. Some of these behaviors by humans cause psychological suffering to these animals, and this should be eliminated. Farm animals like broiler chickens are fed heavily and injected with growth boosters to increase its rate of growth, an animal in a laboratory is subjected to the restricted environment and subjected to study which may not cause suffering to the animal because it is made to adapt to these conditions. But generally, the animal is harmed by such treatments since it is suspectable to suffer from diseases and stress.

For humans to eliminate animal abuse and exploitation that causes suffering to animals, they should learn and study animals’ behavior and character to help them embrace animals for our enjoyment. Study of animals’ behaviors will help us care more for the animals which will be for our benefit and their peace and enjoyment[3]. Humans have a social and economic justification for raising animals for human consumption and other biomedical use. Animals themselves have their worth and rights just like human beings. Animals have their purpose despite humans imposing other values on them; these interests can be said to be animal rights. They are therefore supposed to be treated in a just and moral way that ensure the physical and emotional state is not subjected to suffering.

If we humans recognize that these animals have intrinsic worth and interest which are different from their extrinsic worth to us the humans, we are in a position to treat them with compassion. We are therefore granted the stewardship and moral and legal authority to respect animal rights. Despite us being the most dominant species over other animals and being in control of them we have no reason not to respect their rights. Domestic animals are subjected to suffering by behind caged in limited space denying the animal freedom to move around and be in company with other animals[4]. Despite providing the animal with the food water, medication and shelter, it is a violation of animal right to cage the animal without giving it company and freedom of movement.

By upholding the animal’s rights, we give the animal a peaceful environment that is not characterized by pain and suffering. Compassionate treatment of an animal is good for our coexistence between the animals and us. An animal can be of greater use when treated well without even slaughtering it. A cow provides milk, hens provided eggs and humans from the animal feces is useful in the farms to help the crops produce high yields. Abusing and exploiting animals is of no benefit to humans; hence we humans should desist from torturing these animals.

Animals can be denied fair treatment if it is required for the survival of a human or to help the health of a human[5]. Psychological and physical suffering of an animal is essential if there is no alternative and it is required to help save a human life or reduce the pain of a human being. For example, a wild lion that is on the course of taking a human life can be killed to help save human lives. Despite the lion having its right and maybe it is hungry and requires to feed on the human, it can be  if it attempts to take a human life. This act of saving human life by ending an animal’s life is an exception since an animal life is not supposed to be killed for financial gain, comfort or any or other gains.

In objection to granting animals rights, I can argue that animals cannot understand and keep an understanding with humans where there can be mutual respect of each other’s rights. By granting domesticated animals rights to live freely without restrictions, animals may invade farms that re-prepared by humans to help grow food for humans. Because of this these animals should be caged and tended to their need for human benefit. It would be unwise to restrict scientists from using animals to conduct research that is of interest to human life and that of the animal. Some animals can be denied their rights so as others can survive. Animals are a great source of human food and humans depend on these animals to provide a good and healthy diet. It would be unwise to suggest that an animal is not supposed to be killed to provide food the humans.

In conclusion, animal ethics should be observed toward ensuring animal rights are protected. Animals deserve fair and compassionate treatment from humans, but at the same time, it should be understood that we all depend on each other. It hence wrong to cause animal suffering without earning any benefit for the humans. There should be a great reward if an animal has to endure suffering or death.

Bibliography

Chan, Benedict SB. “Confucianism and Animal Ethics.” Encyclopedia of Food and Agricultural Ethics (2016): 1-7.

DeGrazia, David. “The 37 Ethics of Animal Research.” The Animal Ethics Reader (2016): 321.

Linzey, Andrew. Christianity and the Rights of Animals. Wipf and Stock Publishers, 2016.

Regan, Tom. “The case for animal rights.” In Animal Rights, pp. 17-30. Routledge, 2017.

[1] Linzey, Andrew. Christianity and the Rights of Animals. Wipf and Stock Publishers, 2016.

[2] Linzey, Andrew. Christianity and the Rights of Animals. Wipf and Stock Publishers, 2016.

[3] Chan, Benedict SB. “Confucianism and Animal Ethics.” Encyclopedia of Food and Agricultural Ethics (2016): 1-7.

[4] Regan, Tom. “The case for animal rights.” In Animal Rights, pp. 17-30. Routledge, 2017.

[5] DeGrazia, David. “The 37 Ethics of Animal Research.” The Animal Ethics Reader (2016): 321.