A Primer on Animals
Advocates for animals divide themselves into two camps: animal rights and animal welfare. Wikipedia defines animal welfare as “the belief that non-human animals are sentient and that consideration should be given to their well-being, especially when they are used for food, in animal testing, as pets, or in other ways.” The first part we can all agree on. Animals are capable of feeling –- both physically and emotionally -- and should be treated with compassion and respect. But after that is where the viewpoints diverge. Animal rights advocates believe that animals should not be used by humans in any way.
Background Posts on Animals
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What are our reasons for accepting and perpetuating horrible exploitation and cruelty toward one set of animals while we would never tolerate such treatment of another set of animals? Is there any significant difference between the animals that people consider family and the animals people consider food—any difference that could justify humans' contradictory behaviors?
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Watching and reading about all the horrors inflicted on innocent animals day after day can become overwhelming. You can't save every animal, but you can make a difference, one decision and action at a time. And here are the best ways to start.
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Sometimes you have to see to believe. In this post you'll find some of the most compelling, intelligent, and moving animal rights videos currently available.
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Listed here are statistics in the following categories: Animals Used as Food, Animal Agriculture and Environment, Animal Testing, Companion Animals, Animals in Human Entertainment, Fur, Wildlife, and Activism.
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What does "sentience" mean? What is a "hunt sab"? And what is the practice of "debeaking"? See the evolving glossary for definitions and descriptions of terms, ideas, and practices that come up often in animal rights discussions.
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The arenas and ways in which animals are exploited and killed by humans are many and varied. An overview of some of the greatest areas of concern is featured here.
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The list of important, thought-provoking animal rights texts is long and ever-growing. Here are some suggested readings from that list, ranging from gentle, wide-ranging introductions to animal rights philosophy to in-depth treatments of specific issues.
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The role and efficacy of animal welfare reforms in the fight for animal rights and liberation is a contentious issue, and the debate is briefly introduced here.
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Hundreds of organizations—from small, local grassroots groups to well-known national and international operations—advocate for nonhuman animals. Featured here is an evolving list of organizations that play important roles in animal advocacy.
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The Green Scare is alive and well and giving rise to such travesties as the Animal Enterprise Terrorism Act. It behooves animal rights advocates to be aware of the climate in which we are living and working, and one excellent resource for staying informed (and righteously angry) is GreenIsTheNewRed.com, linked to heavily in this post.
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There's no shortage of stereotypes about what who vegans are—what they look like, where they live, what they do. And although some vegans may fit the stereotypes, many more do not. Take a look at this list of vegan musicians, actors, athletes, scholars, and other prominent figures, followed by a list of well-known vegetarians as well. Some of them may surprise you.
13 of the Best Animal Welfare Resources on the Web
Welcome to the New Change.org and the Animal Rights Blog
Your Dog versus Your Dinner
To Breed or Not To Breed...
Top 10 Ways to Make a Difference for Animals
Simple Ways to Make a Difference Where the Wild Things Are
10 Recommended Animal Rights Videos
Simple Ways to Make a Difference on the Farm
Simple Ways to Make a Difference for Companion Animals
Animal Rights Is a Mainstream Movement
Animal Use and Abuse Statistics: The Shocking Numbers
Glossary of Selected Animal Rights-Related Terms
Major Animal Rights Issues and Controversies
10 Recommended Animal Rights Readings
The Debated Role of Welfare Reforms in AR Advocacy
Major Players in Animal Rights: Organizations
The AETA and the Green Scare: Making McCarthy Proud
Humane Holiday Gift Ideas
From the Glossary: Dairy and the "Rape Rack"
No Such Thing as Humane Cage-Free Eggs (Still)
Pregnancy at Slaughter: What Happens to the Calves? Part 1
Where Dairy Is Cruel and Where Calves and Slaughter Aren't Ignored, Take 2
Happy First Blogiversary to Us and a Thank You to You
Not It and That and What -- She and He and Who and Whom
Animals Editor
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Cameron Scott
- San Francisco, CA
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Cameron Scott is a Change.org Editor.
Most recently, he was Green Communities Manager at SFGate (San Francisco Chronicle), where he continues to write The Thin Green Line blog. He's also worked at Mother Jones.
Writers
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Stephanie Feldstein
- Ypsilanti, MI
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Stephanie Feldstein works for a non-profit environmental organization and runs an in-home training and behavior consultation business, specializing in behavior issues common to rescued dogs. She also volunteers for Pit Bull Rescue Central and several other animal welfare groups. In her spare time, Stephanie writes novels that explore the human-animal bond.
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Annie Hartnett
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Annie Hartnett is an English Literature grad student who loves animals, books, and books about animals. Annie has worked for several wildlife rehabilitation centers and environmental programs, and currently volunteers with a hippotherapy program. Annie spends her free time writing her first novel and continuing her eternal quest for the perfect pair of vegan shoes.
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Martin Matheny
- Athens, GA
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Martin Matheny is a political consultant and writer based in Athens, GA, where he shares his home with Bartlet, a black pug adopted from a local shelter. When he's not writing or helping to get progressive and animal-friendly candidates elected to office, he likes to wander around the North Georgia mountains or downtown Athens.
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Brandon Bosworth
- Honolulu, HI
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Honolulu-based writer Brandon Bosworth grew up in Aiea, HI, the largest town in the U.S. with an all-vowel name. A longtime animal lover (and rabid cat person), since giving up meat he has become increasingly concerned with issues relating to animal rights and welfare. When not writing, Brandon enjoys reading, watching movies, or engaging in various physical pursuits.
