Towards a philosophy of veterinary medicine.

Abstract

The question of animal rights is looked at from a new perspective: animals of similar sentence should be entitled to the same quality of veterinary care and ought not to be treated differently, some more or less humanely than others. The ethical inconsistencies in the moral status of animals in society, and the veterinarian's role and responsibilities, are explored in an attempt to reconcile the dialectic of animal exploitation and animal rights and of the extrinsic and intrinsic worth of animals. The veterinary profession is in the centre of this issue, which necessitates an examination of our profession's ethics and the formulation of a veterinary philosophy. The importance of empathy in the art and practice of veterinary medicine is also discussed.