US Lawsuit Demands 'Legal Personhood' For Chimpanzees

[bonnie]

US Lawsuit Demands 'Legal Personhood' For Chimpanzees

Case seeks to designate chimp called Tommy as a 'cognitively complex autonomous legal person'

Pictures of the day: 1 August 2013

The lawsuit states that chimps are entitled to the basic right to be left alone and not held for entertainment or research Photo: Peter Summers/SWNS.com

Reuters 11:53PM GMT 02 Dec 2013

A US animal rights group has filed what it said is the first lawsuit seeking to establish the "legal personhood" of chimpanzees.

The non-profit Nonhuman Rights Project asked a New York state court to declare a 26-year-old chimp named Tommy "a cognitively complex autonomous legal person with the fundamental legal right not to be imprisoned."

The lawsuit seeks a declaration that Tommy's "detention" in a "small, dank, cement cage in a cavernous dark shed" in central New York is unlawful and demands his immediate release to a primate sanctuary.

Chimpanzees "possess complex cognitive abilities that are so strictly protected when they're found in human beings," Steven Wise, the president of Nonhuman Rights Project, told Reuters.

"There's no reason why they should not be protected when they're found in chimpanzees," he added.

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The lawsuit on Tommy's behalf is among three the group is filing this week on behalf of four chimps across New York. The other chimps are Kiko, a 26-year-old chimp living on a private property in Niagara Falls, and Hercules and Leo, two young male chimps used in research at Stony Brook University on Long Island, the group said.

Tommy's owners, Patrick and Diane Lavery, and Stony university did not immediately return requests for comment. Kiko's owners could not be reached on Monday.

The Nonhuman Rights Project used its own research to find the chimps, and Wise first visited Tommy in October after reading a local newspaper article about exotic animals kept at the Laverys' used trailer lot in Gloversville, New York, about 50 miles (80 km) northwest of Albany.

"He looked terrible," said Wise, who previously observed healthy, wild chimps in Uganda. "Hey looked like a caged chimpanzee - they don't move, they don't look at you. They look depressed."

The lawsuit states that chimps are entitled to a "fundamental right to bodily liberty," which Wise told Reuters is the basic right to be left alone and not held for entertainment or research.

The lawsuit was filed at "the earliest point at which we have some reasonable chance at winning," said Wise, a well-known animal rights activist and author of books including the 2000 title "Rattling the Cage: Toward Legal Rights for Animals."

"These are the first cases in an open-ended, strategic litigation campaign," he said. "We're just going to keep filing suits."

Nonhuman Rights Project in 2007 began a nationwide search for an optimal venue to file the lawsuits, Wise said. New York was ultimately chosen because of its generally flexible view of requests for a writ of habeas corpus, the centuries-old right in English law to challenge unlawful detention, he said.

David Favre, a professor at Michigan State University College of Law and an expert on animal law, said it is the first habeas petition filed on behalf of an animal.

"The focus here is whether a chimpanzee is a 'person' that has access to these laws," said Favre.

The lawsuits come as medical authorities re-examine the employment of chimpanzees in research in light of new technology that renders the use of chimpanzees less necessary.

In a decision applauded by animal rights groups, the US National Institutes of Health in January said it was reducing its use of chimps in biomedical research, retiring most to sanctuaries. At the time, NIH Director Dr. Francis Collins called chimps "very special animals" that deserve "special consideration."

[ClubV12]

Whats next, dolphins? :)

[Liz]

Whats next, dolphins?

That is exactly what I was thinking! In fact, I'm surprised that they aren't first.

[phkrause]

That makes sense, they did come first after all.

[bonnie]

That makes sense, they did come first after all.

Curious,if this became a fact can people marry a chimp? If the chimp is declared a person why not?

[ClubV12]

Rumor has it the antideluvians did....

[bonnie]

Rumor has it the antideluvians did....

Maybe we are going full circle

[olger]

We should probably ordain them too.

g

[Gerr]

Shouldn't our ancestors be protected?

[Neil D]

We should probably ordain them too.

There is no biblical precidence, so no ordaining chimps....

[debbym]

they are really desperate to give these chimps animal rights to be going so far as to attempt to give them status as human beings legally.

they are beings, with needs, and feelings. and people who have sensibility can feel the need to properly care for them.

we are responsible for how we treat them, and care for them. if people are neglecting or mistreating them, the people responsible should be able to be held responsible, and given options if they cannot do right by the animals.

[phkrause]

Rumor has it the antideluvians did....

Well sounds about right, didn't I hear somewhere: "as in the days of Noah?"

[olger]

FORSOOTH

I SAY

[Bravus]

Arguably less potential for harm than recognising corporations as people...

[bonnie]

Arguably less potential for harm than recognising corporations as people...

Corporations are made up of human beings. Regardless of any law passed a chimp will always be a chimp.

There is potential for great harm in this.

If a chimp is recognized as a human being,exactly what "rights" are being given to chimps?

[ClubV12]

The same rights a human of limited intelligence would have, I guess. An advocate, appointed by the court, to supervise their well being in all regards. Income, housing, lifestyle, medical care, etc. Similiar to an older person with alzhiemers I would think.

I can't help but introduce the controversial comment by Ellen White about "amalgamation", of both man and of beast.

Some say it that way, the amalgamtion of both man and of beast. But she stated it differently, an amalgamation of man and beast. Offspring of a man, with a beast, mixed?

Of course "science" says that is impossible today. But I'm not convinced it was impossible in the antideluvian world. I hold to the possibility that Ellen White meant to say exactly what it appears she said. A mix of man with animal creating a sub species of human.

[Neil D]

I can't help but introduce the controversial comment by Ellen White about "amalgamation", of both man and of beast.

Some say it that way, the amalgamtion of both man and of beast. But she stated it differently, an amalgamation of man and beast. Offspring of a man, with a beast, mixed?

Of course "science" says that is impossible today. But I'm not convinced it was impossible in the antideluvian world. I hold to the possibility that Ellen White meant to say exactly what it appears she said. A mix of man with animal creating a sub species of human.

And what do we think of this? Is it possible?

http://www.macroevolution.net/human-origins.html#.UqCwzuLAt5t

[Neil D]

Originally Posted By: Bravus

Arguably less potential for harm than recognising corporations as people...

Corporations are made up of human beings. Regardless of any law passed, a chimp will always be a chimp.

There is potential for great harm in this.

And there is not great harm in this by letting corporations be recognized as people???

Have we looked at how much money was spent and where that money came from? How many corporations have bought politicians? Why the continued polarization of people?....We are not as united as we think we are...

[bonnie]

And there is not great harm in this by letting corporations be recognized as people???

Have we looked at how much money was spent and where that money came from? How many corporations have bought politicians? Why the continued polarization of people?....We are not as united as we think we are...

Chimps can never pay taxes,employ people,pay their benefits and salaries,produce goods and services to the human race.

[ClubV12]

Nor can those deprived of at least a reasonable level of intelligence pay taxes, etc.

[olger]

By the way Brethren. The United Nations is considering assigning human rights to the Earth. Read the Earth Charter and Agenda 21.

As Randy saith - "You ain't seen nuthin yet.."

[Neil D]

Quote:

Chimps can never ,,,,produce goods and services to the human race.

I disagree with this part...People are willing to pay to go see Chimps and thier behavior at zoos...the result is the good feelings that humans get from that experience...thus they do produce "goods and services to the human race"...

But the real question is why are corporations legalized as a person...Notice, corporations are people, that is plural of persons...and yet, only certain sections of that "person" get to vote,[thus giving an advantage over those who have only ONE vote}, get to mold the taxation system such that they do NOT pay taxes or very little taxes, become instant million/billionaires and for those corporations like Walmart, become a burden to society by under paying thier employees...This is an injustice and many of you, on this board approve this type of society...

[bonnie]

I disagree with this part...People are willing to pay to go see Chimps and thier behavior at zoos...the result is the good feelings that humans get from that experience...thus they do produce "goods and services to the human race"...

[ClubV12]

There was a time when grossly deformed PEOPLE also brought "happiness" and money to those who paraded them, as if in a zoo.

Personhood for Chimps would likely lead to them being removed from public display. In the same way people "freaks" have been removed from public display.

[Neil D]

Originally Posted By: Neil D

I disagree with this part...People are willing to pay to go see Chimps and thier behavior at zoos...the result is the good feelings that humans get from that experience...thus they do produce "goods and services to the human race"...

Not surprising that you do. By all means this law will need to include all animals in the zoo as they all do the same. A beautiful fall day does the same for me,let's include the trees