Legal Rights for Chimpanzees?

           The New York Supreme Court judges will have a lot to consider when Steven Wise presents a lawsuit on behalf of Chimpanzees to be treated as human beings, not just animals. Steven Wise is the founder and president of the Nonhuman Rights Project, their aim is to give captive chimps the rights of a “legal person.” The NRP plan to present to the court four different cases of captive chimpanzees who need help and be the voices for Tommy, Kiko, Hercules, and Leo in the upcoming trial. While reading Chimps Should be Recognized as ‘Legal persons,’ lawsuits claim, covered by Holly Yan and Mayra Cuevas, I couldn’t help but feel sorry for these animals. Two live in cages on private property, while the other two are used by the New Iberia Research Center at Stony Brook University in a “locomotion research experiment.”

These animals do not deserve to live their lives in cages or to be used in experiments for human research which is why the Nonhuman Rights Project is fighting for their rights. Joyce Tischler of the Animal Legal Defense Fund explained that the “legal person” lawsuit helps these chimpanzees because they don’t necessarily need to be human to be given the same rights as a legal person. Although chimpanzees are not the only animals that are mistreated by their owners, they cannot be included in this lawsuit. “‘Lawsuits have to address a real problem faced by an individual plaintiff. You cannot sue on behalf of all animals everywhere,’ Tischler said.” The NRP hope to act as a protective service for Tommy, Kiko, Hercules, and Leo by removing them from their owners and moving them to an animal sanctuary to live in a more natural environment with their own kind. Cruelty toward all animals is upsetting and should be stopped, the Nonhuman Rights Project plans to continue their efforts to provide basic rights for all animals.