What does it mean to feel pain exactly? Do humans and animals feel pain in the same way? Pain to me is an unpleasant feeling that is uncomfortable. In the article Hooked On a Myth by Braithwaite she acknowledges that maybe fish do feel pain. When humans feel pain specialized nerve endings called nociceptors alert us to the damage. Fish have the same two types of nociceptors that we do. Animals are more like us than we think. From the article studies show that scientist stimulated the nociceptors by injecting bee venom or vinegar under the skin of the trout. This makes the fish go wild and its gills beat faster. Although they feel some type of pain they heal better than we do. Pain can be emotional or physical.
I just think we should respect animals more because whether we acknowledge it or not animals are more like us than we think. How do we not want scientist to test on humans but volunteer poor animals to be tested on. They have feelings. They cry, suffer, experience stress, affection, excitement, and even love. Just like our parents can teach us what they know, animals can teach us too. In Rifkins article, "A Change of Heart about Animals" a gorilla named Koko was taught sign language. How amazing is that? Scientist and researchers should really think twice before they do these things especially on stupid things. Unless it's finding a cure for cancer or diseases then animals should not be tested on. Certain animals are more like us, so this will help in finding cures. Even then who am I to say that's the right thing to do?
I completely agree that animals are more like us than we put into consideration. Animals do deserve respect and kindness just like the way we expect to be treated. People may say that it's completely different because a wild lion could kill you so why should we have to respect the lion that wants to eat us, but we have that knowledge of knowing that we can say no to hurting the lion, although I can't tell you what is going through the lion's head. I just believe that any kind of animal cruelty is wrong, except if it helps find cures for cancers or diseases like you said in your post.
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