Animal Lives

[Supernick]

Should we assign value to the life of one animal over another. Is it any different to kill a fox compared to a rat? Does the death of a whale in the Thames mean any more than a cow? Do we only care about 'fluffy' animals with no logical reason?

[Lonnie]

Excellent question. All life is sacred, including vegetation, and yes, there are times when killing is justified, for food, survival of self and dear ones.

I'm not religous, but everything, from the lowest to highest has its place in our eco-system, and should be respected for the wonderful job it does.

This planet is like a jigsaw puzzle, with the only thing not fitting properly is us humans.

[andy-hughes]

We shouldn't, but we do. We anthropomorhisise on a regular basis, as i have commented on this site many times.

Seal pups - if you took them up on their cute appearence and tried to cuddle one it would bite your fingers off because they are savage animals with short empers, not cute at all. But people still hate the fact that they are clubbed to death. That's fair enough, but would there be the same reaction if they looked like praying mantis?

In an idea world, eating a witchety grub alive for the entertainment of the viewing masses would be seen as immoral and repugnant as eating a kitten, but there is a grading system, it's wrong, but it's there.

[gessoo]

I agree totally with Lonnie and can't better his answer. I too am not religious. I believe that humans have abused their advantage of having a higher intellect to the detriment of all other life.

[Supernick]

I'm in agreement with these statments, but for the sake of argument is there anything to be said for dolphins lives being worth more than goldfish due to perceived intelligence? I suspect not, but then is this not what seperates us - a degree of intelligence that has given us self awareness? Or is self awareness a dividing line - everything below is equal, and everything above is equal.

[sammylane]

There is something to be said about the way in which the animal is killed as well as the type of animal. Animal charities like WSPA and WDCS campaign against the slaughter of whales - not just because many are endangered species or because they are against killing animals per se, but becuase there is no humane way to hunt and kill a whale. Some spend over 30 mins in acute pain. We would not acept that for the cows, pigs and other animals that we slaughter for food - so we use a relatviely humane way to kills these types, and sizes of animals that doesn't include a hunt and barbaric tortuous death. (not that that has anything to do with the whale in teh thams I realise, but thought it was relevant to the topic). Same is true of fox hunting. It's not that it's killed, it's the method by which it is done.