Library of Animal Rights History » Animal Welfare-Animal Rights Activists-Advocates-Quotes Against Cruelty to Animals

Slavery of Animals

Slavery, Analogies to; Servitude, Animals as Slaves

Neither was it ever seene that a lion became a slave unto a lion, or one horse unto another in regard of fortitude, like as one man to another, contenting himselfe and willingly embracing servitude as next cousin and a surname appropriate unto cowardise. And as for those beasts which men have surprised and caught by snares, traps, subtill fleights and devices of engins, such if they be come to their growth and perfect age, reject all food, refuse nourishment, yea, and endure thirst, to such extremitie, that they chose to die and seeke to procure their owne death, rather than to live in servitude. (Plutarch [46-120], That Brute Beasts Have Use of Reason)

To sell slaves in that sort, or to turne them out of doores when you have had the service of all their youth, & that they are growen olde, as you use brute beastes that have served whilest they may for age: me thinkes that must needes proceede of to severe and greedy a nature, that hath no longer regard or consideration of humanity, then whilest one is able to do another good. For we see, gentlenesse goeth further then justice. For nature teacheth us to use justice onely unto men, but gentlenesse sometimes is shewed unto brute beasts: and that commeth from the very fountaine and spring of all curtesie and humanity, which shoulde never dry up in any man living. For to say truely, to keepe cast horses spoiled in our service, and dogs also, not only when they are whelpes, but when they be old : be even tokens of love and kindnes. (Plutarch [46-120], Marcus Cato Censor)

And there is no reason, to use living and sensible things, as we would use an old shoo or a rag, to cast it out upon the dunghill when we have worn it, and can serve us no longer. For if it were for no respect else, but to use us alwaies to humanitie: we must ever shew our selves kind and gentle, even in such small points of pitie. And as for me, I could never find in my heart to sell my draught Oxe that had plowed my land a long time, because he could plough no longer for age: and much lesse my slave, to sell him for a litle money, out of the contrie where he had dwelt a long time, to plucke him from his olde trade of life wherewith he was best acquainted. (Plutarch [46-120], Marcus Cato Censor)

(Of Asses that are beaten.) O Nature! Wherefore art thou so partial; being to some of thy children a tender and benign mother, and to others a most cruel and pitiless stepmother? I see children of thine given up to slavery to others, without any sort of advantage, and instead of remuneration for the good they do, they are paid with the severest suffering, and spend their whole life in benefitting those who ill treat them. (Leonardo Da Vinci [1452-1519], Prophecies)

The day has been, I grieve to say in many places it is not yet past, in which the greater part of the species, under the denomination of slaves, have been treated by the law exactly upon the same footing as, in England for example, the inferior races of animals are still. The day may come, when the rest of the animal creation may acquire those rights which never could have been withholden from them but by the hand of tyranny. The French have already discovered that the blackness of the skin is no reason why a human being should be abandoned without redress to the caprice of a tormentor. It may come one day to be recognized, that the number of the legs, the villosity of the skin, or the termination of the os sacrum, are reasons equally insufficient for abandoning a sensitive being to the same fate. What else is it that should trace the insuperable line? Is it the faculty of reason, or, perhaps, the faculty of discourse? But a full-grown horse or dog is beyond comparison a more rational, as well as a more conversable animal, than an infant of a day, or a week, or even a month, old. But suppose the case were otherwise, what would it avail? the question is not, Can they reason? nor, Can they talk? but, Can they suffer? (Jeremy Bentham, An Introduction to the Principles of Morals and Legislation, "Limits between Private Ethics and the Art of Legislation," § 1, ¶4 Footnote 1780 /1789)

Where the mossy riv'let strays, "Far from human haunts and ways, "All on Nature you depend, "And life's poor season peaceful spend. "Or, if man's superior might "Dare invade your native right, "On the lofty ether borne, "Man with all his powers you scorn; "Swiftly seek, on clanging wings, "Other lakes and other springs; "And the foe you cannot brave, "Scorn at least to be his slave.
(Robert Burns, On Scaring Some Water-Fowl 1787)

As an analogy ready at hand, the permission given to the trade in human slaves, makes an obvious breach in the principle of justice, and positively authorizes universal rapine. To plead either law or custom, in such cases, is futile; neither of them being obligatory, when in opposition to the principle of justice. The perpetrators of injustice and cruelty against men, are no longer safe, than they can hold the sword fast in their own hands; the instant it falls (and they hold it by a most precarious tenure) the point turns towards themselves, and they meet their reward—but are we base enough to heap acts of cruelty upon brutes, because we know they are helpless, and cannot retaliate? (John Lawrence, A Philosophical and Practical Treatise on Horses, and on the Moral Duties of Man Towards the Brute Creation, "On The Rights of Beasts," 1796)

Blest Sabbath, hail ! thou day of earthly peace, "That bid'st awhile the poor man's labour cease! "All hail, king harginger of heav'nly rest! "Thou Wisdom's friends ! thou balm of Sorrow's breast! "That giv'st the unpitied brute, by labour waste, "A periodic pause of pain to taste! "Then the meek ox, releas'd from patient toil, "May press the turf, or crop the flow'ry soil; "And the lean ass, with blows and sorrow worn, "May saunt'ring pace the green-hedg'd lane forlorn; "Though still with slavery's badge his loaded feet "Drag galling chains along his rude retreat: "The thistle's scanty leaf, the briery wastes, "Are all the luxury his respite tastes. "Contented as thou crop'st the casual weeds," For man's ingratitude my bosom bleeds.(John Bidlake, The Summer's Eve, 1800)

A time will come when humanity will spread its mantle over everything that breathes. The lot of slaves has begun to excite pity; we shall end by softening the lot of the animals which labour for us and supply our wants. (Jeremy Bentham, Theory of Legislation, Principles of the Penal Code, "The Culture of Benevolence" 1802)

[Since] the barriers offered by difference of nation, of country, of race, have been gradually removed…it is not surprising that the exercise of compassion should be extended beyond the equally arbitrary limit of our own species. (James Macaulay, Plea for Mercy to Animals "Claims of the Lower Animals to Humane Treatment from Man," 1875)

It is only in recent times that slavery and the slave trade have been regarded by common consent as contrary to the spirit of Christianity ; and many evils are still countenanced among nations nominally Christian. We need not wonder, then, at the tardy recognition of the claims of humanity to animals as a moral duty. (James Macaulay, Plea for Mercy to Animals "Claims of the Lower Animals to Humane Treatment from Man," 1875)

In the shipment and sea transport of cattle, sheep, and other live animals…the horrors are like those we used to read of in the holds of the slave-trade ships. (James Macaulay, Plea for Mercy to Animals "Various Forms of Needless Suffering Inflicted by Man," 1875)

And so it comes to pass that the mention of the rights of animals in many a drawing-room of to-day might, I dare say, cause as much mirth as would once have been caused by the proposals to do away with slavery and to give the people votes. (Edward Byron Nicholson, Rights of an Animals, 1879)

If, when the conscience of the nation was first roused on the subject of negro slavery, they had indolently accepted the assurance of the slaveholders that the institution was "useful," and that "every precaution was taken" to prevent Legree from flogging Uncle Tom to death, and had soothed their flocks by referring complacently to couleur-de-rose reports drawn up from memoranda furnished exclusively by slave-drivers, then their position would have been precisely parallel to that which [many of the clergy] now occup[y]. (Frances Power Cobbe, 1884)

The present condition of the more highly organized domestic animals is in many ways very analogous to that of the negro slaves of a hundred years ago: look back, and you will find in their case precisely the same exclusion from the common pale of humanity: the same hypocritical fallacies, to justify that exclusion; and, as a consequence, the same deliberate stubborn denial of their social 'rights'. (Henry Salt, Animals' Rights, "The Principle of Animals' Rights," 1892)

Slavery is at all times hateful and iniquitous, whether it be imposed on mankind or on the lower races. (Henry Salt, Animals' Rights, "The Case of Domestic Animals," 1892)

This, I contend, is a flagrant violation of the rights of the lower animals, as those rights are now beginning to be apprehended by the humaner conscience of mankind. It has been well said that "to keep a man (slave or servant) for your own advantage merely, to keep an animal that you may eat it, is a lie. You cannot look that man or animal in the face. (Henry Salt, Animals' Rights, "The Slaughter of Animals for Food," 1892)