Animal Rights

Animal Rights

Muhammad Omar Rashid

Devry University

Animal Rights: Pawing the way for a better future

Recently from the throngs of Hollywood came about a re-imagining of the classic work of fiction “The Planet of the Apes”, watching it would make you wonder what would happen if the world was run by apes and we were their pets/slaves. What springs to YOUR mind when you first hear the term ANIMAL RIGHTS? Do you wonder “What? No Way!” or do you think “Tell me more” I like to think of myself to be firmly in the latter group.

Not only do Animals deserve the same basic rights as humans, they should be treated as our equals as well in every way possible. Animals have been struggling for their rights because we as a people have failed two recognize two basic things; Animals suffering is connected to human suffering, and animals have as much a right to thrive as us, their survival is paramount for our own survival. The solution? It is time for a universal push towards standardized rules regarding the treatment of animals and educating the public at the grass roots level about the value of treating animals with respect and love.

Problems

My heart sunk as i watched a video on PETA’s website recently. Narrated by Joaquin Phoenix, the video showed a behind the scenes look at how some exotic animals were killed for their skin so that designer bags could be made from the skin. Bludgeoned, skinned alive, nailed to walls and then mutilated, just some of the ways the video showed. Similarly, I was reading an article recently, according to which, scientists have been able to cure diabetes in rats by extracting neuronal stem cells from them through their brains and them modifying said cells to produce stem cells. The region of the brain where the scientists picked and probed around in the rats is responsible for memory and smell. The next step would obviously be human trials. Now given how dangerous it could be to probe an area of the brain linked with higher...