Utilitarianism Versus DeontologyEssay Preview: Utilitarianism Versus DeontologyReport this essayUTILITARIANISM VS. DEONTOLOGY 1Utilitarianism vs. DeontologyPatricia KohlerEthics in Contemporary Society07-07-16UTILITARIANISM VS. DEONTOLOGY 2An ethical dilemma currently occurring in the Stanislaus County Animal Shelter is the act of euthanizing unborn kittens to a feral cat being spayed. Is it morally and ethically right to end the life of a healthy animal just for the sake of keeping them off the streets? I will be looking at this issue through the ethical theories of Utilitarianism and Deontology, as well as trying to find a solution through Care Ethics.
The issue at hand here is the shelter staff is running a TNR program, which is trap, neuter and release feral and stray cats. When a female comes in pregnant, the kittens are euthanized humanely while still in the uterus. The cats are caught in traps and released back into the same neighborhood they came from. The majorities of these cats are feral and have had little or no contact with humans. They are very aggressive and cannot even be held outside of a cage. Letting these kittens go is a way to help the feral cat population as well as save these kittens from an untimely death or suffering on the streets. Some people would like to see these kittens raised and fostered and adopted out if possible. How do you foster a feral pregnant cat that has no intention of letting a human near it, let alone its kittens? This is where the argument starts.
Some people who help with the TNR program are very upset that those kittens are killed. They believe shelter staff are portraying an unethical concern and following the Deontology theory. In other words, they are just doing what the administration tells them to do, their duty, without understanding the consequences of their actions. Shelter staff believes in the TNR program and believe they are helping the homeless cat
UTILITARIANISM VS. DEONTOLOGY 3population of our county by humanely euthanizing kittens that don’t stand a chance of survival in the streets. They are practicing Utilitarianism theory, which is the concept that the act itself is morally right because it is a good outcome for the group. The group, in this case, is the population of homeless cats.
The Utilitarianism side of the argument would like people to know that feral cats do not live a good life on the streets. The average life span of a feral cat is two years. This is due to disease, harm from other animals, harm from humans, and starvation. According to an article based on a study done on the reproductive rate and kitten survival rate, (JAVMA, vol225, no.9, Nov. 1, 2004) the numbers prove to be alarmingly high for reproduction and very low for survival. Each feral cat in a colony can have 1.4 litters per year, with 3-5 kittens in each litter. A colony of feral cats can have at least 10 adult female cats and 3 adult males. This means in one small area of town, a colony can produce 30 to 60 kittens in under a year. There are thousands of cats colonies roaming around our county. The study also showed 75% of the kittens born in these colonies died before they were 6 months of age. Thus the shelter staff believes
JAVMA, vol225, no.9, Nov. 1, 2004—
[Reference] The Utilitarianism side of the argument would like people to know that feral cats do not live a good life on the streets. The average life span of a feral cat is two years. This is due to disease, harm from other animals, harm from humans, and starvation. According to an article based on a study done on the reproductive rate and kitten survival rate, (JAVMA, vol225, no.9, Nov. 1, 2004) the numbers prove to be alarmingly high for reproduction and very low for survival. Each feral cat in a colony can have 1.4 litters per year, with 3-5 kittens in each litter. A colony of feral cats can have at least 10 adult female cats and 3 adult males. The study also showed 75% of the kittens born in these colonies died before they were 6 months of age. The shelter staff believes this is the worst type of shelter in the county by not allowing feral cats to be maintained at all. The idea that feral cats are not natural predators is a fallacy when you consider the fact that feral cats are also not the type of birds they often are. The best way to conserve feral cats is by keeping them loose. Any time we lose a feral cat the city or town will take notice.
[Reference] The Utilitarianism side of the argument would like people to know that feral cats do not live a good life on the streets. The average life span of a feral cat is two years. This is due to disease, harm from other animals, harm from humans, and starvation. According to an article based on a study done on the reproductive rate and kitten survival rate, (JAVMA, vol225, no.9, Nov. 1, 2004) the numbers prove to be alarmingly high for reproduction and very low for survival. Each feral cat in a colony can have 1.4 litters per year, with 3-5 kittens in each litter. A colony of feral cats can have at least 10 adult female cats and 3 adult males. The study also showed 75% of the kittens born in these colonies died before they were 6 months of age. The shelter staff believes this is the worst type of shelter in the county by not allowing feral cats to be maintained at all. The idea that feral cats are not natural predators is a fallacy when you consider the fact that feral cats are also not the type of birds they often are. The best way to conserve feral cats is by keeping them loose. Any time we lose a feral cat the city or town will take notice. [Reference] The Utilitarianism side of the argument would like people to know that feral cats do not live a good life on the streets. There are only five feral cats in the city.
We will have to make some adjustments if we believe that many cats are feral. That is not something to keep out of your mind. The most important thing is to leave cat litter alone for now. A well established research center has confirmed this fact.
The Utilitarianism side of every argument is very, very wrong. I am not the only one.
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This was based on my own experience and research and is still available online. My experience, opinions, and books include The Theory of Humane Exports, The International Trade Foundation, and The Humane Trade Foundation. Other animal rights organizations: The American Veterinary Medical Association, American Humane Association, Humane Society of the