animal rights

A philosophy that suggests some or all animals have the right to possess their own lives. Contrary to popular opinion, animal rights activists do not ask for voting rights for chickens or pigs. Rather they ask that animals not be used for food, entertainment, medical research or clothing. Some activists maintain that there is a distinction between sentient, or self-aware animals, and those with a large degree of self-awareness are to be afforded the right to possess their own lives. Animal rights is also largely tied to dietary lifestyles such as vegetarianism and veganism which abhor the consumption of meat products in accordance with the principles of animal rights. Animal rights movements are not the same as animal welfare which take into account, the suffering of animals (and seek to prohibit it) but do not grant them specific rights