One-third of Americans think animals should have the same rights as people

Pigs
(Image credit: Matt Cardy/Getty Images)

That figure comes from a Gallup poll released Tuesday in which 32 percent of Americans said animals deserve "the exact same rights as people to be free from harm and exploitation." Sixty-two percent said animals deserve "some" protection but could still be used for the benefit of humans.

Meanwhile, in a Gallup poll from 2012, only five percent of Americans said they were vegetarians. Meaning, either a bunch of people aren't sure what they believe, or a bunch of people think human rights do not include a protection against being eaten. Put a more Orwellian way, the latter explanation essentially amounts to a belief that all animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others.

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Jon Terbush

Jon Terbush is an associate editor at TheWeek.com covering politics, sports, and other things he finds interesting. He has previously written for Talking Points Memo, Raw Story, and Business Insider.