But shouldn't we be nice to puppies?WESLEY J. SMITH What is the
proper Christian view toward "animal rights?" That depends on
how one defines the term. So what's the difference between
animal welfare and animal rights? Animal welfare acknowledges
that humans have unique dignity and value. In direct contrast,
animal rights denigrates human exceptionalism as "speciesist,"
that is, discrimination against animals. Animal welfare
acknowledges that we may benefit from animal husbandry, but that
in so doing, we have the important duty to treat animals
humanely and never abuse them or cause them gratuitous
suffering. Animal rights believers claim that it is immoral to
domesticate animals for any purpose, meaning we should not eat
meat, wear leather, conduct animal research, and for some, even
own dogs. In other words, the ultimate goals of animal welfare
and animal rights are in direct conflict: The former seeks to
improve our use of animals, the latter, to end it altogether. In
this sense, animal rights is actually