Circus ban opens up can of worms

Abstract

In what ways are we morally entitled to make use of other animals for our own anthropocentric purposes? How, morally, can we justify the ways in which we use them? These questions are the philosophical starting point for grievances that some animal rights groups have with people involved in almost any kind of relationship with animals, from farmers through to pet keepers and vets. At the extreme end, their philosophy holds that no person should ever use any animal – full stop. For example, campaign group Peta believes that animals should never be experimented on, eaten, worn (including wool), used for entertainment or ‘abused’ in any other way. ‘Abuse’ includes pet keeping, since our ‘selfish desire to possess animals and receive love from them causes immeasurable suffering.’ Peta believes that, in an ideal world, domesticated dogs …