Letter: The need to fight for animal rights
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Sir: The argument goes that animals can't have "rights" because rights demand duties and responsibilities (Roger Scruton: "Herbie taught me, then I ate him", 3 July). Who says non-human animals don't have duties and responsibilities? See a flock of birds taking turns to fly at the apex on migration; see how most species nurture and care for their young: and the duties and responsibilities taken in many colonies of animals such as bees, elephants and primates.
The fact that non-human animals are not tuned into voting, driving cars or writing symphonies is bogus (after all, most humans the world over don't do those things either) and is only used as an excuse to deny other species "rights".
If we really want to discuss this on a philosophical level and use the semantics of "rights" as equating to "duty" and "responsibility" then I suggest non-human animals deserve more rights than we do. After all non-human animals bear the heaviest burdens of all to keep us humans satisfied. We deny other species rights not from any high indeed intellectual stance but because we are bullies and can get away with it by making elaborate excuses to ignore the obvious. When sympathetic humans see non-human animals showing pain, suffering, joy or contentment we call them anthropomorphic. When non-human animals show caring, altruism or reason we call this base "instinct".
We have to fight for the conveniently ignored but innate rights of the non-human animal not to be used and abused by the human species.
SARA STARKEY
Tonbridge, Kent
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments