International community should hang its head in shame on

The international community should hang its head in shame for not recognizing rights of animals, a species which served the humanity from the time of Adam and Eve, the Supreme Court held today.
A bench headed by Justice K S Radhakrishnan expressed concern over torture of animals at the hands of human beings and even hoped that Indian Parliament would one day elevate rights of animals as constitutional rights.
"We may, at the outset, indicate unfortunately, there is no international agreement that ensures the welfare and protection of animals. United Nations, all these years, safeguarded only the rights of human beings, not the rights of other species like animals, ignoring the fact that many of them, including Bulls, are sacrificing their lives to alleviate human suffering, combating diseases and as food for human consumption," Justice Radhakrishnan said.

"International community should hang their head in shame, for not recognizing their rights all these ages, a species which served the humanity from the time of Adam and Eve," he said.
The bench, however, noted that there has been a "slow but observable shift" from the anthropocentric approach to a more nature's right centric approach in International Environmental Law, Animal Welfare Laws etc.
The bench made the observations while banning Jallikattu events or bullock-cart races across the country.

It said based on eco-centric principles, rights of animals have been recognized in various countries including Germany where the dignity of the animals is constitutionally recognised.

"Countries like Switzerland, Austria, Slovenia have enacted legislations to include animal welfare in their national Constitutions so as to balance the animal owners' fundamental rights to property and the animals' interest in freedom from unnecessary suffering or pain, damage and fear," it said.
"When we look at the rights of animals from the national and international perspective, what emerges is that every species has an inherent right to live and shall be protected by law, subject to the exception provided out of necessity.
"Animal has also honour and dignity which cannot be arbitrarily deprived of and its rights and privacy have to be respected and protected from unlawful attacks," it said.