Welcoming, Wild Animals, and Obligations to Assist

AbstractWhat we could call ‘relational non-interventionism’ holds that we have nogeneral obligation to alleviate animal suffering, and that we do not typically havespecial obligations to alleviate wild animals ’ suffering. Therefore, we do not usually have a duty to intervene in nature to alleviate wild animal suffering. However, there are a range of relationships that we may have with wild animals that do generate special obligations to aid—and the consequences of these obligations can be surprising. In this paper, it is argued that we have special obligations to those animals we have historically welcomed or encouraged into our spaces. This includes many wild animals. One of the consequences of this is that we may sometimes possess obligations to actively prevent rewilding—or even todewild —for the sake of welcomed animals who thrive in human-controlled spaces.
Source: Journal of Agricultural and Environmental Ethics - Category: Medical Ethics Source Type: research