by Robin Loving

Created on: January 22, 2008   Last Updated: September 29, 2009

I am of the belief that we humans as a whole, have handed the animals of our planet more *wrongs*, than "Rights".

After grappling with this question of "Do animals have rights?"-I have to wonder what this really means, because surely Sarah Palin, or Ingrid Newkirk would give you an entirely different interpretation of "Animal Rights" than I would. Or does this question even ask us about the 'human' interpretation of "Animal Rights". Perhaps it simply asks if animals enjoy their own set of 'natural Rights' comprised of heirarchy and 'survival of the fittest'. Does this question have a division line between 'domesticated' animals, or does this imply anything that is not human? Whichever way I look at this question...I still come up with the same answer. No.

If we were to take this question around the world, or even from one culture to the next, within our own country...I don't believe the word "rights" would make a lot of sense to many folks. For instance: Does your dog have more "rights" than my dog? My dog has the right to get on the bed-only during thunderstorms and on those holidays that require loud fireworks to make it a spiffy holiday. Well...she also has a right to get on the bed in the morning, but only AFTER I tell her it's o.k. and she's through licking my face. She also has a ''right' to complain about these strict rules, but whether or not I listen is another story.

Every corner of the world has a different view of how animals should, and actually 'are' treated. Most animals within our scope of discovery have been stripped of their natural rights-period-and with that being said, I could end my article on that flat note. Rather than doing that, I would like to bend the rules a little and discuss whether or not I believe animals have been given adequate "protection laws". For the most part...Ibelieve this is about as close as we can come as a species ourselves, to ensuring the 'rights" of animals. And although there are many people fighting tirelessly to try and preserve and protect what is left of the natural habitats of many animal species... we still fall quite short of what it would be like if animals had zero interaction with humans.

If we were to discuss the 'legal' rights of animals-legally speaking...many *domestic* animals are considered owned-property, and owned-property is at the mercy of the owner (zero rights). Unless there is an outrageous act of brutality-worthy of extensive media coverage (Michael Vick)...there are many cases of abuse

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