Chapter 5 Animal Ethics
The greatness of a nation and its
moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated.
Mahatma Gandhi
5.1 The companionship of man and animal
Dear children, the relationship
between human and animal is very old. From the very beginning of civilization,
animals have always been available for human life in the form of protectors,
coworkers and sometimes as their best friends.
Name some of the
animals that are old companions of man and also tell how man used them in
ancient times.
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No. |
Animals |
Usage |
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Children, the reason for this
association of human being and animals is not just the benefits we get from the
animals as these speechless creatures have not only divided our work but they
have also been our companions in our pleasures and pains. Do you know that
animals are just like us in many ways?
Let's try to find out the
similarities between the human and animal world by filling the blanks given
below.
Word Box
Pain, Family, Love,
Breathe, Happy, Cherish, Cry
1. Animals_______ in the way of human
beings.
2.
They feel____________ just like human beings.
3. They get______ just like us.
4. Animals also_____ when they are in
pain.
5. They have a______like human
beings.
6. They_____and_______ others just
like us.
We came to know that animals are just
like us in many ways. They too have emotions, memory and the ability to learn
to some extent but we are not completely alike. Nature has provided some
qualities more to us and some to the animal world. Can you tell that:-
1. In what ways are animals
inferior to us?
2. Which qualities do
animals have more than us?
Children,
the earth is not just our planet, nature has made it common to humans, flora,
fauna, birds and many other kinds of living beings. As man is the best creation
of nature because of his mental power, it is his duty to respect and take care
of all the living beings on earth.
5.2 Every creature is
special
Dear children, in older times man
lived very close to nature but the development of civilization and the race of
modernity have taken us far away from the rest of the living beings on earth
and the natural environment.
1. While discussing in class, look for
the animals and creatures you see around you.
2. Out of the creatures you see
around you, write down the animals you like or dislike stating the reasons
behind it.
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Animals/Creatures I
like |
Reason |
Animals/Creatures I
dislike |
Reason |
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Children,
we like or dislike most of the animals or creatures because of their appearance
or certain qualities which is not correct. If we look in-depth, every creature
or object has an important role in nature. Try to find at least one quality or
benefit of the animals/creatures you disliked and note it down in the following
space.
Discuss in the class if
you still have the same thoughts about the animals/creatures that you disliked
for some reason.
5.3 Human purpose
versus animal
Dear children, this is the age of
machines. Today machines do the work for which we used to depend directly on
animals in the past. But our dependence on animals has not completely disappeared.
Can you tell for which purposes animals are used these days?
What
do you take from animals?
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Sr. No. |
Obtained item |
Is it right to get that thing? |
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Animals have always been used for
human purposes. There are so many things which we can get without harming them
but many things can't be obtained harmlessly. We must find another alternative
to such things. If it is very important then we must be careful to minimize harm
to them. We must remember that animals are living beings just like us, not the
machines to give us products. They feel happiness and sorrow. They also love
their children and feel as much grief as we do, on getting separated from their
families. Like us, animals also have a strong desire to live.
Answer the following questions keeping in view the
inconvenience caused to animals by human activities and their relationship with
human beings:
Q.1. Have the animals being
benefitted or harmed with their usage by humans? Give arguments for your
answer.
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Q.2. What right does man
have to use animals for human purposes?
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Q.3. Should animals have
the right to live in their natural environment?
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Q.4. Explain the damage
done to animals by human development and modernization.
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
World
Health Day is celebrated on October 4 every year to raise the status of animals
in our society.
There are many organizations working
for the welfare and protection of animals. Try to find out some of these
organizations working in India and the work they do.
5.4 Responsibility towards animals and their
safety
Dear children, the major difference
between human beings and animals is that animals are not selfish. They do not
harm us unless they feel threatened by us, but the human being is so selfish
that without understanding the feelings of the animals he uses them, imprisons
them and even kills them many times.
1.
Read the following sentences and explain what is going wrong with that animal
or bird and how it can be stopped.
1. Parrot imprisoned in
a cage
2. Animals
wandering/roaming on the roads
3. Testing of medicines on
rates, rabbits etc.
4. Injured birds with
kite strings.
5. Mules, camels and other
animals carrying heavy loads.
6. Poultry raised for meat
and eggs.
7. Animals used in circus.
Children,
it is our fundamental duty under the constitution to have compassion for all living
beings. In addition to this India has enacted laws for the protection of
animals, such as the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960 and the
Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, which make cruelty to animals a punishable
offence.
2. Read the following
sentences and complete the story according to you.
Mayank was taking a
walk with his friend Kirat. Suddenly he heard a puppy crying on the road. He
saw some naughty children teasing a puppy. The puppy was injured.
Share
your story with other students in the class.
Special suggestions from the teacher to the student
