Love for animals is inversely proportional to love for humans.
There are people who talk of animal rights. Some of them oppose cruelty to animals but are not opposed to slaughter of animals for food. Some are in favour of scientific experiments on animals. Some are vegetarians and oppose killing of animals in all cases.
Some say animals have as many rights as men. All living creatures have equal rights. This goes beyond cruelty or killing. It means no man should own any animal or plant. Man includes woman and child. Animal includes bird, fish, reptile etc. Plants and trees are living creatures. If this is carried to logical conclusion all animals will be free. They will multiply and there will be no space to move around. All eggs will be hatched and chicken will be all over roads and other places. There will not be pruning of any plant. Goats will multiply and not much vegetation will be left.
Sniffer dogs cannot be used by police to solve crimes or to find living persons in debris due to earthquake or other reasons.
Once Australia banned killing of kangaroos. Kangaroos multiplied and played havoc. Australia lifted the ban.
Use of animals in circus was banned. If it is wrong to use animals in circus, it is wrong to keep animals in zoo.
Big fish eats small fish. Lions and tigers eat deer. Snakes eat frogs.
Ban on killing endangered species is justified.
There is controversy about Jallikattu. It is popular in parts of Tamil Nadu. Supreme Court had upheld the ban in May 2014. Its judgment said “Bulls are beaten, poked, prodded, harassed and jumped on by numerous people. They have their tails bitten and twisted and their eyes and noses filled with irritating chemicals.” On 7/1/2016 Government of India permitted Jallikattu under certain conditions. On 12/1/2016 Supreme Court stayed the Executive Order permitting Jallikattu. Jayalalitha wanted central government to issue an ordinance permitting Jallikattu. That did not happen. Many Tamilians were sad. Some shaved their heads. Some did not celebrate Pongal.
Bull fight is prevalent in Spain and some other countries. There are proponents and opponents of bull fight.
Cock fight is banned. Some in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh want ban to be lifted.
Bulbul fight was practised in Assam. It is banned.
Bullock cart race is banned but there is no ban on horse race where betting is involved. People have gone to court for ban on horse-drawn carriages known as victorias but not for ban on horse race.
Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) was founded in England in 1824. It has branches in India and other countries.
Animal Welfare Board of India was set up on 19 March 1962 as per Section 4 of Prevention of Cruelty Animals Act 1960. It wanted ban on Jallikattu. Occasionally it create problems for films using animals.
People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) was founded in 1980. It has used violent and illegal methods. It has killed around 85% of animals in its shelters and has called the killings euthanasia.
Ivory trade is banned in most countries. Elephant poaching and illegal trade continues.
Some people oppose killing of animals for religious reasons. Many Hindus, Buddhists and Jains are vegetarians. For Jews and Muslims some animals are unclean. For Christians no animal is unclean. Man has dominion over living. “So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them. And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.” (KJV Gen 1/27-28).
People who say all living creatures have equal rights should not own or hire animals and plants. They should not have dogs or cats. They should not ride horses.
Once there was a film to show how a man exploited a monkey. The film was made by exploiting the monkey.
