A deep-dive and development of animal rights theory

Zoopolis: A Political Theory of Animal Rights was published in 2011 by Oxford University Press and is authored by Sue Donaldson and Will Kymlicka. The first thing I’ll say about this is that’s is a very academic book. As its title promises, the book offers an alternative framework that is more sensitive to the complexities of human-animal relations.

Until I read this book I didn’t know that were various theories on animal rights, but it makes sense. Each individual likely has their own opinion or “theory” about how much rights animals should have, and these collective theories might (and must) evolve over time. So whose animal rights theory (ART) is the best one?

Donaldson and Kymlicka provide their opinions and evidence in this book—perhaps they might have even changed since.

Highlights I thought were worth mentioning:

• The authors’ ART combines negative rights (i.e. the right not to be killed, separated from its family, or abused) with positive relational rights (i.e. the right to habitat, rest, environmental design, rescue, and care).
• Humans have inviolable rights, and they suggest animals should too.
• Could animals be governed as citizens? The authors suggest yes; animals have a level of agency, even though it may not be at the same level as humans. Examples are service dogs and resisting animals be performers at circuses. Animal also have social norms.
• The authors talk at length about human disability theory as an example of how we can apply it to ART.
• Domesticated animals are bred and killed unnecessarily and will always be dependent on humans. For example, dogs are raised to participate in a symbiotic relationship with humans. This is different from the abolitionist theory (i.e. dogs should be left in the wild and not be raised by us at all), which may be seen as too unpractical or harsh.
• The authors present 9 presuppositions of domestic animal citizenship, and consider what an application of their ART to wild animals might look like. For example, we could feed wild animals to ensure their survival—but avoid feeding wild bears that might happen to wander in our backyard.
• We can’t ignore animals or isolate from them, so perhaps they should be assigned a denizenship; that they are co-residents with reduced rights and responsibilities vs. be granted citizenship, similar to how the Amish and certain Indigenous tribes are isolated communities but not considered citizens with voting rights of a country.
• The authors present many examples of their framework in the real world.

If you’re fascinated with animal rights theories throughout history and want to consider how they might apply in today’s world, Zoopolis should be on your radar. I’d say we are still far from coming together on a prevailing ART 14 years after this book was published, and that’s sad and long overdue.

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