Why Animal Rights Instead of Welfare?
By Jeremy Alcorn
Why not welfare? It’s a fair question. One that I do not think should be easily disregarded, but taken on with sincerity. Certainly, if animal welfare rules were strengthened and enforced much of the abuse we see today would no longer exist. Who among us can argue with this for it is true. However, there is also another truth that cannot be overlooked. Even with the most stringent animal welfare laws conceivable animals will continue to be used as a tool, as a means to an end. They will continue to have their bodies manipulated and systematically destroyed to provide “goods” for those of us who would never desire such treatment for ourselves. What good is a life of servitude, a life of bondage? How does society wither when life is summarily dismissed? How do we fair when life is reduced to a commodity, what comfort then can be found in welfare?
This is a photograph of someone who was treated according to the standard of welfare.
Copyright © 2005 Jeremy Alcorn
All Rights Reserved - Reservation of Rights
This image is free to use but please give credit to VeganVanguard.com.
This poor soul suffered from a number of abuses all of which were preventable. Most obvious are his gapping wounds that stretch across his back, leaving his flesh exposed to any harm the environment can hurl his way. His anus is swollen and distended, his blood is being slowly drained by an infestation of ticks (white dots), and his body is weak and emaciated by the starvation he has had to endure.
His welfare was secured courtesy of the Illinois Department of Agriculture when they told the owner, and should be guardian, that the dog would have to be treated or killed. Of course, the owner chose death; why would he choose any other given the state of decay he caused his dog to endure. Truth be told, the owner had already committed this dog to die when he chose to stop caring for him. The Dept. of Agriculture had merely forced the owner to do what he wouldn’t; pay to have the dog euthanized. Furthermore, there were no charges brought against the owner of the dog and none of the other animals at his residence were seized. After all, in the end he had provided for the dog’s welfare; case closed.
I think there are few of us that would consider this situation to be acceptable. Of course, there can be no assurance that this dog would have lived if the rule of measure was the position of animal rights over that of welfare. For it may be possible that treatment would be unsuccessful, or that a quality of life issue could arise. However, we can rest assured that the dealings with this dog’s so called “care taker” would have been different. This is where the animal rights position is of greatest utility. It delivers the message that a person cannot treat another with such blatant disregard and escape responsibility. This lesson can be driven home not only to those who perpetrate this type of abuse, but to our posterity as well. Rights demand respect and we should deal accordingly with those who choose to violate them.
Welfare, however strict, allows continual violations of another’s sentience and general well-being. For the sake of the betterment of our society, for the sake of humanity, for the sake of animals everywhere; we have all endured welfare, now deliver us rights!
I want to offer a special thanks to those who tried to give this dog a better existence. The outcome wasn’t what we hoped for but I’m sure that their constant persistence was the reason that for probably the first time since puppyhood he had some attention paid to him.
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Posted/Updated: 1/03/05
Copyright © 2005 Jeremy Alcorn
All Rights Reserved - Reservation of Rights
