Animal Rights Essay, Research Paper

At the University of Oregon, Barbara Gorden-Lickey, Ph. D., sewed kittens’ eyes shut and forced them to jump from a height onto a platform surrounded by water so she could study the effects of sight deprivation on the brain. Cruel and inhumane experiments like this one is an excellent reason why people should recognize the importance of animal right activist groups such as PETA (People of the Ethical Treatment of Animals). Founded in 1980 by Ingrid E. Newkirk and Alex Pacheco, PETA is the largest group in the world with 600,000 plus members. PETA’s effort to delete animal abuse in factory farms, laboratories, fur trade, and entertainment through education, investigations, research, animal rescues, legislation, social events, celebrity involvement, and direct action is because of the alarming amount of animals (seventy million) in which are experimented on by private institutions, house hold product companies, cosmetic companies, government agencies, education institutions, and scientific centers. PETA’s intense thoughts towards stopping animal abuse were stated in one protestor’s sign, " Imagine having your body left to science while you’re still in it." A lack of recognition and support for such groups causes innocent animals, with feelings as strong as humans, unnecessary pain and psychological stress. Similar to the process that an airport’s customs goes through to protect innocent country folk from terrorism, drug trafficking, and infectious products, groups such as PETA are trying to protect the innocent animals who are merely trying to survive in a hectic and sometimes cruel world that human’s seem to believe they run. Without help from these organized groups (custom or animal rights groups) the outcome of the acts performed by any individual could weigh heavenly on everyone. Supporting PETA and other animal rights

organizations to help stop cruelty to animals in laboratories fur trade, and entertainment will improve the quality of life for, and saves the lives of, thousands of innocent animals.

Seventy million animals are maimed, blinded, scalded, force-fed chemicals, genetically manipulated, and other wise hurt and killed in the name of science. The majority of these cruel acts take place in research laboratories around the world, but with the help of PETA’s efforts many experiments done in labs have been stopped. In one case, PETA’s undercover investigation of Boys Town National Research Hospital’s experiments, in which kittens’ heads were cut into and cats were starved in order to study deafness, spurred the National Institutes of Health to issue a report condemning Boys Town’s animal care and use program. The USDA found that Boys Town failed to comply with the Animal Welfare Act. PETA also discovered that only twenty-three out of fifty-four dogs slated for cancer experiments at the City of Hope, a federally funded laboratory, survived long enough for the actual experiment to begin. The rest died of infections, poisoning, anesthesia overdose, and other causes linked to gross negligence, inadequate veterinary care, and improper housing. Such abuse acts on animals are inhumane and absolutely unnecessary. With PETA’s protection, animals can live freely without being subjected to researchers invasive and hostile terrorists like acts.

Laboratory experiments are not the only place where unethical treatment of animals takes place. In the business of fur trading many animals are tormented and killed ruthlessly. In one of PETA’s precedent-setting cases, a California furrier was charged with cruelty after a PETA investigator filmed him electrocuting chinchillas by clipping wires to the animals’ genitals. The American Veterinary Medical Association denounced the killing method saying, " it causes animals to experience a heart attack while fully conscious." In another undercover expose, PETA videotaped a fur rancher injecting minks with weed killer causing them to have violent seizures and finally dying in agony. Both farms were forced to end the cruel killing methods.

The forcing of animal to give up their fur for the pleasure of wear resembles drug pushers who strip young children’s innocent minds of the morals and right and wrongs that they were taught or given by their parents. These drug dealers like furriers forcefully take what does not belong to them (innocent minds or fur) to fulfill their desires. With the help of customs, who help keep drugs form entering the country and PETA who help stop fur traders cruel killing methods, people and animals have one less of the multitude of problems to deal with.

Although the problem of animal abuse seems to be only involved in situations where some sort of pain or death will inevitably be inflicted, such as laboratories or fur farms, animal abuse often times occurs in home and in training schools. In such cases, PETA has investigated and ha produced great success in helping stop the abuse. For instance, PETA distributed an undercover video showing Las Vegas entertainer Bobby Berosini beating orangutans with a metal rod. The U.S. Department of the Interior revoked Berosini’s captive-bred wildlife permit, making it illegal for Berosini to buy or sell orangutans. In another case, PETA’s undercover investigation of a Florida exotic animal training school revealed big cats being beaten with ax handles, spurring the USDA to develop new regulations governing animal training methods. Thanks to PETA’s accomplishments of having animal training methods regulated, pet owner’s can be sure that their beloved animals receive the respect, kindness, and caring they deserve.

Organizations, such as PETA, need all the support they can get. If people would recognize the horrible and indecent act performed on our fellow earthlings maybe they would begin to realize the importance of supporting animal rights groups. Many groups are non-profit organizations, and would appreciate any information, contributions, or other forms of support. For example, supporting products that do not test on animals, not wearing/using animal made products, or providing animals with the respect they deserve can help reduce the amount of animals unfairly treated. PETA has brought a lot of positive changes to the way animals are

treated. These positive changes have allowed the animals a chance to live a less stressful and mistreated life. A type