Abstract:As the most outstanding representative of the animal rights movement,Tom Reagan used large amount of fierce language to appeal for animal rights. However,lacking persuasive theoretical arguments in the origin of the animal rights theory,basis of existence,definition of the protective scope etc made his proposition of “empty cage theory”did not have realistic feasibility in practical level. Undeniably,as a realistic theoretical representation form,animal rights theory was still be regarded as one of the most significant progress on the development of human ethics.