Animal Rights: Where Do You Stand?

[Serpent Eye]

I'm getting sick and tired of the extreme sides of this issue. Some people think if you think an animal should be treated properly you're some PETA fundamentalist. :roll: Then we got those loudmouth vetertarians sons of [bleep]es. :roll:

 

<_<

 

I think that's a bit unfair.

 

I'm a vegetarian, and I'm certainly not a loudmouthed "censor" about it. Trust me, I'm equally just as annoyed with people who shove their vegetarianism in other people's faces. In the same way that I respect the opinions and beliefs of those who DO eat meat, I only hope to get equal respect for my opinions. People don't have to AGREE with them, but they should be acknowledged as a fair stance.

 

I'm all for animal rights... some people can argue that animals can't think for themselves, that they act only on instinct, which may very well be true... but I still value the fact that it's a life.

 

More on the topic at hand though... why would someone want to eat an animal while it was still alive? Even more, if you're going to go through the process of battering and deepfrying the bloody fish, at least kill it first!

[Ss_J9_Goten]

I think alot of it depends on the animals ability or inability to feel pain. Mammals certainly can feel pain, but fish? Insects?

 

According to this, fish do feel pain.

 

It's an editorial, but it links to actual studies.

 

I'm against blatant animal cruelty, but in reality there is nothing wrong with it. Animals don't think, they act based on instinct. They are essentially organic machines.

 

This study suggests that monkey's have a higher mental function than instinct alone. This Wikipedia page also suggests that certain species are capable of learning from external stimuli. I'm not sure if that could be extended to all, or even most animals, though. So, I think it's fair to say that some animals, at least, don't act on instinct alone.

[Perakp]

I'm against animal cruelty in general.

 

BUT

 

I wouldn't have had a summer job this year, had I respected animal rights more than the job opportunity. I worked at a biological research center, that had ongoing studies with different kinds of fish and voles. I had to build cages for them and help the research in general. I fed the animals, washed their cages, prepared cages for new animals, helped check the vole-traps etc etc. I have actively participated in animal testing.

I think it was a cool experience; a really interesting job with varying tasks.

[Guest Mrmegakirby]

I'm just curious to know why people think animals are lesser then humans. I personally feel that way, but I don't know why I do. But is un-nessecary torture really do much good?

 

And to people saying that animals eat animals alive, if they could have them cooked and prepared rhen handed to them on a silver platter, I'm willing to bet they would want it.

[VEGHATERMEATLOVER]

I got flamed on another forum for my opinions but here is how I stand.

 

Animals are lower then us, we should 'try' and give them some happiness but overall there is no need as we are the superior race. You can eat a fish alive, no matter how much pain it feels. A human has that choice and if it wants to make that choice it can make that choice.

Who says that most of these animals even have conciousness?

[Guest Mrmegakirby]

Some animals (Such as elephants) have been proven to.

[warri0r45]

Who cares if it has consciousness or not? Many animals can feel pain, so that should be enough not to abuse them needlessly. Anyone who abuses animals for no reason has something wrong with them.

[Dexek]

It's rather weird that they don't kill them, but what they choose to do is their choice. I really don't care what a person does as long as it doesn't effect myself, my loved ones, or is forced upon me. The fact that there are videos about it is the only problem I have. When we fillet fish, we do knock them over the head before cutting in, so this does seem a bit cruel. Although, as long as the fish is eaten I have no real problem with it. If you want fish to feel sorry for, think of all the "unwanted" fish that are caught in fishing lines, and drown in the net or suffocate on-board the ship. This isn't really a hot topic for animal rights. In my opinion, there are bigger fish to fry.

[Johannas]

From a Christian point of view, i believe God gave us stewardship over all animals as it says so in the Bible. People can interprete that how they want though.

 

I personally don't have a problem for medical benefit, i would be happy for an animal to become extinct if they found a cure for (ie, Cancer) because of animal testing. However i admit that many acts on animals are cruel, and i don't think it's neccessary to put animals through trauma just for silly cosmetic products. Also, i have a problem with the way some animals are killed for their meat - when this happens i think it should be no - nonsense, pain free killing; i say this because i have seen videos on youtube of pig's throats being cut and then just left to suffer whilst it dies. And also, i've seen documentaries of Japanese retaurants serving fish without them being dead.

 

As long as it can testing be thouroughly justified for evident human benefit then i don't have a problem.

[FunPhish]

Let me say as a country boy here, fish tend to move A LOT after death. There is nothing that leads me to believe that fish was actually still alive. When my brother and I fish for catfish, the way we kill them is driving a close hanger into their brain(rather than let them suffocate in the sun). Even when we literally impale their brain, they tend to still move all the time, they just have nerves. Now I'm not saying for sure that fish is dead, I'm not a expert on the matter, I just think there's a good chance it's not living and it's muscles are moving just off of nerves. Some fish I've caught have literally been gasping for oxygen the next day after catching them the night before.

[Dexek]

i say this because i have seen videos on youtube of pig's throats being cut and then just left to suffer whilst it dies.

 

That's actually so it can bleed out. Whenever a mammal is killed this should be preformed so the meat is still appropriately edible. If the throat isn't cut then the blood is still within the meat, causing it to become very solid. Another major artery could be used, but that would take longer and cause the animal more pain. The animal could of course be shot in the head before having its throat cut, but some people feel that it is even more cruel, based on the pain it causes, as the skull can cause the need for several shots, and get out of hand. Just thought I'd throw that out there.

[VEGHATERMEATLOVER]

Who cares if it has consciousness or not? Many animals can feel pain, so that should be enough not to abuse them needlessly. Anyone who abuses animals for no reason has something wrong with them.

Look at it this way: It can feel pain but is it just reacting because thats what it is 'supposed' to do?

 

Mrmegakirby, elephants have been proven self aware but concious i'm not sure? If you have a link to an article could you link it to me please 'cause i'm interested.

[Star_Fox]

i support animal cruelty. i don't really care about animals, i just want a good tasting steak in my plate. thank you.

 

What about eating live octopus while it't still crawling around? Better, worse, or same?

 

better for your health. i've eaten them before (although it tastes like crap) and i'm also planning to try dogs later in the future. it may seem wrong to you, but our culture has been doing it for a very long time.

[VEGHATERMEATLOVER]

What about eating live octopus while it't still crawling around? Better, worse, or same?

Worse, octo[kitty]s are very clever and probably will feel pain in comparison to a fish. (get the referance)

http://www.cracked.com/article_16951_6-most-sadistic-dishes-from-around-world.html

[Orpheus]

What about eating live octopus while it't still crawling around? Better, worse, or same?

Worse, octo[kitty]s are very clever and probably will feel pain in comparison to a fish. (get the referance)

http://www.cracked.com/article_16951_6-most-sadistic-dishes-from-around-world.html

 

Eh, it's octopi, not octopus's

 

Either way, it depends on the animal and situation.

[Seraphi]

OctoPI not octokitty, damnit.

 

Frankly, with the whole issue of farm raised animals and things, animals that have been bred with the sole purpose of providing materials and food for us, I consider them a resource as much as they are an animal.

 

Hurting animals which were never intended to provide us with anything is usually wrong, with some exceptions..

[VEGHATERMEATLOVER]

Srsly, this is [cabbage] that no-one cares about. I did it intentionly.

 

Ross, thats a fantastic way of saying it; they were born to be killed. its kind of simple really.

Animals are for food.

 

I really hate girls who become vegatarians for animal rights (genralisation) but basically they don't realise that what there doing is wasting food, the animal is still going to be killed just that they don't eat it.

[warri0r45]

Who cares if it has consciousness or not? Many animals can feel pain, so that should be enough not to abuse them needlessly. Anyone who abuses animals for no reason has something wrong with them.

Look at it this way: It can feel pain but is it just reacting because thats what it is 'supposed' to do?

 

Mrmegakirby, elephants have been proven self aware but concious i'm not sure? If you have a link to an article could you link it to me please 'cause i'm interested.

 

So? It's still being put through pain needlessly so how is that ok? It's still suffering, and if there's no good reason then you shouldn't do it.

[nerdboyxxx]

If it breathes, it has a right to live. So, I'm against it. I particuarly rage at Japan when they go whaling of Australian shores :evil: makes me angry. The Government are [kitty] about the matter...

 

Yeah, they deserve to not suffer, but we have the right to use what they provide and eat them; we are at th top of the food chain ;)

[krimi]

i support animal cruelty. i don't really care about animals, i just want a good tasting steak in my plate. thank you.

 

What about eating live octopus while it't still crawling around? Better, worse, or same?

 

better for your health. i've eaten them before (although it tastes like crap) and i'm also planning to try dogs later in the future. it may seem wrong to you, but our culture has been doing it for a very long time.

 

It doesn't seem wrong to me at all. In fact, I've always wondered how it tastes like. I remember I had cooked octopus once, and it was very chewy. Does raw octopus taste any different?

[warren211]

Although I do think this is completely messed up, i also realize that it's not like this is the first time animal cruelty has happened, and it will always happen. And I'm amazed that some people have the audacity to fight for animal rights more vigorously than certain human rights. We have a lot more in our world to worry about than a dying fish. There would be a lot more crusading against the Chinese, except the US is in extreme debt to them anyway and we can't afford to get on our bad side, lest we have an enemy that we owe money to in addition to having to fight against. When President Obama "postponed' a meeting with the Dalai Lama over peace and Tibetan human rights, because the government didn't want to upset China, the issue was in the news for about a day or two before people forgot it. This dying fish in China has more people that care about ITS well being than the wellbeing of the Tibetan people. How can humans criticize how people treat mere animals when we don't have the guts to stand up for fellow humans when THEIR safety is being intruded on?

[Gwasha]

That dish looked disgusting. I would throw up at the sight of it.

 

But on topic, animals are animals, but some things are just wrong, and way over line. This is way over the line. Kicking a new born cat or puppy is way over the line. Raising a cow to eat it is fine with me, beef is GOOD.

[Impersonator]

I don't support uncessary cruelty, but I don't support avoiding harvesting (while avoiding overexploitation) of renewable natural resources.

 

I do believe that species should be protected- but for their role in the ecosystem, and not for how cute they look.

 

There's too many seals- if we can club a few to make the environment better, I certainly don't mind.

[Riku3220]

I don't get it. An animal on the same level of the food chain as us would eat any of us or anything lower without a second thought but we as humans, are feeling compassion and sorrow over a fish? If that fish wasn't going to be eaten alive by us it would've been eaten alive by something else. Why is it wrong when humans do it but natural when another animal does it?

[scootlaboot]

I don't get it. An animal on the same level of the food chain as us would eat any of us or anything lower without a second thought but we as humans, are feeling compassion and sorrow over a fish? If that fish wasn't going to be eaten alive by us it would've been eaten alive by something else. Why is it wrong when humans do it but natural when another animal does it?

Because some nut jobs out there get worked up over nothing.

 

Also, animals have only one right, and that is the right to be tasty.