New Era Dawning for Animal RightsAtlantic Free Press, September 3, 2009
Changes in the emerging field of animal law can come in many areas
including: strengthening animal cruelty laws, providing standing for
animals or animal "guardians" to enforce animal cruelty laws, allowing
damages for intentional harm to animals and passing legislation
increasing the rights of animals. According to Diane Sullivan, the
founder of an animal rights program at the Massachusetts School of Law
at Andover, "Animal law is a rapidly expanding field that is becoming
an important aspect of our social policy." http://www.atlanticfreepress.com/news/1/11345-new-era-dawning-for-animal-rights.html Only in Boulder: A Home for Pet 'Guardians'March 29, 2009: The Colorado Daily News published
a story about a Boulder, CO ordinance that changed the term 'owner' to
'guardian' in city ordinances dealing with pet animals. Boulder was the
first city to legally refer to pets' 'owners' as 'guardians'
and in the wake of the change In Defense of Animals, an animal-rights
group, started a campaign to convince other cities to follow suit. In
the past nine years, 18 cities have made the change, ranging in
temperament from Berkeley, Calif., to Bloomington, Ind. http://www.coloradodaily.com/news/2009/mar/29/only-boulder-pet-guardians-owners/
Owner/Guardian Up For VoteFebruary 17, 2009: Ukiah Daily Journal reports that the Ukiah
City Council is scheduled to vote on whether or not it wants to endorse
a compromise position of changing city code to read "owner/guardian"
instead of "owner" in reference to the city's dogs and cats or pass a
resolution encouraging the use of "guardian." http://www.ukiahdailyjournal.com/ci_11722152 Austria: Activists Ask European Human Rights Court To Declare Chimpanzee A 'Person.' May 21, 2008: Animal rights activists, trying to get a chimpanzee
declared to be a person, have filed an appeal with the European Court
of Human Rights in Strasbourg, France, after the highest court in
Austria rejected the activists' request to have a trustee appointed for
the chimp. The court declared that only a human is entitled to have a
guardian and refused to recognize the chimp as a person. http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2008/05/21/europe/EU-GEN-Austria-Chimp-Challenge.php Second Primate Legal Guardian Case
May 4, 2007: The Scotsman (UK) reports that a second legal
guardian case for a chimpanzee has been filed in Austria. Jane Goodall,
who is known for her work with chimps, has agreed to testify that apes
should be treated like humans.
Austrian Court Denies Chimp Legal Guardian
April 26, 2007: According to Nature, an Austrian judge denied the request to appoint a legal guardian to a chimpanzee. In a court hearing on April 24, the judge denying this request said that “ if she appointed a legal guardian for a chimp, then this might increase the public perceptions that humans with court-appointed legal guardians are at the same level as animals.”
Should Apes Have Rights?
March 29, 2007: BBC News (UK) reports on the growing international movement to provide apes with “personhood rights.” Examples of this movement include the question of legal guardianship for a chimp before the Austrian court, the Balearic Parliament support for apes having the right to life, freedom, and protection from torture, and Spanish MPs considering support for a similar proposal.
Austria Court to Rule if Chimp has Legal RightsThe Observer (UK), April 01, 2007 – Judges in Austria are
considering whether to grant a chimpanzee human status by allowing a
human to become the chimpanzee’s legal guardian. Under existing law,
only humans have a right to legal guardians. Read the article Debatable — Should pet owners be made pet guardians?The Journal Times
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