2026 National Animal Rights Week 

Maeve Kiley

Are they alive? 

            On the surface, animals are the true love of humanity. 

            Cats were prized creatures and worshipped in Ancient Egypt. Romans left epitaphs on their pets’ graves. Almost every ancient society decorated its palaces, tombs, schools, and towns with art depicting native wildlife. Service animals were posthumously given awards for their strength and valor. Dogs were labeled “man’s best friend.” 

It appears that animals are prized and beloved, yet so many are exploited.  Millions are trapped in testing cages for cosmetic products. Thousands were sent to space to die during the Space Race. Waste pollutes their homes, and deforestation strips them of their food. Many pets are neglected, abused, or ignored. Wild animals are poached for profit, and habitats are torn to shreds for human expansion. 

            The divide between those who value the lives of animals and those who do not seems stark and unbreakable. The root of this divide lies in the value of life. Throughout history, people have wrongly labeled wildlife as “expendable” tools utilized quickly and discarded even faster. Their lives are seen as insignificant, despite the important roles they play in human life and the world. 

            So, what constitutes a life? Are only human lives important? Are the lives of mammals, reptiles, birds, amphibians, fishes, annelids, mollusks, and all other members of creation significant as well? 

            Although everyone can agree that, scientifically, animals are alive, many do not recognize them as living. A life that lives; happiness, sadness, anger, fear, distrust, pain, and love. A life that has intrinsic value. A life that matters. Animals are alive, there is no doubt about that, but perhaps they need to be socially and legally recognized as living beings so they can be officially protected.

History of Animal Rights

            The concept of animal rights and the protection of non-human life is not new. Ancient cultures debated this topic heavily, with many cultures, religions, and societies implementing different laws and social attitudes. 

            The concept of “Ahimsa” (meaning "non-violence" in Sanskrit) goes back to approximately the 8th century BCE. Its roots lie in India and are a core ethical value in Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism. Ahimsa teaches that harm to all life forms (humans, animals, plants, and even microscopic lifeforms) must be avoided at all costs. This harm does not just constitute physical violence, but cruel words as well.

            A similar philosophy emerged from Ancient Greece through the 3rd-century philosopher Pythagoras, who argued that the lives of animals must be respected. Later philosophers, such as Plutarch and Empedocles, promoted vegetarianism by asserting that animals possessed souls as well. 

            In North Africa and the Middle East, early Islamic Law forbade the cutting of horse manes, overloading draft animals, and using animals for target practice. This recognition of animal rights is based on the concept of Al-Rifq, a core moral trait in Islam that promotes approaching all matters with kindness and patience. Many towns had inspectors who would legally punish animal owners who overworked their livestock. 

            Native American cultures greatly value and respect wildlife. The framework of Native spirituality is based on the belief that all animals are living, sentient beings that must be treated with the same respect as humans. The Lakota phrase “Mitákuye Oyás'iŋ” (meaning “all my relations”) teaches that animals, plants, and humans are all related to one another and that the world is interconnected. The Laguna Pueblo perform beautiful deer dances to honor the harvested mule deer at the end of the hunting season. Indigenous tribes avoid waste by using all parts of the animal and discourage overfishing/overhunting. 

            The history of explicit, legal protection for animals is more recent. The earliest Animal Rights law dates to Ireland, with a 1635 law banning the practice of pulling wool from living sheep and tying horses' tails to plows (both practices greatly harm and distress the animals). The 18th-century English philosopher Jeremy Bentham argued that moral questioning about animal treatment should not be based on whether they can reason, but on “Can they suffer?” In 1822, Britain passed “Martin’s Act,” the first nationwide anti-animal-cruelty law, which sought to protect cattle. A little while later, the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA) held its first meeting in England. Across the pond in 1864, Henry Bergh founded The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) in New York City. Both of these foundations still advocate for Animal Rights today. 

            Books played a crucial role in promoting animal rights. Anna Sewell’s 1877 novel, Black Beauty, brought attention to the widespread abuse of horses and garnered public sympathy, leading to the ban on the bearing rein in late Victorian England. Upton Sinclair’s famous 1906 novel, The Jungle, exposed the horrors of the meatpacking industry and the gruesome treatment of the livestock. The book caused public outcry not just for unsanitary food handling but also for widespread animal abuse. However, it was not until 1966 that the United States of America passed the Laboratory Animal Welfare Act, which was later expanded into the Animal Welfare Act to protect animals from abuse. 

            Documentaries and movies have also influenced the animal rights movement. The 2013 documentary Blackfish exposed the psychological and physical effects that captured orcas and other whales experience. The documentary caused a huge decrease in aquarium and amusement park attendance and led California to ban orca captivity. Even kids' movies such as Finding Nemo and Finding Dory have sparked public conversation about the ethics and treatment of fish living in captivity and about what laws can be put in place to protect them. 

Endangered Animals & Habitat Loss

            One of the largest fights for animal rights is the fight for endangered animals. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List contains over 48,000 endangered species globally. When scientists discover a new species, it is often already endangered. Species have been going extinct at a record pace, with the acceleration being linked to human interference and neglect. 

            Incalculable species have been lost. One of the most haunting examples is immortalized through the last recording of Hawai’i’s Kauaʻi ʻōʻō (also known as “the Hawaiian Honeyeater ”). The species was plagued by habitat destruction and hunted by invasive species. In 1987, there was only one male left. The Kauaʻi ʻōʻō mates for life and attracts mates through a beautiful duet where the male calls out, and the female joins in. Scientists from the Alakaʻi Wilderness Preserve on the island of Kauaʻi were able to capture the last call of the last male. He sang out, but no female was left to answer him. The species went extinct the same year. 

            The Kauaʻi ʻōʻō is not alone. In the last decade, thousands of species have been lost, with the IUCN estimating that 150 animals, plants, and fungi are lost every day. Deforestation, climate change, pollution, invasive species, and poaching are the main causes, alongside legislative failure to protect species until it's too late. In 2015, scientists scrambled to save the Bramble Cay melomys, arriving at its endemic home, Bramble Cay, to discover that there were none left. The Pinta Island Tortoise was declared extinct in 2012, with “Lonesome George”, the last of the species, passing away in captivity. The Chinese Paddlefish was declared extinct in 2019 after the construction of the Gezhouba Dam. These casualties, along with countless others, are a permanent wound scorched across the earth. 

The Fight For Change

            The time for action is now. Legislators have routinely failed to address these issues, and many actively contribute to the problem. Money is considered more valuable than life with mining, drilling, development, and endless growth prioritized over species humans have walked with for centuries. 

            It is proven countless times that animals are capable of thought, reason, love, and suffering. Activists are calling for animals to no longer be classified as “property” but as living, sentient beings to help fight the injustices they constantly face. 

            Indigenous leaders across the South Pacific signed a historic treaty that recognized whales and dolphins as legal persons, thus protecting their migration habits and dignity. The legislation, He Whakaputanga Moana of 2024 (meaning “Declaration for the Ocean”), was signed by representatives from Aotearoa, Tahiti, and the Cook Islands. These efforts have extended to Tonga, with similar legislation proposed to protect its whales. 

            Courts in Argentina and Brazil have legally granted personhood to chimpanzees and orangutans in abusive captivity. This allowed the animals to be rescued and released in sanctuaries. Courts in India ruled that nonhuman life has a right to life beyond the roles it plays for humans. 

            Martha Nussbaum, philosopher and author of “Justice for Animals: Our Collective Responsibility”, states in an article for The Harvard Gazette, “The extent of our own implication in practices that harm animals should make every person with a conscience consider what we can all do to change this situation.” This powerful statement affirms that the responsibility for inclusive stewardship of all creation is collective, not one we can ignore or push onto others. 

            The fight for animal rights is not over. Although many species have been lost, it is never too late for positive change. A call has rung out this Animal Rights Week, pushing the world towards action rather than apathy. Hope, instead of hunger, and progress, instead of profit. 

            Mitákuye Oyás'iŋ. “All my relations.” All are connected. All are a family. Everyone is in this together. 

Works Cited

Brink, B. (2026, February 24). The Complete History of Animal Rights Activism: Lions, Tigers & Bears. Lions, Tigers, and Bears. https://www.lionstigersandbears.org/the-complete-history-of-animal-rights-activism/

Billerman, S. M. (2020, March 4). Hawaiian honeyeaters (Mohoidae), version 1.0. Birds of the World. https://birdsoftheworld.org/bow/species/mohoid1/cur/introduction

Earth Law Center. (2025, March 27). Polynesia advances the personhood of whales in legal frameworks. https://www.earthlawcenter.org/blog-entries/2024/7/whale-personhood-in-polynesia

IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Born Free. (n.d.). https://www.bornfree.org.uk/animals/iucn-red-list-of-threatened-species/?gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=18988575285&gbraid=0AAAAADwUqCqykfdR0EJKDDkJFVUPlQ4dn&gclid=CjwKCAjw5s_QBhAdEiwADD_gBmgfIrjcp8nq4AFG3zdoHVi_op5muptv9mD1RayL1DqFFrjccRq1oxoCbDcQAvD_BwE

Harvard Gazette. (2023, January 24). They can think, feel pain, love. isn’t it time animals had rights? Harvard Gazette. https://news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2023/01/they-can-think-feel-pain-love-isnt-it-time-animals-had-rights/

Nonhuman Rights Project. (2026, May 19). https://www.nonhumanrights.org/

Sias, J. J. (2015, October). Ancient Animal Ethics: The Earliest Arguments for the Ethical Consideration of Nonhuman Animals . EngagedScholarshipCSU. Ancient Animal Ethics: The Earliest Arguments for the Ethical Consideration of Nonhuman Animals

Surviving relative of Lonesome George the pinta giant tortoise discovered. Island Conservation. (2024, October 6). https://www.islandconservation.org/surviving-relative-lonesome-george-pinta-giant-tortoise/?utm_source=google-ad-grants&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=22676077138&gbraid=0AAAAAD7jU8qLxW2zUkcDz-pexKeAKqEuZ&gclid=CjwKCAjw5s_QBhAdEiwADD_gBpaIfJKvdaKSIUxchL3jFKzDV4cZt32Z-bscUt9EYK9MDiFRMSi5_xoCiw8QAvD_BwE