HAT Forum - Rethinking our Treatment of Other Animals

The Humanist Association of Toronto
http://www.humanisttoronto.ca/

Every Saturday we meet on Zoom to discuss a topic decided upon the previous week. These are topics of humanist interest, from a humanist perspective.

The topic of the discussion will be decided in a prior meeting, usually two weeks in advance. This week’s topic is:

Rethinking our Treatment of Other Animals, Introduced by Tanya Long.

Concern for animal rights is not new. In 1975 Peter Singer, Australian academic and philosopher, published Animal Liberation: A New Ethics for our Treatment of Animals. Singer believed that the interests of animals need to be considered because, like humans, they are sentient beings capable of suffering. His book is considered the founding statement of the animal rights movement. It has gone through five more editions, the most recent being a revision in 2023, since its publication.
Many of us may remember Brigitte Bardot travelling to Canada to protest the killing of baby seals. Other celebrities such as Paul McCartney and Sarah McLachlan also opposed the seal hunt, particularly the Atlantic hunt, because it was not done for sustenance as was the Inuit hunt in the Arctic. Anti-fur activists threw paint on people wearing fur coats and in 1991 the Hudsons Bay Company said farewell to fur coats. In the 1970s Greenpeace actively interfered with whaling ships. In 1986 whale hunting was declared illegal in most countries. PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) was founded in 1980. For various reasons, PETA has become controversial. (Check out the organization Animal Justice, animaljustice.ca,
a not-for-profit dedicated to advocating for the humane treatment of animals.)
The inhumane treatment in the raising and slaughter of chickens, pigs, beef cattle and dairy cattle to provide meat, eggs and dairy for humans was exposed, as was the use of animals in experiments related to the safety of cosmetics and medications. In 1923 Canada banned using animals to test cosmetics and selling cosmetics if animals have been used; medical testing is allowed but under conditions: non-animal methods must be used when possible; animal use must be minimized; and the welfare of animals must be considered as much as possible (Canadian Council on Animal Care - CCAC).
Since 1975 our understanding of the similarities between humans and other animals has increased exponentially. Research has shown that animals have capabilities that we have not understood. They can use tools. They have complex social networks. They have amazing problem solving capabilities. They have language and communicate with each other in very sophisticated ways. AI is being used to translate whale sounds by analyzing vast databases of whale vocalizations like the clicks and codas of sperm whales. This process could be applied to other animals as well. The goal is interspecies communication. Could an orca give a TED talk?
Humans aren't as exceptional as we like to think. What we are learning about animals revitalizes old questions and raises new ones.
1. Should we all be vegetarian or vegan? Pigs are smarter than dogs. Think about that the next time you tuck into that pork chop.
2. What about the use of animals for entertainment: circuses, zoos, rodeos, horse races, aquariums, TV and movie productions. An especially egregious case is that of Marineland, a theme park near Niagara Falls. They have recently threatened to euthanize 30 Beluga whales because they can no longer feed and care for them. Finding someplace for those whales to go is proving very difficult. Canada has banned the keeping and breeding of whales and dolphins in captivity but the 2019 law does not apply to those currently in captivity.
3. And what about pets? Most pet owners treat their dogs, cats and other pets so well that it's hard to object. But at the same time animal shelters are overwhelmed with abandoned pets.
4. Do you think communication between humans and other animals will ever be possible and if so, what would be the benefit?
Join us for a lively discussion.

Meet our diverse group, trade perspectives in a free and open forum and learn from others as they learn from you!

BTW: don't be concerned if there are not many RSVP’s. Many HAT members attend regularly but don’t sign up on Meetup. Our online meetings have been very popular with 20-30 attendees.

NOTE: The HAT Forum adheres strictly to the City of Toronto Policy on Non-Discrimination (http://www.the519.org/public/content/policy-files/The519SpaceUsePolicy.pdf)

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