Fish and other living beings can feel pain

Re “Hooked on a myth,” Opinion, Oct. 8

I come unglued every time I hear about researchers still testing animals to see “if they feel pain.” In this day and age, any moron should know that all living creatures with a brain and a central nervous system feel pain. And, yes, they experience many emotions similar to those of humans. They have social structures and varying degrees of cognitive thinking levels, similar to those of humans.

We are all animals, just different species. This is not rocket science and certainly does not warrant any more time, money or effort to test or prove.

JEANNETTE FERRO

Baker, La.

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Finally, researchers are investigating pain in other species. Those people who think it is a sport to catch fish and throw them back because they are not killing fish should reconsider their actions. I look forward to the day when more humans recognize that we are animals just like every other animal on this planet, and we do not corner the market on suffering.

JANE SHAKMAN

Ossining, N.Y.

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People who say fish don’t feel pain are either mentally disemboweled or morally dishonest. If yelling “ow” is the criterion, then mutes don’t feel pain. If being “too small to count” is the key, then professional basketball players can eat the rest of us. If common sense is worth anything, this debate is over. All living beings feel pain. Only arrogant humans feel they are somehow entitled to ignore this simple fact.

TIM I. MARTIN

Corona