In this beautiful world, animals deserve respect as much as people. They have as much right to live as us, human beings. It is our world, but it is their world too. So, this planet belongs to all creatures living on it. Yet, many are against this notion, since they believe that animals do not have feelings or a soul.

Are we to have all the rights, just because we are at the top of the food chain? Does that give humans the right to remove animal privileges? Didn’t we learn our lesson through countless wars?

It seems not! A lot of people still do not get it, like a child who never learns. Animals have rights. And they surely deserve respect, so they can live their lives free from suffering, abuse, and mistreatment. A life is a life, and it should be valued. Animals cannot speak for themselves and for that reason we have to be their voice and care for them.

So, protecting them is something you and I should be proud of. As individuals, it is our responsibility. All creatures have the right to be free of persecution, cruelty, captivity, exploitation, and abuse by people. When we respect the well-being of animals, we restore balance in natural preservation.

Animals Deserve Respect

“Each and every animal on earth has as much right to be here and have respect, and love, as you and me.” – Unknown

Yet, too many think that animals are on this planet for us to exploit, dominate, use and rule over them. A lot of us believe that we are above it all, but we have so much to learn. However, there are also those who do think that animals deserve respect as much as people.

So, I am one of those people who firmly believe animals should have a better place in our world. They are sentient beings. We should protect them the same way we look after a disabled child. Both of them do not have the same conscious principles that we do. But they still need to be loved, cared for, protected and respected.

Blind to the Truth

Just because animals cannot tell us how they feel, it does not mean that they have no rights. One day our sun will expand, and that will be the end of us. Yet, we cannot get away from a fact. It is we people who are defining which criteria to put on worth. But who gave us such a privilege?

In my opinion, I believe that animals hold a special place in our world and some of them, especially our pets, become family members. They do not have a voice to speak up for themselves, so they deserve respect and to be saved. And I believe that we, as people should do that for them.

Of course, I do not believe that animals need to rule human society. But does it give us the right to be cruel, kill, abuse, starve, torture or slaughter other living creatures? It is illegal to kill another person, but somehow, it is okay to hurt, mistreat or kill animals. How is that any less bad? Most of us are blind to the truth.

Animals and the Arrogant Species

“Animals are the real victims on this earth. They do not declare war, they do not have weapons, and they do not want to destroy humans, or impose religion. Yet, for some people, their only crime is that they exist.” – The Author SVB

In truth, we are an arrogant species, entitling ourselves to be superior to all other species and lowering any other classes. Most people claim that animals do not have feelings or have a soul. They believe them to be worthless, and only here to provide food and needs for us, human beings.

Since I am a child, I always rebelled and wondered why man believes he is at the top of the food chain. We are not faster, stronger or even brighter than a lot of animals. Of course, we can reason and have a great deal of intelligence at our disposal. But then again we are also the only arrogant species who have so little respect and is bent on killing the very planet that sustains our lives. So, to me, this kind of intelligence looks more like stupidity.

Animals Do Have Feelings

Despite all the things that happen in our world, our lack of consideration and awareness in this matter shows that we are not as evolved as we should be. It begins by giving equal attention towards animals as well as towards our fellow men. Some people are now strating to wake up to these facts, but we still have a long way to go.

So, all animals deserve respect because they can suffer and sense pain in the same way and to the same degree that you and I do. They can feel happiness, pain, fear, pleasure, care, sadness, loneliness, and motherly love. They understand more than what we give them credit for.

Animals are also living creatures. Why do people feel they are better is beyond me. Humanity would be nowhere if animals did not exist in this world. The truth is it is just as bad killing an animal as it is to kill a human, it is murder. Killing one insect by accident is OK, but a herd of cows or a pride of lions is not right. Often, I believe people are equal, if not lower, than other animals.

The Most Disrespectful of All Animals

We have the power to think, visualize and invent things, and it is what caused humans to flourish in the first place. It is such an incredible ability. And yes, we human beings have imaginations, but we also possess self-awareness. So, we have the skill to reflect on our existence. Yet we should have more integrity and compassion.

Indeed, we are the most sophisticated of all animals in this world, yet the most disrespectful. We can speak different languages, cook food, create things, drive a car or fly a plane, and even debate over all kinds of situations. Yet, I am asking you: “If we are more intelligent and have a greater capacity for thought, why are we acting with such disrespect towards this planet and the animals living on it?”

Therefore, the world would be so much better off without our silly ways of thinking we are the best thing on the planet. And yet we act like idiots and treat animals as if they were things! No matter what you may say, people are animals on the inside. We hunt, fight, multiply, group, live, just like any other animal and sometimes even, in a worse way.

Animals Are Not Things

However, through our experiences, we know animals undergo pain and suffering. Scientifically, we realize more and more that many of them exhibit intelligent behaviors. It is unacceptable to think of another person as being less because of the color of their skin or gender. So it is unfair to treat animals disrespectfully. Instead, they deserve respect as much as you and I, if not more.

On this beautiful planet, we are the leading species. Therefore, we have a moral responsibility to protect the interests of all other life on this earth. And it starts with accepting them as equals. Animals are not ours to exploit; they are not toys or things. They are living creatures, just like you and I. For me, it is not if animals can think or speak, but more about “Many are suffering.”

“I hope that one day the time will come when men will look upon the murder and harm of animals as they now look upon the murder of men.” – A wish of Leonardo da Vinci.

A Final Word on Animals

Did you have watch how factory farms or slaughterhouses did their deeds? What if it had glass walls? Could you still be able to look in their eyes and say you cannot see the pain they are enduring? I can’t.

I worked as an assistant for a veterinarian. And at times, I had to look in their eyes before putting them down. They have feelings. So I chose to quit and find a better path to help them!

As a result, I just think animals deserve a chance to live a healthy and happy life. People are not better because they use tools or are bright. And it is just intolerable to exploit innocent creatures, sometimes in very cruel ways. They can feel and sometime think just like us. So, animals deserve respect as much as we do. Let’s start now.