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Rhode Island Bill Would Recognize Animals as Sentient Beings

Rhode Island bill H 7639 would recognize animals as sentient beings for all purposes within the animals and animal husbandry title of the state’s statutes. It would require that “[a]ll reasonable actions shall be taken . . . to provide for the humane, ethical and responsible treatment of animals.” The bill was referred to the House Judiciary Committee.

Trailblazing Animal Rights Lawyer Steven Wise Passes Away at 73

Renowned animal rights lawyer, Steven M. Wise, known for his pioneering efforts to secure legal rights for animals,passed away at age 73 on February 15, 2024, after a prolonged illness. Wise founded the influential Nonhuman Rights Project in 1995, advocating for animals' recognition as legal persons with inherent rights. His groundbreaking cases, including advocating for chimpanzees and elephants, shifted legal discourse on animal personhood. Despite encountering legal obstacles, Wise's work shed light on the plight of captive animals and prompted societal recognition of their suffering. Wise also made significant contributions to academia, teaching at esteemed institutions and authoring numerous influential law review articles and books on animal legal personhood.

New Book Explore Legal, Ethical and Philosophical Aspects of Animal Rights

Raymond Wacks, Animal Lives Matter: The Continuing Quest for Justice (India: Routledge India, 2004).

Summary: Animal Lives Matter provides a comprehensive analysis of the legal, philosophical, and ethical aspects of animal rights. It argues that the subject extends beyond the matter of our obligations towards animals, to include our wider responsibilities for protecting the environment. Drawing on numerous moral, political, legal, religious, and philosophical theories including utilitarianism, deontology, rights theory, social contractarianism, and the capabilities approach, the author meticulously examines the questions of sentience, speciesism, personhood, and human exceptionalism. Lucid, nuanced, and academically rigorous, this important book will be an essential resource for scholars of law, politics, philosophy, ethics, as well as policy makers and the general reader.

Animal Advocates Protest for Animal Personhood in Mysuru, India

Activists from the Vegan India Movement staged a demonstration near Dufferin Tower in Mysuru, India, demanding personhood status for animals. Protesters condemned animal abuse and exploitation for human interests, highlighting the increasing cruelty towards animals. They emphasized the moral equivalence of suffering among all beings and called for a ban on industries that exploit animals.

Utah Advances Bill Rejecting Legal Personhood for Nature and Non-Human Animals

Utah lawmakers advanced a bill to prevent the granting of inherent rights to nature and non-human animals. House Bill 249, the “Utah Legal Personhood Amendments,” provides that only human animals may enjoy the legal rights and obligations of personhood. The Utah House passed the bill on January 30, 2024, and it now faces consideration by the Senate. Republican Representative Walt Brooks introduced the bill, countering efforts to grant personhood to the Great Salt Lake. Brooks argues it is "common sense" to reserve personhood for humans, citing concerns like sexual harassment against cows used for their milk. Democratic Representative Joel Briscoe questions the need for such prohibition without evidence of harm.

French Court Awards Damages to Cat in Landmark Animal Cruelty Case

In a groundbreaking move, a criminal court in Lille, France, has awarded damages to a cat named Lanna, marking the country's first such decision. Lanna was tragically found dead in a garbage bin in July 2023, after her owner admitted to beating her with his fist and wooden slats. The court granted €100 in damages to Lanna, to be directed to the Animal Protection League of northern France, a civil party in the legal proceedings.

Honolulu Judge Dismisses Nonhuman Rights Project's Case for Elephant Liberty

Hawaii First Circuit Court Judge Gary W.B. Chang granted the Honolulu Zoo's motion to dismiss the Nonhuman Rights Project's (NhRP) case on behalf of elephants Mari and Vaigai. The NhRP sought a writ of habeas corpus on behalf of the two elephants, demanding the elephants’ right to liberty and release to a sanctuary. Judge Chang ruled that the writ of habeas corpus is limited to humans and dismissed the case "without prejudice," leaving room for reconsideration if another legal remedy is identified. The NhRP plans to appeal the decision, arguing that existing animal welfare laws fail to adequately protect nonhuman animals like Mari and Vaigai, and advocating for an extension of habeas corpus protections to address their unjust captivity.

New Book Explores Why Legal Protection for Animals is Important for Humans

A new book, The Case for the Legal Protection of Animals: Humanity’s Shared Destiny with the Animal Kingdom, explores why the legal protection of animals is important for humans, too. In an interview, author Kimberly Moore explains that she wrote the book “to build the case for more meaningful legal protection for animals in the United States—specifically, the recognition of animals as holders of certain legal rights.”