In 1822, Richard Martin’s "Ill Treatment of Horses and Cattle Act" (nicknamed "Martin’s Act") passed in the British Parliament. It wasn't about rights; it was about preventing wanton cruelty. This was the birth of the .
For the bear in Pennsylvania, welfare would mean a larger enclosure with trees and a pool. Rights would mean a lifetime in a vast, fenced sanctuary in the wilds of Alaska. Both are improvements. But only one acknowledges that the bear does not exist for our entertainment. In 1822, Richard Martin’s "Ill Treatment of Horses
History shows that welfare leads to rights. The movement to abolish slavery in the 18th century began by improving conditions on slave ships (welfare) and ended by declaring that no human could be property (rights). Similarly, as we watch a dolphin swim in endless circles in a concrete tank, or a pig scream in a gas chamber, the question shifts from "Is this cage big enough?" to "Is there any moral justification for the cage at all?" For the bear in Pennsylvania, welfare would mean
