Course Title: Small Animal Management
Lesson Title: Comparing Animal Rights and Animal Welfare
TEKS Addressed in Lesson:
1. 130.4 (c) (3)- A-D
Lesson Objectives. The student will be able to:
1.
2.
3.
4.
Compare and contrast animal rights and welfare
Identify important persons, organizations, and groups involved in the animal rights movement
Create a timeline of dates and acts of legislation related to animal welfare
Analyze current issues in animal rights and welfare
Tools and Equipment
1. Power Point: Comparing animal rights and animal welfare
Key Terms / Vocabulary
1. Animal rights
2. Animal welfare
Interest Approach/Anticipatory Set
1. Link: Have students make a list of animal products they are wearing or have eaten today.
2. Motivation: Animals and their by-products enhance our lives. Sometimes we aren’t even aware
that an animal has been used in testing the products we use every day. Some believe that we
should care for all animals in a humane way, and use them to improve our lives; others believe
animals should have the same rights as humans.
3. Overview: Today we will compare and contrast animal rights and animal welfare; Identify
important persons, organizations, and groups involved in the animal rights movement; create a
timeline of dates and acts of legislation related to animal welfare; and analyze current issues in
animal rights and welfare.
Teaching Plan and Strategy / Presentation of New Material
Open the PowerPoint, progress through the slides and teach the material from the slides to the
students and allow time for discussion on each slide.
1. Think about it…
2.
3.
4.
5.
a. Animals and their by-products enhance our lives.
b. Sometimes we aren’t even aware that an animal has been used in testing the products
we use every day.
c. Some believe that we should care for all animals in a humane way, and use them to
improve our lives;
d. Others believe animals should have the same rights as humans.
Animal Rights Defined
a. Animal rights advocates believe that “animals are not ours to eat, wear, experiment on,
use for entertainment, or abuse in any other way.”
b. Organizations like PETA, People for the ethical treatment of animals, see no distinction
between the rights of humans and animals
c. “When it comes to pain, love, joy, loneliness, and fear, a rat is a pig is a dog is a boy.
Each one values his or her life and fights the knife.”
Animal Welfare Defined
a. Animal welfare advocates for the responsible use of animals for human purposes, such
as companionship, food, fiber, recreation, work, education, and research conducted for
the benefit of both humans and animals.
b. Animals should be cared for in ways that minimize fear, pain, stress, and suffering.
c. Animals should be treated with respect and dignity throughout their lives and, when
necessary, provided a humane death.
So, What is the Difference
a. Animal Rights
i. Believe that animals have rights
ii. Believe we should not use animals for human purposes
iii. Believe animals are as important as people
iv. Promote veganism—not eating or using animals for food or otherwise
b. Animal Welfare
i. Believe that animals should be cared for
ii. Believe animals should be used to enhance human lives
iii. Believes animals should be cared for, but are not as important as people
iv. Promote use of animals for food and clothing
The Role of the Agriculturalist
a. Agriculturalists are those who work in the area of cultivating the land and rearing crops
and livestock.
b. As students involved in agriculture, think about the role of those involved in producing
livestock or small animal breeders.
c. Do they have a vested interest in caring for animals, ensuring their health and wellbeing?
d. Though animal rights activists would have the general public believe that agriculturalists
are abusers and exploiters of animals, those cases are the exception, not the rule.
e. As agriculturalists, it is our role to promote the positive story of animals in agriculture,
protect animals in cases where they are not being treated ethically, and stamp out
ignorance when we find it.
6. The Animal rights Movement
a. Many point to the publication, Animal Liberation by Peter Singer in 1975 as a catalyst for
the movement.
b. In 1979, the Animal Legal Defense Fund was established.
c. PETA, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, was founded in 1980.
d. They originally protested the use of laboratory animals and animal slaughter.
e. Ingrid Newkirk is the cofounder and president of PETA.
f. For more details on the animal rights movement and timeline, visit
http://animalrights.about.com/od/animalrights101/a/TimelineModern.htm and
http://www.peta.org/
7. The Animal Welfare Act
a. The Animal Welfare Act was signed into law in 1966.
b. It is the only federal law that regulates treatment of animals in research, exhibition,
transport, and by dealers.
c. The original law has been amended many times (for more information, see:
https://awic.nal.usda.gov/government-and-professional-resources/federal-laws/animalwelfare-act)
d. Other laws related to animal welfare include
e. The Horse Protection Act:
http://www.aphis.usda.gov/wps/portal/aphis/ourfocus/animalwelfare?1dmy&urile=wc
m%3apath%3a%2FAPHIS_Content_Library%2FSA_Our_Focus%2FSA_Animal_Welfare%2
FSA_HPA
f. The Humane Slaughter Act: https://awic.nal.usda.gov/government-and-professionalresources/federal-laws/humane-methods-slaughter-act
8. Texas Proud of Texas Agriculture
a. Texas Proud of Texas Agriculture is a state initiative by FFA and 4-H to promote the role
of agriculture in providing to consumers.
b. It focuses on the message students can share with others.
c. The Texas Proud of Texas Agriculture initiative is focused on telling the story of
agriculture:
d. What it’s like to grow up on a farm or ranch,
e. the joys of raising show animals,
f. learning practical agriculture in the classroom and
g. putting those practices to work on the farms, ranches and agricultural laboratories of
Texas.
Activity/Application/ Student Engagement /Laboratory
Animal Rights/Animal Welfare Debate


Assign students a role, either animal rights or animal welfare
In groups, develop and discuss your arguments for or against the issues below based on
your role
 Debate the issue of testing an experimental drug on mice that could provide key
answers to developing a cure for Leukemia.
 Debate the issue of serving milk in the cafeteria.
 Debate the issue of showing livestock at the county fair.
 Debate the issue of using animals in rodeo and circus performances.
Create a timeline of dates and acts of legislation related to animal welfare:
• Using the link on the USDA Animal Welfare Information Center entitled “The Animal Welfare
Act: Background and Selected Animal Welfare Legislation” http://nationalaglawcenter.org/wpcontent/uploads/assets/crs/RS22493.pdf, develop a timeline of the dates and acts related to
animal welfare.
• The teacher can print the document, cut out the important acts for students to summarize and
present orally or have students create a ppt or prezi over their act.
• Using big paper, have students add their acts of legislation to the timeline.
Analyze current issues in animal rights and animal welfare
 Using the resources below, the teacher will identify timely topics for students to analyze.
Students may be asked to categorize the issue as primarily animal rights or animal welfare and
identify ways the agricultural industry may respond most productively.
o Teacher can review materials found at the USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection
Sevrice, which is an animal welfare organization responsible for upholding and enforcing
the Animal Welfare Act:
http://www.aphis.usda.gov/wps/portal/aphis/ourfocus/animalwelfare.
o Teacher can review materials found at People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals,
which is the primary organization for animal rights. Care should be taken—some
content not suitable for the classroom: http://www.peta.org/; example: 18 Images Big
Dairy Doesn’t Want You to See: http://www.peta.org/features/dairy-industry-cruelty/
Extension Activity
 As a class, plan a Texas Proud of Texas Agriculture event. Use the resources on the Texas Proud
of Texas Agriculture to help brainstorm ideas and create a campaign to increase the public’s
awareness of the issues related to agriculture in your community.
http://texasproudoftexasag.com/toolkit.aspx
Evaluation / Summary
1. Pick individuals or ask the entire class these questions
a. What are the primary differences between animal rights and animal welfare?
b. Name an important person, organizations, and groups involved in the animal rights
movement.
c. Name three acts of legislation and when they occurred related to animal welfare
d. What are some current issues in animal rights and welfare?
e. Why is it important to be familiar with animal rights and animal welfare issues?
2. Today we discussed animal rights and animal welfare. For some this is a tough topic. For
agriculturalists, it is important to be informed of the issues and be aware of the laws and
regulations regarding humane treatment of animals and livestock.
References/Additional Materials / Extended Learning Opportunities/ Enrichment
1. USDA Animal Welfare Information Center: http://awic.nal.usda.gov/
2. Animal Welfare Act and Animal Welfare Regulations Handbook from USDA:
http://www.aphis.usda.gov/animal_welfare/downloads/Animal%20Care%20Blue%20Book%20%202013%20-%20FINAL.pdf
3. Texas Proud of Texas Agriculture: http://texasproudoftexasag.com/default.aspx
4. American Veterinary Medical Association Animal Welfare Principles:
https://www.avma.org/kb/resources/reference/animalwelfare/pages/default.aspx?utm_source
=oldsite&utm_medium=prettyurl&utm_term=animalwelfare&utm_campaign=redirect
5. Animal Welfare Council: http://animalwelfarecouncil.com/
College & Career Readiness Standards:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Science I. A. 1, 4
Science IV. B. 1, 2
Social Studies I. C. 3
Social Studies I. E. 1, 4
Social Studies IV. A. 1, 3
Developed by the Department of Agricultural Leadership, Education & Communications,
Texas A&M University
for the Texas Education Agency, Educational Excellence Project for AFNR
©Texas Education Agency, 2014