He or she might decide that it is wrong to perform a medical procedure that sacrificed an animal, even if it saved a human life, because that would violate the animal's right to life. As with animal welfare, individuals' beliefs about animal rights vary a lot. The 1911 Protection of Animals Act defines cruelty as the infliction of 'unnecessary' suffering. The definition of what constitutes 'unnecessary' suffering ultimately depends on your viewpoint as to what you perceive as unnecessary. Whilst to others with a different set of values, livestock farming is a legitimate use of animals, and is not cruel as long as any suffering is minimised.
Some people believe that keeping pets brings unnecessary suffering to the animals concerned.
However it is clear that without the need for these animals, they wou1d soon disappear from our lives altogether and probably cease to exist. We must also remember that the natural world is a world in which wild animals live and die without our intervention. The vast majority of wild animals in our hedgerows, fields, woodlands and wetlands die of disease, starvation and cold, without the veterinary assistance afforded to our domestic animals. Suffering will be involved but this is necessary to secure the survival of the species as a whole. The Countryside Alliance believes that we have a duty to manage animals well and responsibly.