Animals and Ethics
Animals deserve the same rights as humans. This has been a common belief for years. Animals have emotions and thoughts just like humans. This means that they deserve the same respect. There are groups, such as PETA, that advocate for the cause. But then, there are some people think that animals are just that, animals and do not need to be treated as humans. They do not need the same rights as humans, but should still be treated in a humane manner. So where is the difference between humane treatment and treating animals as humans? That is the line that determines a code of conduct for those in the natural resource field.
When dealing with animals on a ranch, it is important to keep them in good heal. Healthy animals are more productive and turn a better profit. Tracking sheep for NDOW it is important that the animals are looked after so they are not tagging ones which will die shortly after. This makes it appear that looking out for animal's health is only for the producer's best interest. But that is not the case. The reason that NDOW tracks sheep, bears, etc. is to help prevent species from becoming endangered as well as protecting them from certain human actions. When conducting the ritual of capturing and tagging it is important to care for the animals as living beings. I do not necessarily believe that they should be treated as humans. But is important to be humane. Ranchers should not use blunt force when moving animals and use shockers only when necessary. If the animal is being branded or dehorned the scabs should be treated and it should be conducted in the least painful manner. If animals were given the same rights as humans, there would be no ranches or zoos. It would also be hard to prevent predators from outnumbering other species.
Animals deserve to be treated as humanly as possible. Those in the natural resource field understand this. This is one of the reasons that technology is advancing in the area. Technology is improved to help animals receive the least amount of pain possible. There are brands now that just freeze the cow's hair without the animal feeling anything. Stun guns make it possible to put an animal to sleep while they are being treated. Taking care of animal health and well being is all part of the job. The goal is to protect wildlife and habitats. Having a set of ethics to be guided by is only a means of helping with this cause.
Work Cited:
"Nevada Department of Wildlife." Nevada Department of Wildlife. 2015. Web. 11 Apr. 2016.
Cassandra,
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed reading your post. I agree that animals deserve to be treated as humanly as possible. I agree that technology has and is improving to helping animals receive the least of amount of pain as possible. I really like how you want to protect wildlife and habitats.
Cassandra:
ReplyDeleteThough it is important to treat animals as humanely as possible, it is important that people understand that there is limit to how far this can be taken. With livestock when branding or processing it would be far too expensive and time consuming to sedate every animal so that they feel the bare minimum of pain. Great post! And you definitely have a deep understanding of the subject.