Kindness to Animals
Compassion should extend to all living beings; cruelty to animals is spiritually harmful and reflects a deficiency of character.
The Bahá'í writings extend the circle of moral concern to include animals. 'Abdu'l-Bahá insisted that cruelty to animals reflects and reinforces cruelty toward humans. Compassion and mercy are universal virtues that cannot be selectively applied — a person who is genuinely compassionate will be kind to all sentient beings.
Blessed is he who preferreth his brother before himself.
The Bahá'í inclusion of animals in the circle of moral concern connects it to Buddhist and Jain animal ethics.
Tablets of Bahá'u'lláh