Speech on Animal Rights
This week, Sarah has been doing some research into animal rights & why she thinks it’s so important to make people aware of this issue. Take a look at the speech she wrote & see if you agree that we should be making people more aware of the cruelty some animals face on a daily basis.
Animal Rights by Sarah, aged 17
Welcome fellow classmates I am here today to discuss the important issue of animal rights. Firstly I am going to discuss the effects of product testing on animals as well as trials conducted on them. Following this I am going focus upon the killing of animals for human purposes. Finally I will be informing you of the cruel inhumane use of animals for entertainment value in zoos and circuses.
How many of you here today used soap and deodorant this morning? And how many of you are presently wearing make-up or perfume? All of you raised your hands however I’m sure few of you thought about whether or not these products were tested on helpless animals. Every year millions of animals are poisoned and killed in barbaric tests that were crudely developed to evaluate consumer products and their ingredients. Rats, mice, guinea pigs and other animals are forced to swallow or inhale massive quantities of a test substance or endure the pain of having a chemical eat away at their sensitive eyes and skin. I’m certain none of you will disagree with me when I say that this is unfair and unsparing but by informing ourselves and knowing which brands use these atrocious testing methods we can avoid buying these products. We can put an end to this brutal suffering if we all come together and take action.
For practically every known human disease researchers attempt to induce similar aspects of the disease in animals to create an animal model of that disease. In order to create these models animals are subjected to invasive procedures which can include inducing symptoms of migraines in cats through brain stimulation and implanting electrodes into the intestines of dogs to induce motion sickness and vomiting. How many of you have a cat or dog at home? I’m positive none of you would be happy to let your beloved pet experience this trauma. I have a dog at home that I consider to be part of my family and I can’t even begin to imagine letting him undergo this torture. It is diabolical, it is heinous and it is extremely cruel. These models are remorseless and need to be stopped.
I’m sure the majority of you here today buy items of clothing made from leather without thinking about how the animal was treated or killed. A PETA investigation into cattle slaughter in India revealed that old cows are sold at auction and then driven or marched on foot long distances to illegal slaughterhouses. As many as fifty cattle may be crammed into trucks designed to hold no more than a dozen animals. They are then driven over rutted roads-accidentally goring and trampling each other- to ancient and filthy slaughterhouses, where all four of their feet are bound together and their throats are cut. This is harsh and inhumane and I would urge you to think twice the next time you go to buy leather. Does fashion really come above this callous killing? There are many alternatives to leather and I would strongly suggest buying these. Let’s not be inconsiderate and think of the animals and the maltreatment they had to endure.
How many of you eat meat on a daily basis? Again I presume few of you gave thought as to how this animal was treated before being killed. On today’s factory farms, animals are crammed by the thousands into filthy, windowless sheds and stuffed into wire cages, metal crates and other torturous devices until the day they’re loaded onto trucks headed for slaughterhouses. These animals will never raise their families, root around in the soil, build nests, or do anything that is natural and important to them. One example is the fast food restaurant KFC which gets its chicken from factory farms where chickens are fatten up using growth hormones and antibiotics before being killed. The same can be said for cows who are genetically manipulated in order to produce more milk. They are taken away from their calves when they are just one day old in order to be milked. Can you imagine if your own mother had to be taken away from you when you were just one day old? It is just beyond belief. It is completely wrong and uncalled for. There is a wide range of dairy free milks available and I would strongly advise you to make this one simple switch.
I’m sure many of you have been to a circus before. These animals live a dismal life of confinement and violent training. It is standard practice to beat, shock, and whip them to make them perform ridiculous tricks that they cannot comprehend. These animals are deprived their basic needs so it is no wonder that many of them show signs of mental distress. It is so brutal and merciless. The same goes for animals in zoos. They spend their lives confined and on display. They are denied the habitat and climate which is natural to them. Polar bears were kept in Dublin zoo but their living conditions were so cramped that they became agitated and so are no longer kept there. I think this is so unfair and extremely cruel. I believe animals should be allowed to wander freely and live their life without constraint. I would encourage you all to boycott circuses that use animals and spread the word to everyone you know.
As a final word I’d like you to pay attention to the products you use and whether or not they were tested on vulnerable little animals. I would encourage you to think about the clothes you buy and where the material came from. I would also call on you to consider the food you eat and how this animal was treated. If there is one thing I’d like you to take from my speech today it is to be mindful of the animals and try to put yourself in their position. If you wouldn’t be happy to be treated this way then you can take it that the animal wouldn’t be either. Thank you for taking the time to listen to me today and I hope now you are well informed on the issue of animal rights.
