Animals Get Legal Recognition as ‘Sentient’ Beings in New Zealand
ANIMAL RIGHTS - VEGETARIANISM, 15 Jun 2015
Positive News – TRANSCEND Media Service
8 Jun 2015- New legislation in New Zealand dictates that animals can feel both positive and negative emotions, and takes steps to improve animal welfare in research.
The Animal Welfare Amendment Bill, passed in May, also says that owners must “attend properly to the welfare of those animals”.
“To say that animals are sentient is to state explicitly that they can experience both positive and negative emotions, including pain and distress,” www.animalequality.net quotes Dr Virginia Williams, chair of the country’s National Animal Ethics Advisory Committee, as saying.
“The explicitness is what is new and marks another step along the animal welfare journey,” she added.
The legislation also marks progress in connection with animal testing for research purposes.
It dictates that checks must now be made as to whether there has been “assessment of the suitability of using non-sentient or non-living alternatives in the project,” and “replacement of animals as subjects with suitable non-sentient or non-living alternatives”.
The Independent reports that president of the New Zealand Veterinary Association, Dr Steve Merchant, said: “Expectations on animal welfare have been rapidly changing. The bill brings legislation in line with our nation’s changing attitude on the status of animals in society.”
Go to Original – positivenews.org.uk
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The animals recognized as sentient beings in New Zealand is very important decision for animal welfare, the animals and plants too have consciousness like us. They have sentiments like us, we must recognize and honor them as we know that life has evolved from single DNA with cell division and Genetic recombination. The Indian culture recognize them as our fellow beings and as such worship plants and animals in symbolic way. The life is eternal one may take birth in Plants or Animal as per his deeds in life. AS such we must behave with them like member of our family, ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam’ the earth is one family.
The discovery of the double helical structure of the DNA by the Watson and crick 1953 has brought revolution in modern biology and subsequent recombinant DNA technology. It has open new vista in the history with gene cloning and development of transgenic plant and animal species for domestic purpose. To recognize plants and animals for our welfare require attention that we may take birth as plants or animals to face consequences of our deeds and violence against animals. It should be checked in cordial way.