Ethics is what philosophy applies to everything that refers to morality, but in a broad sense it encompasses the character and arising actions. It is the attribute of men only, among all other living beings. In general, ethics applies to the man who understands what is right and behaves in his way of living, never violating the precepts of citizenship (ethics and citizenship are two fundamental concepts in people's lives, relating to how they interact). On ethics, it is to be said that worldwide it is treated as the foundation of morality, applying itself mainly as the inviolable banner of Medicine.

Aristotle, the Greek philosopher (384 BC-322 BC) wrote about 350 BC, the book on the Parts of Animals, considered the first treatise on comparative anatomy and physiology. There he left a description of more than 400 animal species. Aristotelian rationality advocated ethics in an end or a good, therefrom resulting in happiness, above all other purposes. I think that as for this there is no need to disagree.

Jesus and Ethics

Jesus, the ultimate example of an ethical being!

I reflect that those who always act according to the Christian recommendations contained in the "Sermon on the Mount" and the teachings resulting from the Parables that the Highest Master proclaimed about the Kingdom of Heaven - and how to conquer it – that person can be considered ethical. I imagine that the exercise of ethics, in fullness, is the conquest and patrimony of Pure Spirits, evolved.

Men and animals

Since ethics is a behavior that results from thought, its application is subordinated to free will, in all and any activity, among them, the treatment of animals. The animals, all of them, allocated by Nature in habitats adapted to their existence, survive thanks to the physiological automatisms specific to each species.

In the early days of civilization, man, for his benefit, domesticated animals to use their physical strength, or as a source of food (the strongest: elephants, camels, oxen, horses, mules); and others (smaller ones: dogs, cats, goats, rabbits, some birds, etc.), these as a company, so they removed them from their respective natural habitats and took them into their shelters, their homes. Some were used by man as a source of food.

From this coexistence resulted a strong dependence of the domestic animals to man. Living together, the owners observed that the animals presented characteristics and fundamental organic needs, just like theirs, demanding care. As an example, I mention five of them: hunger, thirst, cold, fatigue, pain.

For these animals, this radical change of addresses, over the centuries – even millennia - changed some of their natural habits: climate protection was replaced by shelters and coats; natural food, which until then they had conquered by themselves, is now guaranteed to them almost in the usual human form, receiving rations, appropriate for each animal species; when they were ill, the instinct directed them to seclusion procedures, or the ingestion of herbs, being currently receiving veterinary treatment, besides vaccine prevention, and so on.

Millennia have passed, and in many countries, domestic animals account for millions. It was not long, and researchers, from centuries and centuries, began to examine animals, to acquire knowledge of their organic structure, especially the internal one.

Laboratory Animals

In order to elaborate these simple comments, I am here only as a small thinker and a simple person interested in the subject "Ethics for animals" (the title of this text), about which – for some years - I read scientific works published in various sources. There are so many... The methods of animal research, and its evolution, culminate, in the present day, with ample legislation, standing out several laws and norms, all allusive to the ethics in the use of animal samples that must always be processed with anesthesia, without pain and without trauma.

Although the practice of ethics is almost exclusive to humans, it cannot be inferred that men abandon it when regarding animals. No! Nowadays, animals in laboratories are submitted to scientific experiments for medical purposes, aiming to find means, procedures and drugs that cure diseases - mostly human ones, but some of them for their own selves (animals). The purpose is valid, but the form is unfortunate, since most of these researches result in the death of the guinea pig.

Scientists and researchers, who experiment with animals, find them fully justifiable, since the goal they seek is a solution to a number of health problems that afflict Humanity (and in some cases, even animals). Animals are elements of the same equation: they cannot be excluding, in the case of psychophysiological and psych biophysical researches.

In fact, there are several benefits of scientific animal testing, proven by solid, purely medical bases. However, such benefits are not indefensible, before an also consistently based argumentation, these of humanitarian order, and, above all, Christian. "Animals in laboratories" is an undeniable reality, a factor of permanent controversy, among researchers, on the one hand, and on the other, the countless NGOs that protect animals; I am one of those who support them unconditionally, because if it were not for their dedication, thousands and thousands of animals would die in complete abandonment.

Science, in particular Medicine, has as indispensable the tests with animals, that respond by the advances in the alternative methods, researches and the results, with objectives to soften the pain, to cure diseases and to develop methods of organic repairs.

As far as the alternative animal-dispensing methods are concerned, although they have made much progress, they still do not dispense experiments and tests with them, such as vaccines, biological compatibility of prostheses, and the like. I acknowledge the fact, disagreeing with it.

Ethics for animals

Considering the exalted wisdom in all that is in Nature, as the work of the supreme Creation, whose magnanimous and sublime artisan is God, it is a good thing to understand and accept that we were created with inexorable responsibilities, either towards the family, towards our neighbor, and Nature. "Nature" here, I particularly focus on animals and their life.

Spiritism, already from its very first work (Allan Kardec's "The Book of Spirits") contemplates animals with multiplied texts, in which he considers them as "sons of the same Father - God", from which he proclaims that men , being brothers, more evolved, they owe them protection, respect and love. Teachings from the Most High record that we humans come from the lower realms in the continuous pendulum movement of successive lives - now incarnate, now disembodied. Always progressing, learning, evolving, and loving God and neighbor, and animals as well.

Having subtracted a few animals from wildlife to urban life, man automatically became responsible for their lives. Such responsibility encompasses giving comfort to your animal, ensuring its survival and peaceful living.

Precisely at this point the human being’s ethics comes on the scene towards all animals:

● in the day-to-day living with their animals, men ("owners") must follow with constant attention changes in their behavior; almost always, are indicative of some organic abnormality. To do so, depending on the situation observed, it will be advisable to do exams with a veterinarian, and treatment, if applicable;

● horses have already helped immensely to civilization (pack animals have been useful for millennia) so it is high time that no more carts, carriages, and wagons exist, because vehicles transport people and loads without sweat, and especially without pain;

● elephants, lions, tigers, bears, seals, horses and monkeys were not born to "delight" the public in the circus, as well as dolphins and seals in artificial aquariums; they are animals that in Nature sleep without electric lights, without bands playing, without public applauding;

● the so-called "sport fishing" is extremely cruel; piercing the fish's mouth and then releasing it is a counter-claim, nonexistent in people who respect Nature;

● the same thing with "fox hunting", "pigeon hunting" and unacceptable safaris in Africa, all resulting always in macabre trophies;

● rodeo, “vaquejada”*, “apartação” *... declared and testimonial, constitute unprecedented violence against the horses and oxen used, which, after the spectacles, remain stressed and sad, with traumas, not infrequently injured. Do you doubt it? Then look into their eyes;

*Translator’s note: Copied from Linguee:

The Vaquejada (Bull-catching) is a sport and tourist-cultural event, being characterized

 as one of the strongest cultural expressions of the Brazilian’s Northeast.

“Apartação” is the act to separate the cattle for a purpose, especially the calves.

● bullfights and "ox spree" - those in Spain and Portugal, and this one in Brazil - are of unspeakable wickedness, a true official permission to murder, with sadism;

● zoos, cages and aquariums represent, no more, no less, than the life imprisonment of natural innocents;

● the "good man" never abandons an animal that shows limitations and deficiencies, especially in its old age; for the times of living with it, love and respect speak louder in his heart and so this fellow is treated with kindness until the end...

● euthanasia: exclusive decision of the owner, out of love, before the pain of his friend, after hearing the veterinary doctor who testifies an incurable disease. Procedure under anesthesia. (God knows the intention of this owner...);

● castration: also a decision of the owner; as for me, yes, if in the benefit of the offspring.

Conclusion

In conclusion, when Humanity is ethical, we will be living in a regenerated world, in which Good is significantly greater than evil.