APPROACHES TO ANIMALS RIGHTS

o Judeo-Christian tradition
 - Animals put here for our purposes
 - Some exceptions: St. Francis of Assisi

o Philosophical tradition (Aristotle,Descartes, Kant)
 - Traditionally excludes nonhuman animals from rights of 
   persons
 - Aristotle: Animals have no ability to reason (logos)
 - We have no moral obligations to animals

o Social contract theory
 - Agreement among persons
 - Excludes rights for animalsAPPROACHES TO ANIMAL RIGHTS (CONT.)

o Utilitarian: Peter Singer
 - As animals feel pleasure and pain, just as human animals, we 
   have moral obligations to them
 - We should maximize pleasure and minimize pain for all animals, 
   both human and nonhuman

o Kantian: Tom Regan
 - Rejects utilitarianism
 - Nonhuman animals should be treated with respect and dignity, 
   just like human animals
WHAT IS SPECIESISM?

“Speciesism”: a prejudice or attitude of bias toward interests of one’s own 
species and against those of other species

Conventional view: morality is dependent on persons and social contract among 
them

Critics of conventional view: all animals have inherent value, even if they 
are not moral agents
“All Animals are Equal . . . Or why Supporters of Liberation for Blacks 
and women should Support Animal Liberation Too"  --Peter Singer

Speciesism is wrong for the same reasons sexism and racism are wrong

Principle of equal consideration: the pain that nonhuman animals feel 
is of equal moral importance to the pain that humans feel

Utilitarianism shows that we owe moral obligations to nonhuman animalsTOM REGAN - THE CASE FOR ANIMAL RIGHTS

Opposes speciesism (like Singer)

Rejects utilitarianism for animal rights

Uses Kantian respect for nonhuman animals to support animal rights

All lives with inherent value are equal
CARL COHEN - DO ANIMALS HAVE RIGHTS?

Animals cannot possess rights
  Only humans are moral agents with rights
  Challenges Regan’s Kantian analysis attributing rights to 
    animals

The use of animals in medical research is justifiable

We have obligations to animals, but that does not mean animals 
  have rights
PAUL W. TAYLOR - ETHICS OF RESPECT FOR NATURE

Individualist (not holistic) approach to environmental ethics

Principal concern: individual organisms, not biotic community as a whole

Life-centered system: Kant-like respect for all of nature

All living things have inherent worthINSTITUTIONAL ANIMAL CARE AND USE COMMITTEE (IACUC)

Regulatory body that oversees the employment of policies regarding animal 
research/use
 o Every institution that uses federally derived funds for research involving 
   animals must have an IACUC
 o Many private funding sources now require IACUC review
 o Many journals require IACUC review of work they might publish

IACUC established in 1985 by amendment to the Animal Welfare Act. IACUC HISTORY

Mid-1800s saw increased use of animals in research, and that spawned efforts
in the area of animal welfare, e.g., British Cruelty to Animals Act of 1876.

Since mid-1900s, three entities involved in development of animal care 
standards:
 - Scientist conducting animal-based research
 - Government through legislation/regulatory bodies
 - Public

Scientist
 - Ethical/animal welfare considerations
 - Non-uniform care can result in variable outcomes and poor research
 - 1963 the first Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals. 
   - Now in 8th edition, National Academy of SciencesIACUC HISTORY (CONT.)

1966 – Animal Welfare Act
 - USDA is regulator. 
 - Original intent regulate animal care in laboratory setting.
 - Regulates the treatment of warm-blooded animals in research, 
   exhibition, transport, and by dealers.
 - Act enforced by Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS). IACUC HISTORY

1979 – Public Health Service developed policy covering animal research
 - Office of Laboratory Animal Welfare
   - OLAW oversees implementation of policy
 - NIH, CDC, FDA – to name a few agencies
 - NSF follows OLAW regulations/recommendations
 - Requires an IACUC and expands to all vertebratesIACUC HISTORY (CONT.)

PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT
 - 1969 Greenpeace 
 - 1966 LIFE magazine article
 - 1975 Animal Liberation, Peter Singer
        Victims of Science, Ryder
 - 1980 PETA, Alex Pacheco
 - Animal Liberation Front
GUIDE FOR THE CARE AND USE OF LABORATORY ANIMALS
EIGHT EDITION

o Key Concepts
o Animal Care and Use Program
o Environment, Housing, and Management
o Veterinary Care
o Physical Plant

"Three Rs"
o Replacement
  Absolute
  Lower vertebrates
o Refinement
  Improve husbandry
  Improve experimental procedures
  Minimize pain, distress
o Reduction
  Fewest number used to maximize information viz. designGUIDE FOR THE CARE AND USE OF LABORATORY ANIMALS (CONT.)
 
Title says "Laboratory animals"...

...but animal care and use program outlined in guide applies to 
all vertebrate animals, laboratory or free-ranging, used in 
teaching and research.IACUC

Who is on the IACUC?

o Minimum of 5 members must be on a panel
 - Veterinarian familiar with the animals used in research
 - Practicing scientist who works with animals in their research
 - Member from institution whose concerns are non-scientific
 - A member with no association to the institution

o What does IACUC do?
 - Evaluate protocols that will involve animals in research and 
   teaching
 - Inspect facilities that house animals (twice/year)
 - Responsible for animal care and use program
 - IACUC reports to USDA and to OLAW/PHSPREPARING PROTOCOLS FOR IACUC

What does IACUC need to know?
 - Identification of the species
 - Number of individuals
 - Description of the work – for a lay person
 - Description of procedures
 - Description of euthanasia