Judge Wishes She Could Rule Elephant a “Person”

Alison Y. Tuitt, animal personhood, animal rights, animal welfare, beach sand, Bronx Zoo, chimpanzee, Court of Appeals, Culture & Ethics, elephant, elephant sanctuary, Eugene M. Fahey, financial penalties, habeas corpus, Happy, human exceptionalism, judge, New York Supreme Court, Nonhuman Rights Project, sentience, trial court
Having failed to have a court declare chimpanzees to be persons entitled to habeas corpus protection, the Nonhuman Rights Project next tried the same thing with an elephant named Happy, that — not who — is held in her own pen at the Bronx Zoo due to behavioral conflicts with other elephants. This case also just failed. But before we applaud and say, “Well, of course,” it is clear that New York Supreme Court (the name of the trial court in that state) Justice Alison Y. Tuitt only dismissed the case because she felt bound by precedent. Happy to Meet You Justice Tuitt clearly wanted to declare Happy a “person.” Indeed, she took the time to quote from a non-binding statement in the above-referenced chimpanzee case by Court of Appeals…
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