Animal Welfare vs. Animal Rights
Animal welfare advocates argue for stronger laws preventing cruelty and requiring humane treatment. The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals is committed to this basic approach. By contrast, animal rights advocates oppose any and all human “use” of animals. They invoke the Kantian idea that human beings should be treated as ends, not means- but they extend the idea to animals, so as to challenge a wide range of current practices. These include the use of animals in rodeos, circuses, zoos, agriculture, hunting, and scientific experimentation. People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals and the Humane Society of the United States are committed to this basic approach.” Animal Rights: Current Debates and New Directions (Cass R. Sunstein & Martha C. Nussbaum, eds., 2004).