Īdvocates for animal rights oppose the assignment of moral value and fundamental protections on the basis of species membership alone-an idea known as speciesism since 1970, when Richard D. More narrowly, 'animal rights' refers to the idea that many animals have fundamental rights to be treated with respect as individuals-rights to life, liberty, and freedom from torture that may not be overridden by considerations of aggregate welfare. Broadly speaking, and particularly in popular discourse, the term 'animal rights' is often used synonymously with 'animal protection' or 'animal liberation'. The plaque in this statue of Valluvar at an animal sanctuary in South India describes the Kural's teachings on ahimsa and non-killing, summing them up with the definition of veganism.Īnimal rights is the philosophy according to which many or all sentient animals have moral worth that is independent of their utility for humans, and that their most basic interests-such as in avoiding suffering-should be afforded the same consideration as similar interests of human beings. 5th-century CE Tamil scholar Valluvar, in his Tirukkural, taught ahimsa and moral vegetarianism as personal virtues.
