Who supports animal rights?
Two major surveys have been conducted to try to answer this question; both yielded similar results. Most rightists tend to be white urban women in their thirties, with an associate or bachelor’s degree, “a median income of $33,000” and a few pets (Oliver 209). Fifty two percent of those surveyed believed that “science does more harm than good” (212). This is a huge contrast with most Americans, 60% of which think that “science does more good than harm,” and “only 5 percent believe that science does more harm than good” (212). In addition, 55% of activists disapproved of “animal research which does not harm animals and which helps people” (212). These are very disturbing statistics. Ironically, 87% approved of keeping pets, something the animal rights philosophy considers slavery (212). Pet owners, researchers, farmers, breeders and animal caretakers all tend to be animal welfarists. Rightists, on the other hand, tend to have little, if any, experience with animals. Their few attempts t
