Historic new declaration for animals!

Montreal Declaration on Animal Exploitation: Stop the exploitation of animals

More than 500 scientists in new statement: Exploitation of animals is morally indefensible

More than 500 researchers from 39 different countries, specializing in moral and political philosophy, declare that it is fundamentally unjust and morally indefensible to exploit animals. This is stated in the new declaration, the Montreal Declaration on Animal Exploitation, which has just been published. In it, the researchers condemn the practice of treating animals as objects or commodities. They therefore believe that efforts should be made to close slaughterhouses, end fishing, and develop plant-based food systems. The declaration is an important milestone in the recognition of animals' right to freedom from human oppression.

“Like when you say yes when you get married”

One of the researchers who signed the statement is Raffaele Rodogno, associate professor at Aarhus University. In connection with the publication of the statement, he said:

“As a philosopher and expert in ethics, it is important for me to sign this declaration because of the message it sends: Many of us who spend a lot of time thinking about this issue agree on the conclusion: The exploitation of animals cannot be justified. Personally, it is also important for me to sign a declaration like this. It has a similar effect to saying ‘I do’ when you get married. You make your commitment public and thereby strengthen it.”

Rodogno hopes that the declaration will be used in schools and higher education institutions, and that it will be used in formal and informal political forums across nations to raise awareness of animal interests – and hopefully change people's attitudes in the right direction. We believe that it can help answer questions such as: "Is it wrong to eat meat?", "Why be vegan?" and "Why is fur bad?". The declaration states:

“Because it unnecessarily harms animals, the exploitation of animals is fundamentally unjust. It is therefore essential to work toward ending exploitation, particularly by striving to close slaughterhouses, ban fishing, and develop plant-based food systems.”

Intelligence level is not decisive

The signatories argue that the arguments used to support the exploitation of animals are irrelevant—especially those concerning animals' "inferior" mental abilities, such as an animal's ability to compose symphonies or perform advanced mathematical calculations. Rodogno welcomes this message:

“We should not inflict pain on these animals or violate their interests. The fact that humans may be more intelligent than other animals in certain respects should not give us the right to violate this principle, just as this principle should not be violated when humans interact with less intelligent members of their own species.”

Although the signatories' work is rooted in different philosophical traditions, these researchers agree on the need to change our relationship with other animals by ending their exploitation. They stand together in rejecting speciesism, which assigns some animals more rights than others based on their species. Such a position, previously held by a few individuals who were particularly empathetic to the plight of animals, is now supported for the first time by hundreds of scientists who have devoted their careers to ethical considerations.

More researchers can lend their support

The declaration was created on the initiative of researchers at the Centre de Recherche en Éthique de Montréal. In its ethical dimensions, it can be seen as an extension of the 2012 Cambridge Declaration on Consciousness, which states that non-human animals are conscious beings and are sentient. If you have a PhD in moral or philosophical philosophy and agree with the Montreal Declaration, you can still lend your support. Interested researchers can sign the declaration on the Centre de Recherche en Éthique de Montréal website.

References

One of the researchers who signed the declaration is Raffaele Rodogno from Aarhus University. Rodogno is available for interviews to elaborate on his decision to sign the declaration.
Rodogne can be contacted at: filrr@cas.au.dk or tel. +4587162259

Publication
The declaration was published on October 4, 2022. In English, it is called the Montreal Declaration on Animal Exploitation, but in this post we refer to it as the Montreal Declaration on the Exploitation of Animals, or simply the Montreal Declaration. You can read more here:

Link to the Montreal Declaration translated into Danish

Link to the website where people with a PhD in moral or philosophical philosophy can sign the Montreal Declaration