The Nonhuman Rights Project is a national organization that is working towards legal rights for various animal species besides humans. Their goal "is to change the common law status of at least some nonhuman animals from mere 'things,' which lack the capacity to possess any legal right, to 'persons,' who possess such fundamental rights as bodily integrity and bodily liberty, and those other legal rights to which evolving standards of morality, scientific discovery, and human experience entitle them". They recently filed a lawsuit on behalf of a chimpanzee, Tommy, in Gloversville, NY, who is living in captivity; they are fighting for him to be recognized as a legal person, which would mean that he would have the right to not be imprisoned.
This article further explains the case; it also mentions that this case is different from others in the past because of the concern with the legal rights of animals, rather than just animal welfare.
Do you think nonhuman animals should have legal rights? If so, do you think there is a relationship between violating the rights of animals and violating the rights of humans (for instance, is a system that violates animal rights perhaps more likely to violate human rights)?
I was going to post this! So interesting, and such a good thing to think about at the end of the course!
ReplyDeleteThis case is really intersting because it explores the limits of Habeas Corpus in the American legal system. Does this right also apply to animals? It is obviously a very difficult question to answer. A really important distinction that the article makes is that they are not implying that the chimpanze should return to the wild or should be set free to roam the city, but that the court remove him from his owners and place him in a sanctuary. I’m in RAWR, the animal rights group on campus, so this case is really a landmark in regards to animal welfare as well as rights. If an animal is being held in conditions which are unsitable to live comfortably, why would it be strange to fight for the animals rights against unlawful imprisonment? I am really curious to see whether or not they are successful in their fight and whether or not this will spark more cases pushing for more animal rights. I also wonder if the case if being brought up only because a chimpanzee is more similar in regards to the genetics of a human. Do you think someone would have as stong of a case with any other type of animal or is there no distinction?
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