Should dolphins and whales have the right to life, liberty and wellbeing?

Should cetaceans [marine mammals] have the right to life, liberty and wellbeing


  • Total voters
    23

bill barilko

Senate Member
Mar 4, 2009
6,041
583
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Vancouver-by-the-Sea
We already give special status to dolphins and whales by not eating them. No one can say, "I had dolphin sushi for dinner last night."
FYI-you are abysmally out of touch with culinary reality-a number of societies regularly eat Cetacean meat-Iceland, Norway & Japan come to mind.



 

Tonington

Hall of Fame Member
Oct 27, 2006
15,441
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We don't need to kill Porposes or Orcas. Their relationship with each other we should leave to them.
Both of these creatures are intelligent enough that they don't deserve to be slaughtered by man if they
get caught in out fishing nets as happens in Japan fairly regularly.

That's all well and good, but the right to life, liberty, and well being? They're wild animals, you can't incarcerate nature for killing or maiming...sure we can make laws to protect species and their habitats, and to punish illegal hunting, but that's about as far as we should go.

I voted unsure. If you mean legal rights, I'm very unsure, though I would certainly support laws against outright cruelty. Morally though, I avoid zoos, aquariums and such to not encourage it with my money.

Do you know that some zoos and aquariums spend money on research and habitat protection? Some take in injured animals that cannot be rehabilitated. There is nothing morally wrong about teaching people about consequences, about biology.
 

#juan

Hall of Fame Member
Aug 30, 2005
18,326
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=Tonington;1550104]That's all well and good, but the right to life, liberty, and well being? They're wild animals, you can't incarcerate nature for killing or maiming...sure we can make laws to protect species and their habitats, and to punish illegal hunting, but that's about as far as we should go.

We are talking about beings that are very close to the top of the food chain. Porposes or dolphins seem to enjoy interacting with
humans. I don't think a dolphin has ever harmed a human but the Japanese kill hundreds every year when they get snarled in fishing nets.
Killer whales have attacked humans the odd time here and there but usually when the whales are in captive pools that are too small.

There shouldn't be any hunting of these animals.
 

Goober

Hall of Fame Member
Jan 23, 2009
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Moving
We are talking about beings that are very close to the top of the food chain. Porposes or dolphins seem to enjoy interacting with
humans. I don't think a dolphin has ever harmed a human but the Japanese kill hundreds every year when they get snarled in fishing nets.
Killer whales have attacked humans the odd time here and there but usually when the whales are in captive pools that are too small.

There shouldn't be any hunting of these animals.

Do we give them the vote:p
 

earth_as_one

Time Out
Jan 5, 2006
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Intelligence is NOT the rule by which the value of a life should be judged.

In fact, that is a very dangerous road to start down
Why? Are you personally afraid of something? ;)

If some dolphins are just as intelligent as some humans, then why shouldn't some dolphins have the same protection as us. I'm talking about the right not to be exploited by humans... ie held in captivity or hunted as food and habitat protection. Possibly even a right to support and welfare.

I'd like to see conclusive proof of a high intelligence first before awarding human rights to non-humans.
 

skookumchuck

Council Member
Jan 19, 2012
2,467
0
36
Van Isle
"We affirm that all cetaceans [marine mammals including dolphins, whales and porpoises] as persons have the right to life, liberty and wellbeing."

Just who the hell do they think they are? Sounds PETA ish to me.
I never advocate either cruelty or harrassing wildlife but NO bunch of fame seeking disingenuous nanny staters is going to force their bull**** down my throat!
The regulations we have in place to protect Dolphins and Whales/Orcas are more than sufficient.
 

bill barilko

Senate Member
Mar 4, 2009
6,041
583
113
Vancouver-by-the-Sea
We are talking about beings that are very close to the top of the food chain. Porposes or dolphins seem to enjoy interacting with humans.
So do Dogs but people eat Dog daily-this is life!

I don't think a dolphin has ever harmed a human but the Japanese kill hundreds every year when they get snarled in fishing nets. Killer whales have attacked humans the odd time here and there but usually when the whales are in captive pools that are too small.

We kill thousands of cuddly Rabbits per year by logging their habitat-should we lose sleep over it?

Your precious 'Dolphins' have killed a number of humans-did you not see the post upthread about Orcinus Orca?

There shouldn't be any hunting of these animals.
Says who?
 

Goober

Hall of Fame Member
Jan 23, 2009
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Moving
Why? Are you personally afraid of something? ;)

If some dolphins are just as intelligent as some humans, then why shouldn't some dolphins have the same protection as us. I'm talking about the right not to be exploited by humans... ie held in captivity or hunted as food and habitat protection. Possibly even a right to support and welfare.

I'd like to see conclusive proof of a high intelligence first before awarding human rights to non-humans.

How about we agree they have a better moral compass and character then yourself. Pick one and we look after that one. You go swimming. Fair to me. Make the deal?
 

damngrumpy

Executive Branch Member
Mar 16, 2005
9,949
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kelowna bc
A couple of questions of note here, Colpy you are right it would be a dangerous road to go down
Goober, if we were to attach intelligence to the aspect of human rights there are those on this
forum that should immediately be concerned from time to time, (yes I jest). The problem is we
would then have to do a study to determine which animals and maybe even plants were smart
enough to have rights. That would mean they would be off limits for eating I suppose because they
would have the right to determine whether or not they would want to be part of the food chain.
dolphins and whales are intelligent creatures that is not the point, they are subject to the will of
humans. Personally I don't think we should be whale hunting and I don't know any dolphins so
I don't care one way or another.
 

earth_as_one

Time Out
Jan 5, 2006
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Putting a human in a confined space and forcing them to do stupid tricks on command indefinitely would probably lead to violence. I'm surprised more captive whales and dolphins haven't killed people. Perhaps they have more compassion for us, than we do for them.
 

taxslave

Hall of Fame Member
Nov 25, 2008
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Intelligence is NOT the rule by which the value of a life should be judged.


In fact, that is a very dangerous road to start down

If that were the case dippers lives would not have much value.

Putting a human in a confined space and forcing them to do stupid tricks on command indefinitely would probably lead to violence. I'm surprised more captive whales and dolphins haven't killed people. Perhaps they have more compassion for us, than we do for them.

Ever been in a government office?