Do Animals Have Rights?

[banker_frank]

Do those rights extend to all animals, or do the rights change based on the complexity of the animal?

[Old_Geezer]

Do which rights ?

Humans assign rights, so yes, animals have some. For practical reasons they can't all have the same. Critters get more than varmin. Pests get few. Bacteria and germs probably none.

[banker_frank]

This is hard work.....ok ....use it or lose it as they say......

[dannyk13]

I would lose it.

[banker_frank]

I think you already have.

[banker_frank]

Domestic animals have certain rights in the Law, as do farm animals (UK). If they didn't then their would never be any prosecutions for cruelty. However, who are we to say that the life of a dog is more important than that of a rat? Why some eat the flesh of a cow pig and sheep but would not eat a horse or donkey. (well not intentionally, I think I've had horse or donkey meat in sausages in Spain)

[banker_frank]

*there would*

[banker_frank]

good grief...THEY would......predictive text? dodgy site?

[Old_Geezer]

If not we who says, then who are folk waiting for to tell us what to do ?
Food chains are part of nature. Life feeds on life. The predator gets to say what's prey.

[Ryzen]

They have few rights when entering a Halal slaughter house!!

[vetuste_ennemi]

I prefer to ask the question a different way: do humans have a duty towrds animals?

[hereIam]

Yes, they have rights. This is why people who are cruel to them can, and should be, prosecuted.

[naomi24]

//..do the rights change based on the complexity of the animal? //

That, I think, is the real question. Few of us would hesitate to swat a fly or a wasp. We don't afford them rights.