An appeals court in the state of New York has ruled that chimpanzees aren’t entitled to the same legal rights as human beings.
An appeals court in the state of New York has ruled that a chimpanzee isn’t entitled to the same legal rights as human beings.
In a lawsuit by the Nonhuman Rights Project, the group argued that chimpanzees are so similar to humans that they ought to have the same basic human rights, like liberty from captivity.
The case was based around the chimpanzee named Tommy being held in captivity under conditions that were described by the group’s lawyer as being unlawful for a human being.
Tommy is believed to be about forty years old, and his owner says that although the chimpanzee lives alone, it has plenty of room, and the living standards meet the federal and state license and rules and inspections.
Judges in the appeal wrote that since chimpanzees have no legal responsibility for their actions, they can’t be granted the same rights as people.
The Nonhuman Rights Project has said they are already have plans to appeal the court’s decision in the matter.
