The most famous formulation comes from Tom Regan (1983): Animals are “subjects-of-a-life” with beliefs, desires, memory, and a sense of the future. As such, they possess and basic moral rights, including the right not to be treated as property.
Animal rights, by contrast, is a more radical philosophical position. It argues that animals have an inherent right to live free from human exploitation and use. Proponents believe that animals are not "property" or "resources," but "persons" in a legal or moral sense. The most famous formulation comes from Tom Regan
In the rights framework, the cage is not the problem—the ownership of the animal is the problem. Therefore, rights advocates typically call for the total abolition of animal agriculture, animal testing, hunting, and zoos. they possess and basic moral rights