Animal Rights Research Articles

Addressing the Will Theory Challenge to Animal Rights

Participants in the long-standing interest/will theory debate, long in disagreement over the function of rights, are united on this point: while the interest theory can accommodate animals, the will theory cannot. Recent scholarship in animal political theory agrees, accounting for animal rights via the interest theory alone. This article offers the first sustained challenge to this position by exploring two interpretations of the will theory. It concludes that only a more moderate interpretation of what it takes to be a competent decision-maker allows us to interpret the will theory in a way that both retains its distinctiveness and conforms to current, mainstream rights discourse. Through a discussion of how we might regard at least certain animals, in certain contexts, as being capable of giving or withholding their consent, the article argues that they should no longer be categorically held as outside the domain of will theory rights-holders.

Animal rights and the language of human rights.

Animal rights and the language of human rights.

Legislações em defesa dos animais: Avanços e desafios

The purpose of this work is to present a detailed analysis of the evolution of legislation on animal rights, highlighting its evolution over time and the importance of animal welfare. We explore the importance of philosophers such as Tom Regan and Peter Singer in promoting moral equality between humans and animals, as well as relevant legal frameworks in Brazil, such as the 1988 Federal Constitution and the 1998 Environmental Crimes Law. Furthermore, we address recent legislative advances and the need for public awareness regarding animal protection and combating animal abuse. Gaps in legislation are highlighted, such as a lack of adequate penalties and deficiencies in supervision; issues such as illegal animal trade and cultural and economic conflicts are also addressed. The crucial role of the media in promoting animal rights and welfare is highlighted, underlining the importance of continuous review of the legislation and improvements in supervision to ensure adequate protection of animals and promote a culture of respect and welfare in relation to human and nonhuman animals.

Animal Rights in Greece: Legislation and Perceptions

Animal rights are a controversial issue that often causes ethical dilemmas within modern civilization. Philosophical thought plays a key role in this debate, through various theories that put forward the establishment of moral rights to animals. All this is also reflected in the adoption of strict legal frameworks in favor of animal protection throughout the Western world. In Greece, in recent years huge steps have been taken compared to the past and now a fairly strict legal framework has been adopted for the protection of animals (mainly companion animals) but also for the obligations of their owners. Nevertheless, animal abuse in Greece continues almost on a daily basis. To better understand the parameters that determine the human-animal relationship from an ethical point of view, an empirical study was conducted as part of an ongoing research investigating the perception and level of familiarity of university instructors on this topic. Research findings refer to four thematic categories: a) legal framework, b) animal rights-ethics, c) experimental animals, d) technology and animals and show that the academic background of the participants generally does not play a significant role in their answers.

Earth jurisprudence in South America: Trends and developments

This article aims to present an analysis of the evolution and contributions developed and integrated into the corpus of Earth Jurisprudence from practice in seven (7) South American countries where 135 records were found between 2005 and 2023. The case study was carried out using the methodological approach of the qualitative approach, the hermeneutic method, and the documentary review technique. The unit of analysis was based on the recognition of rights to nature, the data and information organized according to legal/political provisions, the state, the actor that initiated the action, and the ecological actor involved. Among the most outstanding findings, it is evident that a large number of records are concentrated in Ecuador and Colombia. The first correlates with the constitutionalization of the rights of nature and coincides with the second as they have been part of the stream known as new Latin American constitutionalism. In addition, a notable jurisprudential development recognizes nature as a subject of rights and declares it a victim of the armed conflict. Bolivia, which also joined this emerging denomination, has a different tendency than it had in its beginnings, not as the two countries mentioned above have done. Brazil stands out for its considerable increase in such legislative recognition. Argentina has a stronger emphasis on animal law. Peru has an incipient contribution to some regulatory implementation. Finally, Chile, the most laggard, tries it with a new constitution that recognizes these rights without having the approval at the ballot box. It is concluded the need to elevate the rights of nature and animals to constitutional status, claiming indigenous and ancestral cosmogonies regionally since it includes a legal stability that would facilitate the work of judicial and legislative actors and decision-makers for developing public policies, which would contribute to the practical development of the new Latin American constitutionalism and the Earth Jurisprudence.

Health, environmental, and animal rights motives among omnivores, vegetarians, and vegans and the associations with meat, dairy, and egg commitment

Dietary groups differ from each other in how much they value health, environmental, and animal rights motives to reduce or quit meat consumption. In an online survey study, we investigated whether omnivores (N = 237), vegetarians (N = 151), and vegans (N = 377) not only differ in their motives for meat reduction or meat-free diets (vegetarian eating motives) but also in their motives for dairy and egg reduction or the adoption of a fully plant-based diet (vegan eating motives), and how strongly these motives are associated with lower commitment to eating meat, dairy, and egg products. The results showed that omnivores rated health as the most important motive for both meat and dairy/egg reduction. However, among omnivores, only environmental and animal rights motives, and not health, were associated with reduced meat and dairy commitment, while environmental motives were also associated with reduced egg commitment. Vegetarians and vegans were more strongly motivated by environmental and animal rights concerns for meat and dairy/egg reduction compared with omnivores, yet vegetarians were less strongly motivated by animal rights than vegans, especially for dairy/egg reduction. However, among vegetarians, only animal rights motives, and not environmental and health motives, were associated with lower dairy and egg commitment. These findings provide new insights into the relative importance of dietary motives for reducing meat, dairy, and egg commitment among different dietary groups and highlight the importance of environmental and animal rights motives for reducing animal product commitment among omnivores and of animal rights motives for reducing dairy and egg commitment among vegetarians.

A Qualitative Study: Issue(s) of Stray Animal(s) in Turkey from the Point of View of Volunteers

The aim of this study is to reveal the issue of stray animals from the volunteers’ viewpoint and determine the views and suggestions of volunteers who struggle for the rights of stray animals in Turkey. For this, a study based on qualitative research techniques was carried out with participants who voluntarily work for stray animals. Among the qualitative research patterns, case study pattern, semi-structured interview as data gathering tool, among nonprobable choice method, snowball method as data gathering tool were chosen. All the data which were acquired with semi-structured profoundly interviews were analyzed by descriptive analyzing method. This study does not reveal that fact issue of stray animals in cities of Turkey but reveals the issues of stray animals themselves and also the volunteers who have been striving for stray animals voluntarily. The issue of stray animals in Turkey is rooted mainly in local governments’ executions. It is emphasized one more time that the current executions of local governments are inadequate to be able to solve the issues of stray animals. The most important cause for this is that local governments’ not having applied the process of sterilization effectively and thus, the population of stray animals cannot be taken under control. The other significant causes are inefficiency of animal shelters run by local governments during the treatment, the unawareness of the people in the public and the nonlegal applications done by the local governments through stray animals. According to the volunteers, this issue can be handled by the state. The solution for this issue is effective sterilization and the rising awareness of the people. Eventually, it does not matter whether the solution for the issues about stray animals or the solution for issues which stray animals face, local and central governments have plenty of duties. But the main actor for this is the central government.

Привязанность к домашним питомцам и любовь к людям – есть ли связь?

<p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Objective. </strong>The study is aimed at investigating the relationship between attachment to pets and pro-social personality characteristics – environmental identity, moral motives, and ecological lifestyle. <br><strong>Background. </strong>Attachment to pets is being investigated in the context animal-assisted therapy animal rights protection but the question of the possible contribution of this phenomenon to the development of humane treatment of people is still open. Is it possible to expect that attachment to a pet has a humanizing effect or does retain its specificity without being related to the pet owners’ pro-social attitudes – this research question reflects the main problem of the study. <br><strong>Study design.</strong> The study has correlational design; data was collected online using the 1ka.si service.<br><strong>Participants.</strong> The study sample consisted of 284 respondents (224 women, 60 men, aged 18-76, <em>M</em><sub>age</sub> = 25,4, <em>SD</em><sub>age</sub> = 9,7, mostly owners of cats and dogs, mostly Russian citizens). <br><strong>Measurements.</strong> Validated Russian versions of the questionnaires were used, i.e., the Lexington attachment to pets scale (modified 8-item version prepared in this study), the 30-item Moral motives scale, the 14-item Environmental identity scale, and the 7-item Ecological lifestyle scale. <br><strong>Results</strong>. It has been found that different aspects of attachment to a pet are indeed associated with environmental identity, moral motives (with the exception of self-restraint), and social eco-activism. It is also shown that two aspects of attachment to pets (pet rights and the experience of happiness from communicating with a pet) in different combinations predict the motives of not-harming, helping, social justice, and social eco-activism. <br><strong>Conclusions</strong>. Attachment to pets is positively related to the pro-social attitudes of the pet owners, mostly those reflected an active pet owners’ position, but is not connected with the self-restraint qualities.</p>

Compromised values: a comparative response during the COVID-19 crisis by ethical vegans and vegetarians

Animal advocacy is a complex phenomenon. As a social movement encompassing diverse moral stances and lifestyle choices, veganism and vegetarianism (veg*) are at its core, and animal testing raises as a notably contentious issue within its members. This paper addresses this critical topic. Employing data from an international quantitative survey conducted between June and July 2021, our research explores how ethical vegans and vegetarians responded during the COVID-19 crisis. By comparing the experiences and choices between the two groups, we aimed to understand the variances in attitudes and behaviors in the face of an ethical dilemma, highlighting the interplay between personal beliefs and social pressures in times of a health crisis. Our findings reveal stark contrasts in how vegans and vegetarians navigated the pandemic; vegans displayed less conformity yet experienced a significant compromise of their ethical values, particularly in their overwhelming acceptance of vaccination. This study enhances the field of veg* research and social movement studies by exploring how a social crisis shapes members’ behaviors and perspectives. Our findings also contribute to a better understanding of the challenges and prejudices that a minority group such as vegans may face and how they cope with the pressure to go against the mainstream at a time when society is polarized by a single discourse that goes against their moral values.

The Ideology of Animal Liberation and the “Guilt” of Christianity Part I: Is Speciesism So Bad?

The Ideology of Animal Liberation and the “Guilt” of Christianity Part I: Is Speciesism So Bad?

The Counterproductiveness Argument against Animal Rights Violence

ABSTRACTArguments against inflicting violence on people to defend animal rights have relied on the view that inflicting violence is always wrong. But these arguments end up prohibiting too much, as defensive violence should be permissible in certain extreme cases. We argue that considerations about the counterproductiveness of defensive violence are better at distinguishing permissible and impermissible instances of animal rights violence than a blanket rejection of violence. We respond to the objection that assuming violence to be counterproductive is ad hoc, discussing real‐world and fictional examples of animal rights violence. We argue that defensive violence on behalf of animals should almost always be assumed to be counterproductive because it threatens to trigger self‐reinforcing reactions on the part of the socio‐technical regimes that violate animal rights in the first place.

Join the discussion on animal welfare, ethics and rights.

A panel of experts will lead a conversation on the concepts of animal welfare, ethics and rights at this year's Animal Welfare Foundation Discussion Forum.

Book Review: Animal Rights Law by Raffael N Fasel and Sean C Butler

Book Review: <i>Animal Rights Law</i> by Raffael N Fasel and Sean C Butler

“HUMAN EXCEPTIONALISM”: THE GREEK ORIGINS OF A MODERN CONCEPTAND ITS IMPLICATIONS FOR THE LIVES OF ANIMALS

The modern philosophical doctrine usually termed “human exceptionalism,” which holds that human beings, because of their perceived intellectual superiority over other animal species, have a moral value that cannot be claimed by other species which entitles humans to use other animals to serve their needs, has its philosophical roots in Greek philosophy, especially in the works of Aristotle and in the Stoic doctrine of oikeiōsis, which holds that human beings share a kinship with other humans but not with other species of inferior intellectual endowments. The doctrine of “human exceptionalism” is used in the twenty-first century to justify the wholesale slaughter worldwide of non-human animals for food, clothing, medical and entertainment purposes. The claims of “human exceptionalism” are countered in the present day by animal rights philosophers and by animal welfarists of various types who argue either that non-human species have a sufficient degree of reason to entitle them to inclusion in the sphere of human moral concern, or that the possession of reason is itself an irrelevant criterion for moral consideration, and that animal suffering must be taken into account in human interactions with other animal species.

ECO-CDA AND COUNTER-DISCOURSE: FROM EXOTIC LUXURY TO ANIMAL EXPLOITATION IN LUWAK COFFEE

Luwak Coffee, an exotic beverage produced through the unique involvement of the Asian palm civet, has garnered attention and controversy. The study emphasizes the importance of amplifying marginalized voices and advocating for animal liberation and ecological perspectives through counter-discourse. Specifically, the research aims to analyze the counter-discourse arising from a webpage that describes a tourist's visit to a coffee luwak plantation. This article employs Eco-CDA, a framework grounded in Critical Discourse Analysis and ecolinguistics, to critically analyze the discourse surrounding luwak coffee production. Through discourse and semantic analysis, the study exposes the failure of the prevailing discourse to address ethical concerns and promote sustainable practices. In conclusion, this research aims to contribute to the transformation of societal norms by advocating for the recognition of animal rights. It calls for a comprehensive reevaluation of coffee production practices, emphasizing the need for ethical considerations in animal treatment.

Exploring public support for farmed animal welfare policy and advocacy across 23 countries

Farmed animal policy and advocacy efforts both attempt to generate and depend upon public support. However, relatively little is known about the factors that predict support for animal protection legislation and advocacy across the globe. We analyse data from a large international survey (23 countries, n = 20,966) alongside other data sources on animal advocacy to investigate knowledge of factory farming, the connection between attitudes towards animals and the strength of animal protection legislation, attitudes towards animals based on their food status in different countries, and the connection between personal support for policy, animal advocacy, civic activism, and animal advocacy organisations. We found that higher support for animal welfare is associated with stronger farm animal protection legislation across countries and that concerns about specific animals can vary depending on cultural and religious factors. Contrary to study hypotheses, we did not find greater support for advocacy in countries with more advocacy organisations, suggesting important opportunities to pursue advocacy in relatively neglected regions. Results are interpreted in terms of how farmed animal advocates can take advantage of and potentially generate support for animal welfare throughout the world.

Research opportunities and ethical considerations for heart and lung xenotransplantation research: A report from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute workshop

Xenotransplantation offers the potential to meet the critical need for heart and lung transplantation presently constrained by the current human donor organ supply. Much was learned over the past decades regarding gene editing to prevent the immune activation and inflammation that cause early organ injury, and strategies for maintenance of immunosuppression to promote longer-term xenograft survival. However, many scientific questions remain regarding further requirements for genetic modification of donor organs, appropriate contexts for xenotransplantation research (including nonhuman primates, recently deceased humans, and living human recipients), and risk of xenozoonotic disease transmission. Related ethical questions include the appropriate selection of clinical trial participants, challenges with obtaining informed consent, animal rights and welfare considerations, and cost. Research involving recently deceased humans has also emerged as a potentially novel way to understand how xeno-organs will impact the human body. Clinical xenotransplantation and research involving decedents also raise ethical questions and will require consensus regarding regulatory oversight and protocol review. These considerations and the related opportunities for xenotransplantation research were discussed in a workshop sponsored by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, and are summarized in this meeting report.

Abstract P477: Motivations and Barriers to Consuming a Plant-Based Diet: The EAT Plants 1 Study

Introduction: Consuming a plant-based diet is associated with a lower risk of cardiometabolic disorders and lower greenhouse gas emissions. Furthermore, a vegetarian diet is considered a healthy dietary pattern according to the U.S. Dietary Guidelines for Americans and strongly aligns with the 2021 AHA Dietary Guidance. Yet, little is known about current barriers to adhering to this dietary pattern. Methods: Adults who were either currently consuming or interested in consuming a plant-based diet were eligible to participate in an interview to assess behavioral, normative, and control beliefs related to consuming a plant-based diet. Participants were recruited using flyers distributed via social media (Facebook), an e-newsletter, a farmer’s market, and on the Johns Hopkins University campus, and by word of mouth. Interviews were conducted in person or via videoconference in July and August 2023 with a semi-structured guide, audio recorded, transcribed, and coded using NVivo software. Results: The study sample consisted of 12 participants who ranged in age from 21 to 62 years, 58% were women, 75% were white, and 17% were Asian American. Participants self-identified as vegan, vegetarian, or consumers of other types of plant-based diets, and had been following this dietary pattern for a long duration, ranging from 2 to 38 years. Reasons for consuming a plant-based diet were related to ethics (animal rights), the environment (desire to reduce environmental impact of their diet), health (prevent or manage disease and to lose or maintain weight), and culture (being raised in a vegetarian community). Many participants mentioned being influenced by books they read to consume a plant-based diet. Participants were largely surrounded by supportive friends, family, and partners who prepared and consumed plant-based meals with them. Barriers to consuming plant-based diet were related to accessibility particularly when traveling and when eating out (restaurants, work events) and taste of certain plant-based foods. Meat and dairy alternatives were common components of plant-based diets. Conclusion: The factors that influence adherence to a plant-based diet are informative for promoting a heart healthy and environmentally low-impact dietary pattern, consistent with current dietary guidance.

Zoofolkloristics: Imagination as a Critical Component.

Nonhuman animal protagonists of folklore texts in the European space have tended to be perceived primarily as performing a symbolic and metaphoric function. But behind the symbols and the metaphors hide real flesh-and-blood nonhuman animals, and flesh-and-blood humans interacting with them, mostly from a position of power. The emerging discipline of zoofolkloristics considers nonhuman animals in their own right. Through critical analysis of folklore material, zoofolkloristics examines the role of animals and power relations within the interspecies entanglement with the aim of deconstructing the oppressive system and establishing multispecies justice. We begin this paper with a brief reflection on the 'historical animal' as an embodied being and a human construct. We then perform a critical re-reading of three animal-related folklore texts from the Slovenian tradition and, applying Hubert Zapf's concept of imaginative counter-discourse, consider the potential of imagination as a methodological tool in the transformative program of zoofolkloristics. Implications for animal ethics, liberation, and conservation are also discussed.

Przepadek zwierzęcia w świetle orzecznictwa sądowego – analiza przypadku i postulaty de lege ferenda w celu podniesienia ochrony prawnej zwierząt

The article aims to present the functioning of the institution of animal forfeiture under the Act of August 21, 1997 on animal protection. It is a repressive-preventive institution, which is closely related to the property rights of every citizen under the Constitution of the Republic of Poland. At the beginning of the considerations, an attempt was made to define the concept of “animal forfeiture” and to indicate the legal basis for ruling on this legal measure. The types of animal forfeiture occurring under the Act are presented and the circumstances determining their ruling identified. The analysis is extended to include the presentation of cases of application of this institution taken from court rulings and supported by statistical data regarding their adjudication. An interesting aspect of the article is the presentation of resolutions of City Councils, which were declared invalid by the Provincial Administrative Court to the extent that they were inconsistent with the Animal Protection Act. Extensive legal considerations, reinforced by case law and analysis of statistics, have made it possible to present de lege ferenda postulates with regard to raising the level of protection of animal rights. One of the proposals is to combine the institution of forfeiture with a total ban on animal ownership, as well as to articulate in the law the justification for ordering the forfeiture of an animal’s carcass. The article is an attempt to present legal solutions that will enhance the legal protection of animals. As shown in the article, this measure is used relatively rarely. Statistics show that it was applied in only 21.5% of the cases analyzed. Such results may raise legitimate doubts, since most animals against which crimes have been committed are still under the care of their perpetrators, which should undoubtedly change.