"The day will come when men will know the innermost nature of animals, and on that day, a crime against an animal will be considered a crime against humanity."
Leonardo da Vinci (1452-1519)
As you can see, there has been concern for animals for five centuries. But it was only in 1978 that their rights were registered, when UNESCO approved the Universal Declaration of Animal Rights. Dr. Georges Heuse, secretary-general of the International Center for Human Biology Experimentation and an illustrious scientist, was the one who proposed this Declaration. Below, you can check the text of the document, which was signed by several countries, including Brazil.
Universal Declaration of Animal Rights
Art. 1 - All animals are born equal before life and have the same rights to existence.
Art. 2 - Man, as an animal species, cannot exterminate other animals or exploit them by violating this right; he has the obligation to put his knowledge at the service of animals.
Art. 3 - Every animal has the right to attention, care, and protection by man. If the death of an animal is necessary, it must be instantaneous, painless, and not cause distress.
Art. 4 - Every animal belonging to a wild species has the right to live free in its own natural environment, whether terrestrial, aerial, or aquatic, and has the right to reproduce; any deprivation of freedom, even for educational purposes, is contrary to this right.
Art. 5 - Every animal belonging to a species traditionally living in the vicinity of man has the right to live and grow at the rhythm and under the conditions of life and freedom that are proper to its species; any modification of this rhythm or these conditions, imposed by man for commercial purposes, is contrary to this right.
Art. 6 - Every animal chosen by man as a companion has the right to a lifespan corresponding to its natural longevity; abandoning an animal is a cruel and degrading act.
Art. 7 - Every animal used for work has the right to a reasonable limitation of the duration and intensity of that work, restorative food, and rest.
Art. 8 - Animal experimentation that involves physical or psychological suffering is incompatible with animal rights, whether it concerns medical, scientific, commercial, or any other type of experimentation; substitution techniques must be used and developed.
Art. 9 - If an animal is raised for food, it must be nourished, sheltered, transported, and slaughtered without causing anxiety or pain.
Art. 10 - No animal should be exploited for the amusement of man; animal exhibitions and shows that use them are incompatible with the dignity of the animal.
Art. 11 - Any act that implies the unnecessary death of an animal constitutes biocide, that is, a crime against life.
Art. 12 - Any act that implies the death of a large number of wild animals constitutes genocide, that is, a crime against the species; pollution and the destruction of the natural environment lead to genocide.
Art. 13 - A dead animal must be treated with respect; scenes of violence against animals must be prohibited in cinema and on television, unless they are intended to highlight an offense against animal rights.
Art. 14 - Organizations for the protection and safeguarding of animals must have representation at the governmental level;
Animal rights must be defended by law just as human rights are.
Source: IBGE
