Are Animals Always Commodified in the Context of Business?

Abstract

This chapter applies our anti-commodification analysis of animal ethics (Clipsham and Fulfer, Ethics, Policy & Environment 19 (3): 285–300, 2016) to the following question: When is it ethically acceptable to use animals to generate a profit? We begin by explaining the anti-commodification principle, which claims that there is something prima facie morally problematic with the commodification of nonhuman animals. We then motivate our decision to employ this specific ethical principle to help us distinguish between ethically permissible uses of animals in business from those uses which are not permissible. Finally, we apply the anti-commodification principle to three different industries that profit from the use, exchange, or enjoyment of animals. First, we turn to a discussion of the animal entertainment industry and point to the ways that this industry could potentially involve or avoid problematic animal commodification. Second, we explore the ways that animal commodification often arises in the animal companion (or “pet”) industry. We then close with a discussion of what would have to be true of animal agribusiness for it to be free of problematic animal commodification.