Buddhism and Animal Welfare
Western views of Animal rights
Buddhist views of animal rights:
Zoos in SE Asia:
Animal cruelty in SE Asia (in Buddhist countries)
Wildlife Trade
- Animal Rights and What Everyone Needs to Know great overview book that gives the history, ethics and actions of Western Animal rights campaigning (State library, Sydney Uni, Burwood and Canterbury libraries have it - let me know if I need to buy it for us)
Buddhist views of animal rights:
- BBC - Religions has a very brief overview of the positive and negative aspects of Buddhists attitudes toward animal welfare.
- Animal welfare in different human cultures traditions and religious faiths. (Asian-Australasian journal of Animal Science). Looks at historical, cultural, philosophical and traditional factors of different countries and their effect on animal welfare in them.
- Norm Phelps' The Great Compassion: Buddhism and Animal Rights outlines key elements of Buddhist relationship with the earth and it's inhabitants. Hower, you need to check with your teacher before using a book chapter in your media file.
- Phillip a Lesco's Do no harm: A Buddhist View on animal Use in Research (Journal of Religion and Health December 1988, Volume 27, Issue 4, pp 307-312) investigates the clash between Buddhist need to do no harm to animals and the Buddhist need to relieve human suffering. It can be accessed through the State library.
- Second Buddhist Conference on Animal Welfare. You might be able to find the papers presented here, perhaps contacting Dharma voice for Animals...
- Buddhist Animal Release Practices looks at the potential ecological effects of one particular Buddhist practice - release large groups of animals into the wild.
- “The controversy of animal rights and human values: ethical solution in western thought and Madhayamaka Buddhist philosophy” compares views about animal welfare in “Utilitarianism”, Deontological Ethics and Buddhist ethics and tries to ind common ground.
- “Nonviolence to Animals, Earth, and Self in Asian Traditions” - compares the concept of "non-violence" in different traditions.
Zoos in SE Asia:
- Ethics and Animal Welfare Evaluations in South East Asian Zoos (Journal of Applied Animal Welfare Science, Vol 5, No. 1, 2002). The researchers conducted an animal welfare study on 3 in Thailand. consider the willingness of zoos to 'fix' things as well as the actual conditions.
Animal cruelty in SE Asia (in Buddhist countries)
- Asia for Animals Coalition have reports on victories against animal cruelty in places like Vietnam in regards to the inhumane slaughter of pigs for festival celebrations. They have articles on animal welfare across Asian countries. They cover areas of animal welfare from companion animals to wildlife animals and have a number of articles and stories on current situations and wins in helping wildlife escape captivity or inhumane treatment.
- An article in the news about Vietnams’ youth taking a stand and going against traditional celebrations/religious celebrations to stop the cruelty to animals at these events. They are saying it is no longer necessary to do these cruel acts to animals for old traditions. They have been showing the footage of animals’ ill-treatment at these festivals on online media to make people see what is occurring to help with animal welfare organisations to see the banning of animal cruelty at these. Some of footage is pretty disturbing.
- New laws to stop the mistreatment and exploitation of animals is still not enough. More is needed to be done to help animals being mistreated and exploited and there is not enough backup by law enforcement to help with ceasing the cruelty that occurs. At least more public awareness by people from media sources of the problems still around concerning animal welfare at tourist attractions will help put a stop to people wanting to see and do these acts to animals.
- International Animal Law, with a Concentration on Latin America, Asia, and Africa (2005) A report on the countries involved in and either following or not complying with or not enforcing the International Animal laws in their countries. It describes the differences between countries studied in the report and their findings on why these animal laws were or were not being followed. It could be religious reasons, cultural reasons or even tourism that causes problems for animal welfare.
Wildlife Trade
- Asia for Animals Conference. This is the tenth conference and they explain some of the lecturers appearing at the conference and their aims and wants for changes to animal welfare in Asia. The article is a meta-study with a wide representation of scientific researchers summarising their studies on animal welfare. From there you could look up the various researchers in a particular area that is of interest.