The Universal Declaration of Animal Rights was solemnly proclaimed on October 15, 1978, at UNESCO House in Paris. The declaration constitutes a philosophical stance on the relationship that must now be established between the human species and other species.

The philosophy is founded on modern scientific knowledge and expresses the principle of the equality of species with regard to Life. It provides humanity with a code of biological ethics. Universal egalitarianism is not a new concept; it is seen in civilisations predating Western civilisation and in religions quite different from the Judaeo-Christian tradition.

But these ethics needed to be stated clearly and firmly in today's world which has already suffered considerable disruption and is constantly threatened with destruction, violence and cruelty.

While humanity has gradually managed to draw up a code of rights for its own species, it does not hold any special right over the universe, being, in fact, only one of the animal species on the planet and one of the most recent. Life does not belong to the human species; man is neither the creator nor the exclusive owner of Life. Life belongs equally to fish, insects, mammals, birds and even plants.

In the living world, man has created an arbitrary hierarchy not found in nature and which only takes into account specifically human uses. This anthropocentric hierarchy has given rise to specism, i.e. the adoption of different attitudes towards different species, destroying some, while protecting others, declaring some to be "useful" and others "pests" or "fierce", reserving the term "intelligence" for the human species, whereas animals are merely granted "instincts". Specism is what led man to believe that animals do not experience suffering as humans do. Today it is quite clear that, on the contrary, animals do experience physical suffering in the same way as humans, and that animal thought, related to the presence of a central nervous system, is far more complex than neuroscience had suggested, which therefore means that animals also experience mental suffering. These faculties confer special rights on animals in comparison to vegetables.

The Universal Declaration of Animal Rights is designed to help humanity restore its harmonious relationship with the universe. It is not designed to revive the lifestyle of primitive tribes. It is a stage during which humans will come to respect life in all its forms, for the benefit of the entire biological community to which humankind belongs and on which it depends. The Declaration must not divert attention from the fight against human poverty and suffering, both mental and physical, against rampant selfishness, political detention and torture. Quite the opposite. By observing respect for animal rights, human rights will also be respected, the two being inseparable.

The Universal Declaration of Animal Rights presents humanity with a philosophy, a code of biological ethics and a code of moral behaviour which, when given careful consideration, and when true awareness is developed, will help the human race resume its proper position amongst the different living species as part of the balance of nature, this being a basic prerequisite for the very survival of the human species.

This means that the human species must change present attitudes and abandon anthropocentrism, as well as all forms of zoolatry, so as to adopt a mode of behaviour and moral code based on the defence of Life and grant precedence being given to biocentrism.

With such ambitions, the Universal Declaration of Animal Rights constitutes a key stage in the history of human intelligence and moral considerations.