What rights should non-human animals have?
All animals have the right to a life free of human exploitation and abuse in a natural state of their choosing—a life in a healthy ecosystem in which they are able to freely reproduce, care for young, forage, build homes, migrate, or whatever it is they choose.
Is it wrong to eat meat?
No, animals eating other animals is natural, which includes humans. However, the current system of meat, egg, and dairy production is unsustainable, inefficient, and completely unnecessary for the majority of the human population.
What is wrong with domestication?
It is evident that humans and non-humans can and do form deep, meaningful relationships, but domestication keeps these animals from being able to realize their full potentials. While we cannot abandon and neglect domesticated animals, we must phase out domestication by discontinuing the breeding of all non-human animals.
Does the Bible state that God granted mankind dominion over the animals of the Earth?
The Bible does contain a passage in which God grants mankind dominion over the non-human animals of the Earth, but "dominion" is a rather vague term, which has been interpreted to mean different things from ownership to stewardship. In fact, many Christians, modern and historic, equate dominion to stewardship, viewing all life as sacred and worthy of respect. Some Christians, as a result, have adopted vegetarian or vegan lifestyles.
But, if you interpret the Bible to mean that God has granted humans complete and total ownership of non-human animals, you should consider the following. The Bible also states, in no uncertain terms, that women who are raped and do not fight back, children who are disobedient, women who are not virgins on their wedding night, those who break the Sabbath, those who touch Mount Sinai, and those who curse God's name may be stoned to death—does that make stoning a permissible practice?
Because eating, hunting, killing, and owning animals are legal, does that make them right?
Just because something is legal does not mean it is moral and vice versa.
Does hunting control wildlife populations that would otherwise starve or die from disease?
While starvation and disease are unfortunate parts of life, they are natural forms of population control that have existed as long as life itself. For millions of years before humans, wildlife populations lived perfectly fine without "management" by humans. Do they really need to be managed?
Is it traditional for humans to use animals?
While it is true that for thousands of years humans have used non-human animals for food, clothing, and other purposes, it is entirely unnecessary in modern times in which we have to capability to live full and healthy lives without exploiting or killing non-human animals for any purpose.
Can fish feel pain?
Simply, yes. Fish, like other animals such as mammals or birds, have a central nervous system and have the ability to feel pain.
What does veg*n mean?
Veg*n refers to either vegan or vegetarian.
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