Animal Emotions

Marc Bekoff's argument is well presented, and the ramifications in terms of our behaviour (e.g. reduction in consumption of animal products, choosing cruelty-free cosmetics and household products etc.) are profound.

Animals count indeed, they count on you and they count on policy- and decision-makers to protect them. Unfortunately too many political parties do not respect and represent animals' interests sufficiently. Animals Count is a UK political party for people and animals. By contesting elections and receiving a considerable number of votes, we demonstrate that animal issues are important to voters and that other political parties should increase and improve animal issues within their manifesto and policies. In the June 2009 EU elections we received 13,201 votes in the Eastern region of England. Next year we are planning to contest the General Election.

Thank you for speaking for those who do not have a voice.

Dear Dr. Bekoff,

Many thanks for your tireless crusade to protect the lives and the dignity of all sentient beings. In my personal opinion, there is no greater wickedness than animal cruelty. The manner in which animals are treated is the litmus test by which societies are judged in terms of their collective morality, as well as a diagnostic tool for detecting individuals' levels of empathy (think of how the great majority of serial killers began their "careers" with acts of cruelty toward defenseless animals).

Again, many thanks for your work.

Warmly,

Gad Saad

This was an excellent article. It's time for all humans to realize that we are no better than animals and shouldn't be using them the way that we do.

It's somewhat obvious, but very difficult for society to swallow, with the weight of our non-scientific past pulling us to baulk at "letting animals in" to our world. Hopefully every article like this will nudge "common belief" slightly closer to allowing us to show empathy across the species barrier.