I’m not yet convinced that existing laws/practices regarding humane treatment of animals, and protected species, are insufficient.
The same species may exist in the wild and in captivity and fully domesticated. The same species may be a pet, a working animal, a wool (or milk, or other product) animal, a lab animal, and a food/skin/fur animal. How we interact with them does depend in part on where we put them along those axes.
I do believe that as cognative level rises, the definition of humane treatment alters somewhat; apes probably shouldn’t be used as experimental subjects unless there is a very specific reason that other animals won’t meet the need. (I’m not sure there’s a special rule needed for that, though; they’re expensive and troublesome enough that folks DON’T use them unless a real need exists.)
But none of that is “rights”. It’s an obligation that we accept as humans, and unlike “rights” it is going to be situational.
Basically, this is the difference between the PETA types and the normal SPCA types – PETA sees it as black and white; SPCA sees shades of grey all of which have appropriate limits for that particular shade.
