What are animals?

rights are a human invention. even we aren't guarunteed rights. however I do beleive that it is right to treat other living beings with respect. especially those that we are using for our own benefit, by taking them on, we should, morally, give them humane conditions.

Good point.

Should animals have rights? Or should we humans give dictate what rights they can have?

Do you think giving rights to animals is a good thing? IF it is, do you think it is our responsibility as humans to figure out those rights and let them have it?

That depends very much on your point of view, your job and how you see animals. Personally, I believe any living thing should have basic rights: food, shelter, no abuse, that kind of thing. I don't get all psychotic over it, so I'd be a bad policy-maker, but I have seen abuse close enough to know that there are some sick people out there who make animals suffer unnecessarily. That kind of activity is just wrong. I believe food animals should be treated with respect, have a decent life while they're alive and be killed with as little pain and stress as possible. I'm not a vegetarian or vegan, but I can understand their points of view - it's their choice, after all. I believe that pets should be treated well, too. They're not toys. In the UK, the RSPCA finally managed to get a law put in place (in 2007, I think) that defines an owner's responsibility to their pet (consisting of 5 things all domestic animals must have, otherwise there's a problem), which is an important step forward - before this, an animal had to suffer before anything could be done; now there are standards. Some people think animals are "lower beings" and can be treated like crap. I don't agree. I don't like it if someone thinks they're superior to me and treats me badly, so why should I act like that to an animal?