by Sentient Rights IrelandANIMAL RIGHTS / ANIMAL WELFARE
In basic terms, animal welfarism is concerned with the treatment of other animals where and when they are exploited by human beings, whilst animal rights is about the total abolition of the use of other animals.
Welfarism is reformist and seeks to regulate and manage animal use rather than end it. Animal welfare is often concerned with reducing the suffering of other animals as they are used by humans for food, clothing, or as scientific models, etc. Animal rights, on the other hand, is a stronger position that sees sentient animals as rights bearers and, therefore, argues that humans violate their rights when they use and exploit other animals for such purposes.
The most fundamental principle of the philosophy of animal rights is that of justice for sentient others. If we truly respect animals, we must seek to abolish their use. Welfarism may make consumers more comfortable about using other animals with labels such as “humane,” “free-range,” and “animal welfare assured.” This does not stop them being killed and exploited.
Sentient Rights Ireland (SRI) recognises sentient animals as rights bearers who require their moral rights to be respected. Their sentiency should not mean that humans merely exploit and kill them in “less cruel” ways.
