Religion and Animals ( Unit 1 ) :
The Difference between Animals and Humans?

-Humans are intelligent - ( We are creative, caring, and communicative).
-Humans can act in a moral way, deciding to be good or bad.
Thus all religions believe that humans are of greater importance and status than all other animals. Humans are at the top of the animal hierarchy due to our intelligence and soul/spirit which gives us the ability to have a God-Like Consciousness.

-Animals have instinct, they behave according to their instincts in order to survive, eat and reproduce.
Animals do not share the great qualities to an advanced degree as we do as Human beings.

What Rights do Animals have?

Animals must not be exploited,harmed or abused
Animals are to be protected by law from cruelty and neglect
Some creatures cannot be kept as pets such as dangerous dogs or rare birds
Testing on animals is inspected to ensure animal are not suffering too much
There are strict rules about animals being transported and slaughtered

What is the problem when considering Animal Rights?

As Humans we recognise ourselves as top of the Animal Hierarchy, and thus all the 'Creations' are not equal to us. For some this means Animals do not have the same rights and can be treated differently. Animals can be used not only for Food, but could be to an extent of treating them cruelly, harming & abusing them for entertainment (e.g Bullfighting).
As they are not equal to humans we can often consider them as lesser creatures without physical feelings and emotions and thus desensitise our actions towards them, treating them without compassion
How do Societies try to help Protect Animal Rights?

Mainly done through the work of animal welfare groups e.g RSPCA ( Royal Society for Protection of Cruelty to animals) or WWF ( World Wide Fund for Nature)

Uses of animals?

Guard Dogs
Pets
Transport e.g. ( Horses and Camels)

Zoo's, Safari Parks and Animals as Pets?
Advantages of Zoos:

People get to see wild animals ( Gods Creation) up close,
Dangerous animals can be seen safely
Breeding Programmes help to prevent extinction
Many zoos fund research into protection animal species

Disadvantages of Zoos:

Animals are suppose to be free and live in their natural habitat
Not always a suitable environment for wild animals

Religious Believers on Zoo's?
- Most Religious Believers accept Zoo's as long as the animals are kept in safe and similar conditions to what it would be like in the wild. - Religious Believers recognise that zoo's can help preserve animal species through breeding programmes.

Advantages on Pets:

Are often regarded as part of a family. People love & care for them with respect and compassion.

Disadvantages on Pets:

Some owners may mistreat their animals, abusing them or keeping them in very restrictive, claustrophobic caged environments

Religious Believers on Pets?
- As long as the animals are in an environment where they are evidently content, then for religious people =, there is no issue with keeping animals as pets. However Religious people would question what quality of life the animals has ( e.g. Birds are kept in cages, they cannot naturally by instinct -Fly).

Religious Believers on Humans affect on Wild Life Animals?
- Humans have mistreated wildlife through ; Hunting for the entertainment of killing.In addition through pollution and deforestation we are guilty of destroying the habitats of animals, thus killing off species. For Religious Believers, this shows outrageous disrespect for Gods Creation.

	Created by Miraal Ali about 8 years ago

GCSE Religious Studies (Religion and Animals) Note on Religion and Animals, created by Miraal Ali on 02/05/2016.