Animal Rights?

You read Denise Maxwell's comment on  this article  here earlier, but I thought it was worthy of more comments.  I know most farmers are aware of the situation whereby animal rights activists want to eliminate human use of animals entirely.  I am not sure where the notion of animals having rights comes from.  I know some think it emanates from Disney movies.  I guess if  you do not grow up with animals, you lose sight of the fact that animals do not talk.

Since the beginning of human history, humans have used animals to feed and clothe themselves.  Animals have been used as beasts of burden, work animals, and hunting helpers.  The human use of animals is supported in the archeological record whereever humans have lived.  The notion that animals have rights cannot come from history.

What do animal rights activists think will happen to farm animals when we can no longer use them for anything except as pets?  How many pigs will there be.  How many horses will people keep if they cannot ride them?  How many cattle will there be if we are no longer allowed to eat a steak?  How will we keep deer from overrunning our crops if we can no longer harvest the deer by hunting?  What will we eat when crops are destroyed by animals with no natural predators in the area?

The above article does a good job explaining  the difference between animal rights and animal welfare.  When will the campaign start to give animals a trial by a jury of 12?