Last month’s interviews highlighted current animal protection laws in an effort to convey why some animal advocates want to move away from a system where animals are legal property and towards a new system where animals have legal interests – in this case to become legal persons.
This month’s topic is for anyone with a sincere and earnest desire to understand what is meant by legal rights for animals. The interviews included are meant to give some context around the details of how our legal system works and the thinking behind rights being sought for animals through legal means.
A helpful starting point to understanding legal rights for animals is understanding the most fundamental rights we hold and to gain at least a basic understanding of the system that is used to grant and extend rights. There isn’t really one right being sought, so “rights for animals” does not have a common definition. However, the main idea that I see emerging through legal efforts is to grant some animals (which may differ by advocate) a basic right not to be property.
This month’s interviews feature Steve Wise, Katherine Meyer and Peter Singer.
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