A Better World for Animals

According to Katariya (2018), Austria, Switzerland, United Kingdom, Germany, Netherlands, Sweden, Denmark, and Hong Kong are the countries that have the strictest animal welfare laws in the world. The said countries have created and implemented laws mandating protection and rights for the animals that is living and will be living in their country.

Here are some of the laws:

• The Austrian Animal Welfare Act 2004 equates the importance of animal life to that of human life.
• In 1992, Switzerland constitutionally recognized a provision warranting the protection of ‘the dignity of the creature’.
• UK’s Animal Welfare legislation has strict penalty of a 51 week jail term for cruelty and negligence of animals.
• Netherlands prohibits use of great apes for experiments as well as testing cosmetics
• Sweden grants legal protection to her animals – both, wild and domestic.
• Denmark don’t allow slaughtering of animals.
• A fine of 200,000 dollars is imposed for violating animal protection laws in Hong Kong.

These countries strictly monitors these animal laws and make sure that these are being followed by their citizens. It was mentioned above that Austria, Switzerland, United Kingdom, Germany, Netherlands, Sweden, Denmark, and Hong Kong are the only countries that is showing effectiveness and have all their people strictly providing animals their rights and welfare. It means that some countries that have not mentioned above have their own animal rights and welfare laws as well, yet is not focusing on making their citizens understand it. One best example to prove that this situation is true is this video https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=513830449114995

After watching the video, imagine yourself in those puppy’s shoes. What would you feel if someone throws you in a place like a landfill? Take note that you are just a puppy. So young and innocent. Probably have no idea what is happening. Hungry and wanting your mother’s milk. That puppy is very lucky that a person with a good heart is aware of what some people are doing to a puppy like him. This shows that it is just not necessary for the government to create animal rights and welfare laws. Creating laws like this will be only a waste of time if not propagated properly to the people. The authority must assign people who are knowledgeable enough to conduct seminars that will teach their citizens the importance of animal rights. If you are one of the people in the population that is lacking knowledge about the significance of animal rights, please keep on reading below.

Why is it important for animals to have rights?

Like humans, animals have emotions and have bodies that are vulnerable to pain. Rights are implemented for a being to not experience suffering. Yes, animals are different from humans because they cannot talk to reason out, but according to Jeremy Bentham, the founder of the reforming utilitarian school of moral philosophy, he stated that when deciding on a being’s rights, “The question is not ‘Can they reason?’ nor ‘Can they talk?’ but ‘Can they suffer?’”. Human being are not the only species that are living on this world. They are not the only beings that should be experiencing a happy life. Animals deserves that as well, that is why it is necessary for them to have people that will create laws that will protect their lives from people that will try to take it from them.

Years, decades and centuries had passed and the number of people realizing that animal rights and welfare are as just important as human rights are continuously increasing. It is not yet too late to correct the bad things that have been done to animals. Let the video you have been watched above be an inspiration for you to start treating animals just how a human being should be treated. Respect the animals and make this world a better place for them.

References:

https://www.scoopwhoop.com/countries-with-strict-animal-welfare-laws-in-the-world/