Many animal lovers think animals don't just deserve protection in a paternalistic way. They say that animals have rights that must be respected.

Rights are much more important than interests, because rights impose a burden on others that the other parties must accept.

If animals do have rights then there are certain things that human beings should not do to animals, because doing them would violate the animal's rights.

This applies regardless of the cost to human beings. If humanity must suffer some disadvantage as the consequence of respecting animal rights, then that's the way it has to be.