Traditionally, animals have been assumed to respond to changes in the environment the same way as humans do. This assumption has been continuously used for product testing, research, and educating of living animals. Animal experimentation is done in a broad range of environments, including agricultural facilities, universities, hospitals and independent laboratories. This technique is used to assess the safety of the products such as cosmetics, chemicals medical services, and household products. However, animal-based testing methods have failed the human needs due to varied reactions of various animal species to these commodities. Moreover, the methodology has received severe criticism from scholars and animal protectors who have learned on the nature of many animal experiments being carried out. However, many people still believe in the scientists and the question on the need of such experiments to save the lives of people.
Numerous experiment on various species of animals has been performed in the United States by different psychology researchers. W. A Hillex and M.R.Denny from the University of California experimented on cats placed on the maze and gave them electric shocks on several trials while allowing them to maneuver around (Singer, 1975), Nonetheless, after 15 years of giving electric shocks, they were urinating to determine the mechanisms that could be considered correct in their results. These experiments have been found to cause havoc to the trapped animals who yell for help, defecate, urinate or try to escape due to severe inescapable shock.
According to (Singer, 1975), the field of psychology performs some of the most painful experiments using animal species. In 1986 alone, the National Institute of Health (NIMH) funded more than 350 researches on animals. The NIMH is the main source of federal funding for the animal experimentation. The urgency spends yearly more than $30 million dollars on psychological experiments only. The experiments involve manipulation of the brain, effects of drugs on the behavior, sleep deprivation, fear, and memory experiments. Application of electric shocks on the bodies of the animals is the main method of experimenting in the field of psychology. This is done mainly with the aim of checking the reaction of animals to various kinds of punishments or to guide them perform the required tasks. The animals used are usually separated at an early age from their mothers, which causes distress to both the mother and the young.
Factory farming is considerable a source of animal suffering. These farms convert the animal’s bodies into relatively cheap food which the humans consume. The conditions in which these are animals are brought up, and the method of slaughter causes a lot of pain to animals. Given this conditions animals suffer and assuming the suffering is not in their interests, then the activities of the factory farming would not be ethically justifiable. Certainly, humans, have pleasure eating animals would find it difficult to satisfy these requirements in the absence of factory farms. They will be required to put more effort and cost to obtain the animal products.
The question about the moral status of the non-human animals has increasingly become crucial among philosophers, and people outside philosophy. Human beings are considered to show unkindness to the non-persons by killing and acting in inhumane ways towards them. The key players in this field of philosophy, argue that been morally sensible is not about been obsessed on the protection of rights of the animals but taking even little actions to protect them. Animal’s moral right is considered equivalent to a moral right, hence, any action that mistreats the animals would violate their rights, and thus is immoral. Humanity considers humans to have moral status while non-humans do not have any. Many of the humans justify their claims on certain human activities towards animals that cause pain, suffering, discomfort and death. Human beings argue they require to be morally considered due the fact that they can be morally wronged. They can only make such claims as they can verbally respond to this claims unlike the non-human animals (Gruen, 2003). Humans beings belong to the Homo sapiens species, but this cannot explain the existence of a moral claim associated with the members of this species and not any other species (Gruen, 2003). Admittedly, their unique species is their certainly distinguishing feature, and they share a distinctive physiology and genetic makeup, but this is not considered morally significant. Species membership cannot support claims that members of a particular species deserve moral consideration owed to other species. Humans are only considered moral due to their distinctively human capabilities they possess unlike the non-humans (Rollin, 2011).
Move over, some people argues that the experimenters should use human infants as species to justify their actions since adult apes, rats, cats and other animals are aware of what is happening to them and are also sensitive to pain like humans. These experimenters are accused of being biased in the favor of their species instead of justifying their experiments on humans, even those brain-damaged. It is true that animals can not react or judge the persons by torturing or killing them, but it damages the human duty in them to show towards humanity. It is believed cruelty when dealing with animals makes humans harder to deal with other fellow beings. In addition, some animals’ species have been neglected by ancient jurists, lower-graded to the extent of becoming extinct. In many places of the world today, many animals’ species have been rendered endangered and made slaves due to insensibility of the humans. It is argued that a day may come when the rest of animal creation may get those rights withheld now by human beings (Rollin, 2011).
Scholarly work on animal behavior argues that most of the activities that are thought to be distinct to humans also occur in animals. Animals possess human’s capacities such as solving social problems, starting wars, developing friendship and family ties, starting wars, using language, and many others. Many species of animals develop long lasting relation; an example is the orangutan mothers who stay with their young ones for eight to ten years, and even extend their relationships after they part. Less hermit animals, such as wolves, baboons, and elephants maintain their extended family units for extended periods of time. Animals living in socially large groups solve various problems that inevitably arise amongst themselves. Horses and chickens are known for their ability to recognize scores of individuals in their groups and maneuver within them. One of the way the non-humans maneuver their social environments is being particularly concerned with the emotional conditions of others in their environment. Animals that develop strong bonds are known to suffer greatly from the death of their partners even to extend of dying.
The lives of most non-humans in the wild are destroyed with the struggle of survival, battle, and aggression, but some who lives are symbolized by expressions of playfulness and joy. (Gruen, 2003). Recent studies suggest that some non-humans engage in a manipulative activity, and understand some symbols, use language, and can construct cognitive maps for navigation.
On the respond to these challenges non-humans passes through, animal protection mechanisms have been developed in several countries across the globe. The first protection mechanism of animals was started in the 19th century. Earlier on, during pre-Socratics and Jainism, ideas of respect for animal life and non-harming had emerged in many continents but it had not been put to action. Those who care for animals have stood in a long intellectual tradition that has advocated on every part of the globe (Linzey, 2013).
Since the beginning of the ninetieth century. Several mechanism has been put in place to protect the animals. One of them is having animal-friendly living through practices such as having planted based nutrition, a meat out, vegan gardening, and living in the animal neighborhoods. Several campaigns have been done in the US, the Germany, and the United Kingdom about importance of taking vegetables than meat (Singer, 1975). These campaigns are based on the recent studies which show that vegetarians have lower death rates from heart diseases than those who eat meat. Vegan gardening involves growing fruits and vegetables and shunning away from animals’ products for health, ethical, and environmental reasons. This is proven to give people a peace of mind for their food supply. People should find better ways of controlling insects and pests rather than killing them. Some of them are free-living and harmless animals, hence, can leave close to humans. In the United Kingdom, several cases of Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA) have been successfully prosecuted, and many animals saved from further suffering (Linzey, 2013). Suspecting or witnessing an animal being cruelly treated is considered an offense if not reported. RSPCA has offered a free call advice line used for reporting all the animal torturing incidences.
The animal experimentation research is worsened by the lack of control in the United States. The absence of law on experimentation allows the kinds of experiments mentioned above. There should be an ethic committee which approves animal experiments in every country. These committee should include animal welfare representatives who are authorized to deny approval for experiments that does not consider the benefits that outweigh the harm to the animals. Such system is operation in Sweden and Australia and it is approved by the scientific community (Singer, 1975). The members of these committees should have the interests of the nonhuman animals, and are to push for animal protective mechanisms such as minimizing pain on animals, offer alternatives for the experiments, and demonstrating benefits of animals to the committee.
In some countries, protection of the endangered species has been greatly emphasized. The endangered animals such as big cats, jaguars, and tigers have been put in intensive protection units to prevent the extinction of these species. Shelters and Sanctuaries are excellent in protecting these species of animals. They are free from dangers and disturbance from people. Several sanctuaries and shelters have been developed throughout the world to deal particularly with domesticated animals. Most Sanctuaries house homeless and unwanted animals, including those living on the streets of towns and cities. Some animals like dog and hair are being treatment when sick and are insured to keep them the best medical attention if the need arises.
References
Linzey. A (2013). “Histories and Global Perspectives.” The Global Guide to Animal Protection.
JSTOR. Print: 2013 Pg. 7-8
Gruen. L (2003). “The Moral Status of Animals.” Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy Archive.
Print: Tue Jul 1, 2003
Rollin. B (2011). “Animal Pain: Why It Matters.” The Journal of Ethics. Print: December 2011.
Springer Pg.425-437.Vol. 15, No. 4
Singer. P (1975). “Animal Liberation.” Ethics. Print: 1975. The University of Notre Dame
Australia. Pg. 1-8
