The following Links will provide you lot of interesting information about Animals. Please go through the literature.
1. Statistics of Cruel Fur Industry
2.Endagered Species
3.Facinating Facts about Animals
4.Complete Animal Port
5.Oxford University Learning portal on Animals
After reading the above, if you feel the necessity of protecting Animals, Please sign the following Petition.
Save the Endangered Animals
Thanks For Reading,
Bharadwaj
Showing posts with label Animal rights. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Animal rights. Show all posts
Friday, November 20, 2009
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
Animals and World Religions
I was going through a very interesting website and found some great text. The summary is given below. It clearly says that with few exceptions no religion is favoring the animal slaughter.
Religion, whether organized or not, is an intimate part of human culture. All of the world's major religions have explicit or implicit principles concerning the proper character of the human-animal relationship. Most of the world's religions recognize the importance of animals and the animal-human interaction. However, few major religions hold ceremonies to mark the birth or death of animals that are the equivalent of ceremonies marking the birth or death of humans. This seems to indicate that many world religions relegate animal life to a secondary status when compared to human life. Nonetheless, ethics and morality concerning the use of animals is an important issue that most world religions consider to be within their domain. Sometimes, the religion's standpoint on issues relating to animals is clearly stated in holy writings. In other instances, an interpretation of a written passage is made by a person or official body within the religion.With few exceptions, the general attitude of most of the world's religions toward the relation of humans and animals can be characterized by five general principles. 1) Human life is more valuable than animal life because humans have a "soul" (or something equivalent to a soul). (2) Humans have a God-given authority over other animals. This is usually expressed as "dominion" or "stewardship." (3) The right of humans to consume animals for nutrition and to use the labor of animals is recognized by several, but not all world religions. (4) Cruelty to animals—pointless acts that will cause an animal to experience pain or suffering—is prohibited by most religions because it displays attributes that are undesirable in civilized societies. Even religions that previously or currently practice animal sacrifice often specify that the animal be killed in as painless a manner as possible. (5) Most religions urge kindness toward animals.
Christianity.
For many Christians, an indicator of the desired relationship of humans to animals is found in Matthew 10:29-31 in the Christian New Testament. The verses suggest that, although the life of a sparrow is of much less value than a human life, "not a sparrow dies without God taking notice." For Christians, humans may have a soul but God still considers the life of a sparrow important enough to take notice of its passing.
Judaism.
The God-given authority of humans over animals is recognized by Judaism, but not without restrictions. The prohibition of cruelty is so strong in Jewish law that the slaughter of animals for human consumption is carefully scrutinized by a specialist in the field. If there is any indication that the animal suffered unnecessarily, it is considered unclean (unfit for human consumption). There are exceptions to this rule for medical research. The Polish rabbi Moses ben Israel Isserles (1525-1572) taught that anything necessary for medical or other useful purposes is excluded from the prohibition of cruelty to animals.
Islam.
The right of humans to consume animals for nutrition and to use their labor is recognized by most Muslims. The Qur'an is neutral on the subject of the consumption of meat. However, moderation in all things, including eating, is encouraged (Qur'an 7:31; 5:87). If animals are slaughtered for food, the slaughter must be done in strict accordance with Islamic law and in such a way as to cause as little pain as possible. Most Islamic scholars hold that the Qur'an prohibits animal cruelty, which is defined as causing unavoidable pain and suffering. This last prohibition is generally applied to sport hunting as well.
Hinduism.
The Hindu religions also denounce cruelty to animals. TheBhagavad Gita (verse 5:18) proclaims that a self-realized soul is able to understand the equality of all beings. To a Hindu, animal souls are the same as human souls, progressing to higher means of conscious expression in each life. Hinduism teaches that every soul takes on a life for a specific purpose and that to kill an animal stops the progression of the soul and may cause great suffering. For this reason, most devout or orthodox Hindus do not consume meat or use meat products in any form.
Many Westerners have difficulty understanding why a country as poor as India allows cows to wander the streets, break into gardens, and pilfer food from market stalls. To a devout Hindu, the cow is sacred. The Mahabharata, an epic poem of ancient India, teaches that spiritual sacrifice must be accompanied by milk curds and ghee (clarified butter). Ghee and the cow that produces ghee becomes the very root of spiritual sacrifice. Hindus hold cows sacred because cows are the symbol of everything that is alive. In the same way that Roman Catholics and many other Christians revere Mary as the Mother of God, Hindus revere the cow as the mother of life. To a Hindu, there is no greater sacrilege than harming a cow. Even the taking of a human life lacks the symbolic defilement attached to cow slaughter.
Buddhism.
Like Hinduism, Buddhism also teaches reincarnation, the belief that sentient beings are subject to rebirth as other sentient beings and that consciousness cannot be killed. The interconnectedness of all living organisms is an important precept of the faith. The first of the Five Precepts, the foundation of Buddhist ethical conduct, is not to harm sentient beings.
The relationship between humans and animals is evident in the literature, folklore, and practices of cultures around the world and through the centuries. Yet ambiguity and inconsistency often characterize this relationship. We love our pets and we depend on our domestic animals for food and valuable products, yet we sometimes mistreat our pets and we have almost completely separated ourselves from domestic animals.
Religion, whether organized or not, is an intimate part of human culture. All of the world's major religions have explicit or implicit principles concerning the proper character of the human-animal relationship. Most of the world's religions recognize the importance of animals and the animal-human interaction. However, few major religions hold ceremonies to mark the birth or death of animals that are the equivalent of ceremonies marking the birth or death of humans. This seems to indicate that many world religions relegate animal life to a secondary status when compared to human life. Nonetheless, ethics and morality concerning the use of animals is an important issue that most world religions consider to be within their domain. Sometimes, the religion's standpoint on issues relating to animals is clearly stated in holy writings. In other instances, an interpretation of a written passage is made by a person or official body within the religion.With few exceptions, the general attitude of most of the world's religions toward the relation of humans and animals can be characterized by five general principles. 1) Human life is more valuable than animal life because humans have a "soul" (or something equivalent to a soul). (2) Humans have a God-given authority over other animals. This is usually expressed as "dominion" or "stewardship." (3) The right of humans to consume animals for nutrition and to use the labor of animals is recognized by several, but not all world religions. (4) Cruelty to animals—pointless acts that will cause an animal to experience pain or suffering—is prohibited by most religions because it displays attributes that are undesirable in civilized societies. Even religions that previously or currently practice animal sacrifice often specify that the animal be killed in as painless a manner as possible. (5) Most religions urge kindness toward animals.
Christianity.
For many Christians, an indicator of the desired relationship of humans to animals is found in Matthew 10:29-31 in the Christian New Testament. The verses suggest that, although the life of a sparrow is of much less value than a human life, "not a sparrow dies without God taking notice." For Christians, humans may have a soul but God still considers the life of a sparrow important enough to take notice of its passing.
Judaism.
The God-given authority of humans over animals is recognized by Judaism, but not without restrictions. The prohibition of cruelty is so strong in Jewish law that the slaughter of animals for human consumption is carefully scrutinized by a specialist in the field. If there is any indication that the animal suffered unnecessarily, it is considered unclean (unfit for human consumption). There are exceptions to this rule for medical research. The Polish rabbi Moses ben Israel Isserles (1525-1572) taught that anything necessary for medical or other useful purposes is excluded from the prohibition of cruelty to animals.
Islam.
The right of humans to consume animals for nutrition and to use their labor is recognized by most Muslims. The Qur'an is neutral on the subject of the consumption of meat. However, moderation in all things, including eating, is encouraged (Qur'an 7:31; 5:87). If animals are slaughtered for food, the slaughter must be done in strict accordance with Islamic law and in such a way as to cause as little pain as possible. Most Islamic scholars hold that the Qur'an prohibits animal cruelty, which is defined as causing unavoidable pain and suffering. This last prohibition is generally applied to sport hunting as well.
Hinduism.
The Hindu religions also denounce cruelty to animals. TheBhagavad Gita (verse 5:18) proclaims that a self-realized soul is able to understand the equality of all beings. To a Hindu, animal souls are the same as human souls, progressing to higher means of conscious expression in each life. Hinduism teaches that every soul takes on a life for a specific purpose and that to kill an animal stops the progression of the soul and may cause great suffering. For this reason, most devout or orthodox Hindus do not consume meat or use meat products in any form.
Many Westerners have difficulty understanding why a country as poor as India allows cows to wander the streets, break into gardens, and pilfer food from market stalls. To a devout Hindu, the cow is sacred. The Mahabharata, an epic poem of ancient India, teaches that spiritual sacrifice must be accompanied by milk curds and ghee (clarified butter). Ghee and the cow that produces ghee becomes the very root of spiritual sacrifice. Hindus hold cows sacred because cows are the symbol of everything that is alive. In the same way that Roman Catholics and many other Christians revere Mary as the Mother of God, Hindus revere the cow as the mother of life. To a Hindu, there is no greater sacrilege than harming a cow. Even the taking of a human life lacks the symbolic defilement attached to cow slaughter.
Buddhism.
Like Hinduism, Buddhism also teaches reincarnation, the belief that sentient beings are subject to rebirth as other sentient beings and that consciousness cannot be killed. The interconnectedness of all living organisms is an important precept of the faith. The first of the Five Precepts, the foundation of Buddhist ethical conduct, is not to harm sentient beings.
The relationship between humans and animals is evident in the literature, folklore, and practices of cultures around the world and through the centuries. Yet ambiguity and inconsistency often characterize this relationship. We love our pets and we depend on our domestic animals for food and valuable products, yet we sometimes mistreat our pets and we have almost completely separated ourselves from domestic animals.
Sunday, November 15, 2009
Animal Laws of various countries
10 Useful Links on Animal Laws and Animal Welfare, World Wide
- www.envfor.nic.in/legis/awbi/awbi01.pdf - Indian Government
- www.opsi.gov.uk/ACTS/acts2006/pdf/ukpga_20060045_en.pdf - Uk Government
- http://www.animallaw.info/statutes/stusawa.htm - USA
- www.animallaw.info/nonus/statutes/stchapa1978.htm - Switzerland
- http://www.dfat.gov.au/facts/animal_welfare.html - Australia
- http://www.biosecurity.govt.nz/legislation/animal-welfare-act/index.htm - New Zealand
- www.animallaw.info/nonus/statutes/stseawa1998.htm - sweden
- http://www.animallaw.info/nonus/articles/arfrintro.htm - France
- http://www.animallaw.info/nonus/articles/ovbrazil.htm - Bazil
- http://www.animallaw.info/nonus/policy/pononsa.htm - South Africa
Some of the above material is downloadable in PDF format. For any further info please write to me. I will try to supply information with in 72 hours.
Saturday, November 14, 2009
10 things to know About Animal Rights (Dec 10th is the International Animal Rights Day)
1.The fundamental principle of the Animal Rights movement is that nonhuman animals deserve to live according to their own natures, free from harm, abuse, and exploitation.
2. It says animals have the RIGHT to be free from human cruelty and exploitation, just as humans possess this right. The withholding of this right from the nonhuman animals based on their species membership is referred to as "speciesism".
3. Animal rights activists try to extend the human circle of respect and compassion beyond our species to include other animals, who are also capable of feeling pain, fear, hunger, thirst, loneliness, and kinship.
4. Most leather goods are made from the byproducts of the slaughterhouse, and some is purpose-made, i.e., the animal is grown and slaughtered purely for its skin. So, by buying leather products, you will be contributing to the profits of these establishments and augmenting the economic demand for slaughter.
5. Leaving aside the raw fact that the animals must sacrifice their lives for human vanity, we are left with many objections to fur ranching. A common misconception about fur "ranches" is that the animals do not suffer. This is entirely untrue. These animals suffer a life of misery and frustration, deprived of their most basic needs. They are kept in wire-mesh cages that are tiny, overcrowded, and filthy. Here they are malnourished, suffer contagious diseases, and endure severe stress.
6. The methods used on these farms reflect not the interests and welfare of the animals but the furriers' primary interest--profit. The end of the suffering of these animals comes only with death, which, in order to preserve the quality of the fur, is inflicted with extreme cruelty and brutality.
7. Without human interference, sheep would grow just enough wool to protect them from the weather, but scientific breeding techniques have ensured that these animals have become wool-producing monstrosities. Their unnatural overload of wool (often half their body weight) brings added misery during summer months when they often die from heat exhaustion. Also, one million sheep die in Australia alone each year from exposure to cold after shearing.Every year, in Australia alone, about ten million lambs die before they are more than a few days old. This is due largely to unmanageable numbers of sheep and inadequate stockpersons. Of UK wool, 27 percent is "skin wool", pulled from the skins of slaughtered sheep and lambs.
8. Over 100 million animals are used in experiments worldwide every year.
9. A group of 64 monkeys was addicted to drugs by automatic injection in their jugular veins. When the supply of drugs was abruptly withdrawn, some of the monkeys were observed to die in convulsions. Before dying, some monkeys plucked out all their hair or bit off their own fingers and toes.
10. It is not difficult to see that humans are humans and animals are animals.What is difficult to see is how this amounts to anything more than an empty tautology! If there are relevant differences that justify differences in treatment, then let's hear them. AR opponents have consistently failed to support the differences in treatment of humans versus animals with relevant differences in capacities. Yes, an animal is an animal, but it can still suffer terribly from our brutality and lack of compassion.
Please stop committing crime against Animals. Love animals and get loved by them. Please stop imbalancing the nature.
2. It says animals have the RIGHT to be free from human cruelty and exploitation, just as humans possess this right. The withholding of this right from the nonhuman animals based on their species membership is referred to as "speciesism".
3. Animal rights activists try to extend the human circle of respect and compassion beyond our species to include other animals, who are also capable of feeling pain, fear, hunger, thirst, loneliness, and kinship.
4. Most leather goods are made from the byproducts of the slaughterhouse, and some is purpose-made, i.e., the animal is grown and slaughtered purely for its skin. So, by buying leather products, you will be contributing to the profits of these establishments and augmenting the economic demand for slaughter.
5. Leaving aside the raw fact that the animals must sacrifice their lives for human vanity, we are left with many objections to fur ranching. A common misconception about fur "ranches" is that the animals do not suffer. This is entirely untrue. These animals suffer a life of misery and frustration, deprived of their most basic needs. They are kept in wire-mesh cages that are tiny, overcrowded, and filthy. Here they are malnourished, suffer contagious diseases, and endure severe stress.
6. The methods used on these farms reflect not the interests and welfare of the animals but the furriers' primary interest--profit. The end of the suffering of these animals comes only with death, which, in order to preserve the quality of the fur, is inflicted with extreme cruelty and brutality.
7. Without human interference, sheep would grow just enough wool to protect them from the weather, but scientific breeding techniques have ensured that these animals have become wool-producing monstrosities. Their unnatural overload of wool (often half their body weight) brings added misery during summer months when they often die from heat exhaustion. Also, one million sheep die in Australia alone each year from exposure to cold after shearing.Every year, in Australia alone, about ten million lambs die before they are more than a few days old. This is due largely to unmanageable numbers of sheep and inadequate stockpersons. Of UK wool, 27 percent is "skin wool", pulled from the skins of slaughtered sheep and lambs.
8. Over 100 million animals are used in experiments worldwide every year.
9. A group of 64 monkeys was addicted to drugs by automatic injection in their jugular veins. When the supply of drugs was abruptly withdrawn, some of the monkeys were observed to die in convulsions. Before dying, some monkeys plucked out all their hair or bit off their own fingers and toes.
10. It is not difficult to see that humans are humans and animals are animals.What is difficult to see is how this amounts to anything more than an empty tautology! If there are relevant differences that justify differences in treatment, then let's hear them. AR opponents have consistently failed to support the differences in treatment of humans versus animals with relevant differences in capacities. Yes, an animal is an animal, but it can still suffer terribly from our brutality and lack of compassion.
Please stop committing crime against Animals. Love animals and get loved by them. Please stop imbalancing the nature.
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