June 13: Are Animals People?

Are Animals People?

                                                                                        Happy The Elephant

Today, we had a lively discussion if animals should be considered people and should be given the same rights as humans. We talked about Happy the elephant: a legal and ethical debate over whether Happy, an elephant at the Bronx Zoo, should be granted personhood rights and released to a sanctuary. We first talked about what classifies someone as a person and then proceeded to debate if this elephant should be treated with the same rights as a person. 

Reflection Questions:

1. If you do not meet all the criteria for personhood, does that mean you are not a person?

If you don't meet all the criteria for personhood, it you may not be recognized as a person under certain laws (like being an elephant is a animal and the word 'person' usually associates with being human). However,  that doesn't mean you don't deserve moral consideration or rights. The idea of personhood can vary widely, so different people might see it differently.

2.  How do you treat the animals in your life - both the ones you interact with regularly and those with whom you only have a distant relationship? Is this how you think these animals should be treated? Why or why not, and what could you do differently?

I treat the animals in my life with kindness and respect, whether they are pets I interact with daily or wildlife I observe from a distance. I think this is how animals should be treated because they have the ability to feel emotions and have a complex way of thinking and interacting with the world (just like humans).  I am also a Hindu (and vegetarian) and in our religion, we believe their is 'god' in every human and animal and we also have a non-violence and compassion orientated mindset towards all beings. While I feel I treat animals with kindness,  I could always strive to learn more about their needs and advocate for better treatment of animals in broader contexts (speak out on animal testing, zoo conditions, etc). This could involve promoting awareness about the ethical treatment of all creatures.