preview

Modern Anti Cruelty Laws For The United States

Good Essays

The rights of animals have been battled over for generations. Humans began t o domesticate animals such as dogs, goats, chickens, sheep, and beasts of burden between 10,000 and 18,000 years ago. Many people originally believed that because animals had no souls they also felt no pain; however, this belief changed as the study of animals increased. The first animal-protection law in western civilization was adopted in 1641; making it illegal to “exercise any Tirranny or Crueltie towards any bruite Creature which are usuallie kept for man’s use.” (7) In 1789, the English philosopher, Jeremy Bentham, was the first to state that animals have rights. This concept was different from the belief that animals felt pain, in his claims animals deserved basic human rights. This new theory shook the foundation of many peoples belief in what animal rights truly is. In 1821, Maine became the first state to adopt modern anti-cruelty laws for the U.S.; every other state eventually passed similar legislation. It still wasn’t until the 21st century that lawsuits in the interest of animals became common. The animal rights movement has become most active in the United States, Canada, Western Europe, Australia, and New Zealand. Animal rights organizations have been using court systems to protect animals from being used in harmful activities, such as the agricultural industry and as being research subjects, in the belief that they have the same basic rights as all humans. Animals have been used

Get Access