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Ecology And Animal Rights
posted on February 15, 2005
Replacing the Children's Zoo with ecology programs about the diversity of wildlife living freely in Stanley Park would be a major step forward in recognizing the rights of animals and developing a more compassionate world. What is the present education message since petting zoos are far from the reality of factory farms in which many animals are inhumanely confined and slaughtered for food? Where is the compassion, when the cute babies grow up and end up on dinner plates?
Faced with tragic global changes and the lost of species everyday, we should realize that zoos and other animal-based industries do not instill a respect and understanding of the fragile web of life that forms our ecosystems. Imprisoned animals live in a vacuum. Ecology and animal rights links planet savers to how they can help try to mend this planet with a holistic approach. Ecology Centers, such as the one proposed in Stanley Park, can bring forward the message to solve problems by encompassing protection for people, animals and the environment.
For over 25 years, I have helped define the new Animal Rights Movement. As other "isms", such as racist and sexism, were finally opposed, it was time to stop speciesism. It was time to extend our circle of compassion to fellow creatures with whom we share this planet. The Animal Rights doctrine promotes Albert Schweitzer's and Mahatma Ghandi's principles of non-violence.
Previously, my ambition was to work for the betterment of humankind, but my life and my attitude towards non-human animals started to change after hearing about vivisection atrocities and going to the research laboratories at Vancouver General Hospital.
I witnessed rows and rows of dogs whose pleas for freedom had been silence by the maintenance staff that had burnt their vocal cords. Many of the dogs were slowly dieing from the experimental surgeries. When I asked, "What cures are you seeking?" the response was "no cure, just experiments". Later I would realize that there is a multi-billion dollar vivisection industry and "animal models" wastes animal's lives and scarce health care funds. Results from these "models" cannot be extrapolated to sick people because it is artificially induced and animal species react differently to the drugs and experiments.
I pondered the issue "Animal Welfare vs. Animal Rights" and sadly found that, while most welfarists have good intentions, they may perpetuate the animals' suffering and be manipulated by vested interests. To be "humane" is to try to reduce suffering and then continue to use then as commodities. Not even the basic freedoms - to stand, to sit, to lie down, to turn around and groom themselves - are mandated by self-policing, rubber-stamping "ethics" committees.
For centuries, those who fought against human injustices also championed the concept of Animal Rights. Philosophers from Jeremy Bentham who argued that "The question is not, "Can they reason?" nor, "Can they talk?" but rather, "Can they suffer?" to many who presently believe that animals do have emotions and can reason.
All life is threatened by the ecological damage by animal exploiters who maintain that it has to be people versus animals. However, when we realize that we must right the animal wrongs it will bring a more peaceful world for all life. |
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