The world is inhabited by millions of living things, so it is mankind’s ego that places human lives over that of any animal. Just because animals can not speak to humans does not mean they should not have a voice in their own existence. However, man has taken advantage of these animals and chosen to exploit them for his benefit.

Animals need to be given rights that protect them from exploitation at the hands of those with more power.

An animal “Bill of Rights” put in place at state or federal level would allow animals to have the voice they have not yet been offered in the United States. Because animals currently hold the legal status of human property, people have been able to get away with cruelty, whether physical, psychological, or simply unjust. Granting animals “personhood” in the law would create at least a bare minimum of decent treatment towards animals.

Some may argue against animal rights on the basis that not using animals for testing or creating better conditions for animals will be expensive. It would cause many industries to spend money on animal well-being when the animals are just going to be slaughtered or previously could be used without strict regulations. Though this may be the case, all the money spent is to make conditions better for the animals who have no choice but to live with what they have no choice but to endure.

Animal rights are as easy as human rights. There are no tricks that come from giving animals rights, so all that would happen would be solely out of an effort to treat these sentient, conscious beings who are just like ourselves with treatment and legal rights we expect. Animals would still be companions, they would still be used for resources like meat or other animal products, but the animal “Bill of Rights” would be put into effect to insure abuse or extensive cruelty towards them would not be swept away because their lives are supposedly worth less than a person’s.

The Animal Legal Defense Fund has proposed an animal “Bill of Rights” that would give animals “the right... to have their interests represented in court and safeguarded by the law of the land” and “the right of animals to be free from exploitation, cruelty, neglect, and abuse.” Giving animals these rights would make no sort of hindrance to people, they would only better the lives of the animals who currently have no rights because they are legally property.
The rights offer a decent life for the animals, and insure that they receive treatment that would be adequate for people.

Other countries have already taken steps towards offering animals legal “personhood.” Austria, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom have given animals specific rights that would allow them to not be a person’s legal property. According to NBC News, in 2004 Austria enacted a law that “banned pet owners from cropping their dogs’ ears or tails, forced farmers to uncage their chickens,” as well as many help many other captive animals to receive some freedom to life. In these 14 years, Austria has not had to rescind the rights and legal protections they gave the animals.

The problems that people expect may arise if an animal “Bill of Rights” were to be put in place include places that rely on agriculture and animal production could dwindle because they would need to change the conditions that house the animals left for slaughter. They would be required to make better conditions and instill humane treatment of the animals by the workers.

However, this is not surely the case because this humane and decent treatment is absolutely viable and places such as Austria or Switzerland that have already progressed to this kinder treatment are still running as needed.

We need to realize as people we are only one small piece of the animal kingdom. We are coexisting with all types of animals, and there is no reason we cannot treat them fairly.

We need to all stand as advocates for these animals who cannot speak on their own behalf; we need an animal “Bill of Rights.”