Let us respect animal rights
China Daily  Updated: 2005-12-13 06:20

Human beings must learn to respect animals, as well as each other, says an article in Beijing News. An excerpt follows:

The case of a postgraduate from Fudan University killing 30 kittens in a very cruel manner was recently exposed by the media, inviting extensive comment and many discussions on the mental health of university students.

On the other hand, the frequent mutilation of animals by university students reflects and, to a certain extent, has something to do with the country's cuisine culture and some people's traditional attitude towards animals.

There is a lack of education about respect for the lives of animals in the country.

Some parents have added to their children's indifference to animals. Some often buy little animals for their kids as "live toys" that are at their disposal, even available for abuse, but not treated as live things that should be respected.

Some people's ideas of life are completely founded on egotism.

Respecting animals should be part of the civilized conduct of modern human beings. This value should reflect mankind's respect not only for human rights, but also for the rights of lower animals.

What the country should do is to try to raise awareness not only in a moral sense, but through working out a set of laws and regulations aimed at the protection of animals and their welfare, to stop human cruelty.

We should bear in mind that protecting animals and respecting their lives is essential for humankind.

(China Daily 12/13/2005 page4)

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