Animal rights #1

I’ve just finished reading a persuasive extract from Peter Singer’s book titled Animal Liberation. Singer spoke at Melbourne University recently – promoting his new book – but I couldn’t find time to hear what he was on about due to exams. The chapter is titled ‘All Animals Are Equal…or why the ethical principle on which human equality rests requires us to extend equal consideration to animals too.’

Surprisingly, I agree with most of what he says in this chapter. We should extend consideration, and indeed compassion, to animals wherever possible. Animals do experience pain. In Victoria basic dignity and protection from harm is afforded to certain animals under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act 1986.

The real potential for divergence of opinion comes when Singer says stuff like this:

Nor can we pretend that we have nothing to do with these practices. One of them – experimentation on animals – is promoted by the government we elect and is largely paid for out of the taxes we pay. The other – rearing animals for food – is possible only because most people buy and eat the products of this practice. That is why I have chosen to discuss these particular forms of speciesism. They are at its heart. They cause more suffering to a greater number of animals than anything else that human beings do. To stop them we must change the policies of our government, and we must change our own lives, to the extent of changing our diet.

Well I suppose we could all become vegan Jain monks and walk half-naked through the streets while simultaneously sweeping away the insects that might inadvertently be crushed by our feet.

But I’m not convinced animals should be afforded greater protection than they are presently. I enjoy eating meat. I like the taste. I have no problem with being the superior species on planet Earth. At the same time I encourage people to boycott whatever companies they feel are treating animals badly, just as they would boycott and protest against companies that are ‘exploiting’ third-world workers.

In the future maybe we won’t want to eat meat anymore. Maybe we’ll just pop a pill and get our nutritional and taste wants satisfied. For now though, if you’re feeling bad about the way animals are treated and want to make a difference then go adopt a pet from the shelter. And pamper it.

I did that. I used to have a dog. But then it got eaten.

More on that story next time!