ABSTRACT
An important strand of animal rights theory (ART) starts from the premise that all animals with a subjective existence-that is, all animals who are conscious or sentient beings-should be viewed as the subjects of justice, and as the bearers of inviolable rights. The idea that animals possess inviolable rights is a very distinctive view which goes beyond what is normally understood by the term ‘animal rights’. So it is important for us to clarify what we mean by inviolable rights, and why we think animals possess them.
