동물보호와 동물복지론 - 유럽 상황을 중심으로 -

Abstract

This article explores animal welfare issues centered on Europe. The European idea has formed that the most basic interests of animals should be afforded the same consideration as the similar interests of human beings. This idea contrasted animal perspectives stemmed from the Bible that is the idea of a divine hierarchy based on the theological concept of "dominion," from Genesis. The 21st-century debates about how human beings ought to treat animals can be divided into two theories: a utilitarian and a rights-based one. The former is exemplified by Peter Singer, and the latter by Tom Regan. Their differences reflect a distinction philosophers draw between ethical theories that judge the rightness of an act by its consequences (utilitarianism, which is Singer's position), and those that judge acts to be right or wrong in themselves, almost regardless of consequences(rights-based approach, which is Tom Regan's position). The author focuses, as realistic approach of animal protection, on animal welfare rather than animal rights. Specially this article concentrates on how European countries have treated animals since 1960s. In Europe there have been so many measures to promote animal welfare for the last decades. Conventions to protect domestic animals during transport, farming and slaughter were established by the Council of Europe and approved by many European states. The European Union(EU) started discussions on animal welfare in the 1980s and adopted a series of Directives to protect farm animals. Furthermore, the EU recognized that animals are sentient beings in the Amsterdam Treaty, and recently measures to improve the protection and welfare of animals are outlined in an Action Plan of the period 2006-2010. The Action Plan is being put into practice through a series of concrete initiatives. They are all role models that Korea pursues for the improvement of animal welfare.