Today marks the 12th annual World Day for the End of Speciesism. Speciesism is the systemic oppression of nonhuman animals by humans, and it is deeply ingrained in our society in countless ways.
At its core, speciesism is discrimination based on species. We often think about it as a hierarchy: some species of nonhuman animals are loved and protected, while others are harmed, exploited, or viewed primarily in terms of what they can provide to humans. But all species of nonhuman animals are affected by speciesism in some capacity.
We can look at animal testing as one example. Our minds may first go to smaller animals like mice, rats, and rabbits, which are commonly used in laboratories, or to primates when we think about more invasive forms of animal research. Cats and dogs, however, are victims too.
In Canada, laboratories across the country use cats and dogs, whether they are purpose-bred or were once someone’s companion before being found or acquired through a shelter and ultimately sold to a research facility. When the public learned that an Ontario hospital was using dogs in research, people were outraged — as was the Premier, and rightfully so. Shortly afterward, he committed to ending the use of cats and dogs in research. Unfortunately, significant concerns remain with the regulations set to take effect on January 1, 2027, but the public response demonstrated that change is possible.
When the public learned about the use of primates at an Ontario university and concerns surrounding their treatment, there was outrage here too. People protested the university, called and emailed its leadership, demanded the animals’ release, and called for the laboratory to be shut down. Yet the same political momentum has not followed.
People are outraged about cats, dogs, and primates being used in research and testing, although often to varying degrees. At the very core of all of this lies the broader issue of speciesism: the belief that nonhuman animals, regardless of species, exist to serve a purpose or function for humans.
We have accepted and legalized an enormous range of injustices inflicted on nonhuman animals. The question is whether we have the courage and dedication to challenge that status quo — so that practices we may once have accepted as a “necessary evil” eventually become unconscionable.
As these harms are brought into the public eye, our society will increasingly be forced to confront what we have normalized. The challenge is to turn that awareness into meaningful cultural and political change, and to push policy toward a more ethical, humane, and just future for all beings.
