Although the US has many laws that protect animals from abuse, many animals are still suffering. Steven Wise is an animal activist and lawyer. Wise is the head of a group of lawyers that fight against the abuse of animals.The group filed a lawsuit in support of a chimpanzee named Tommy. The group of lawyers use evidence that shows Chimpanzees intelligence is similar to humans, and should be treated equally. Wise was able to gain the support of leading primatologists.
Steven Wise - lawyer and president of the Nonhuman Rights Project; author of "Rattling the Cage: Toward Legal Rights for Animals."
Charles Siebert - poet, journalist, essayist and contributing writer for The New York Times magazine.
Robert Destro - professor of law and director of the Interdisciplinary Program in Law & Religion, Columbus School of Law, at The Catholic University of America.
Alan Dittrich - president of the Massachusetts Society for Medical Research.
“Well, it's been now 34 years. I read Peter Singer's book in 1980 and I was a much younger practicing lawyer and I had gone into law because I was interested in social justice issues. And Peter Singer's book opened my eyes to the fact that nonhuman animals were terribly suffering and were being abused and exploited and I thought there was nothing better I could do than to spend my legal career trying to help them.”
(Peter Singer's book, "Animal Liberation," 1975.)The first three lawsuits were in support of four chimpanzees in New York. Tommy resided in Gloversville, NY... And was found alone in a small cage. The law that they formed the lawsuit around was called habeas corpus. The other chimpanzees were also in desperate need of help. Kiko who lived in Niagara Falls and two youngsters who lived at Stonybrook University and were the objects of biomedical research.
A caller from St. Louis, Joanne stated the ethical problems with including animals in medical research. -
“I'm disturbed by the medical research personnel who has indicated that research would be devastating -- or devastated if we were not to use animals in research. I guess my feeling is, once again, humans are reducing animals to things and property and using them as means to our ends -- noble ends, for sure, but means to our ends. And that does violence to our own souls. That's very disturbing to me. And the second point I want to make is to continue to regard animals as mere things is to -- it lets us off the hook.”
Joanne supports the lawsuit that the lawyers are presenting by explaining that the only reason humans can treat these chimpanzees the way they do in research is because we have labeled them as “property”. The entire lawsuit is proving that they are more than property, that they are legal persons.
Dittrich then responded to the allegations of abuse in medical research by saying:
"As he knows, the world of research has changed in the 30 or 40 years that he's been involved in this project. And even the great Jane Goodall says this, as long as chimpanzees are used in medical research, it's our responsibility to treat them as humanely as possible. And I think that that is really the goal of the researchers right now -- humane treatment."
After loosing in the lower courts, Wise explains that the plan is to win in the higher courts in New York. The goal is to make the courts realize that they are “legal persons” - which means their safety and liberty is protected by United States law. If they win the animals will be sent to sanctuaries, where they already have reserved spots. The sanctuaries will provide them with a safe and happy life with dozens of other chimpanzees.
“Well, the problem is is that while there are animal welfare laws, animal welfare statutes, they really don't do a very good job in protecting nonhuman animals. Sometimes I speak to my students and I say, imagine that all of the laws that protect you in every way were repealed. And the only law that existed was one that said, you can't be treated cruelly. And if you are you have to go to the D.A. to bring a criminal action against the person you think treated you cruelly. Would you think that you were being adequately protected? And the answer that everyone gives is, no.”
The ultimate goal is to challenge the courts on their moral code - and to hope they will do the right thing. After everything research has taught us about the intelligence of animals, it is unjust to treat them the way we have been doing. The are entitled to legal rights to their bodies and lives and deserve to live among their fellow species.
When asked if their case would go to the Supreme Courts - Wise stated:
“Well, it'll go as high as the supreme courts of the various states. The common law is not something that the Supreme Court of the United States deals with. It deals with federal statutes, the federal Constitution...”
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