In a most welcomed landmark decision, an Argentine court has ruled that
the Buenos Aires zoo has to release Sandra, an orangutan, to a sanctuary, because during 20 years of confinement she has suffered “unjustified confinement of an animal with proven cognitive ability” and “should be recognized as a person with a right to freedom.” The court said that Sandra should be transferred to a nature sanctuary because Sandra is a “‘non-human person'” which (sic; Sandra should be referred to who) has some basic human rights.” Intelligence and the ability to suffer are reasons to confer personhood to a nonhuman animal.
This is very important news. According to AFADA (Association of Professional Lawyers for Animal Rights) lawyer Paul Buompadre, “This opens the way not only for other Great Apes, but also for other sentient beings which (sic) are unfairly and arbitrarily deprived of their liberty in zoos, circuses, water parks and scientific laboratories.”
Many of you know that attorney Steven Wise, president of the Nonhuman Rights Project and his colleagues, have been working tirelessly for many years to get courts in the United States to make a similar ruling. Let’s hope that the decision about Sandra paves the way for future success for many other animals in many other countries.
Exposing the Big Game 
This is wonderful!!!!!
When it comes to enlightenment, the U.S. seems to be at the bottom of the barrel.
This is similar to dolphins being declared non-human persons in India a few years back:
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2013/07/30/1226634/-India-Declares-Dolphins-Non-Human-Persons-Dolphin-shows-BANNED#
Why are the U.S., Canada, and Europe so far behind?
Reblogged this on Art, animals, and the earth.
That is such great news, this makes my day!
I’m glad to see that humans are, slowly, moving away from seeing other living things as inanimate objects to be used for their entertainment, study, food, clothing, sport, sexual perversions (there’s a few weirdos posted at Our Wisconsin Our Wildlife who take the weirdo cake), etc. ad nauseam, and that they have a right to live their lives un-interfered with and unmolested. But where’s the US in this? Usually the world leaders.