Bill A-4840 in the New Jersey Assembly, as currently drafted would interfere with the veterinarian-client-patient relationship and a pet owners ability to determine the proper care for their pets, and would provide animals greater access to free legal representation than people accused of criminal animal cruelty misdemeanors in the State. It should not be passed
animal rights
Another attempt to create legal standing for animals as plaintiff’s in lawsuits fails.
By Nancy E. Halpern, D.V.M. on
In Justice v. Gwendolyn Vercher, Case No. 18CV17601 (Oregon Judicial Department, Washington County Circuit Court, Twentieth Judicial District, Sept. 17, 2018) the Court dismissed a complaint filed by the Animal Legal Defense Fund, for Justice, the Plaintiff, a quarter horse. The Court held that an animal, including the equine Plaintiff, lacked the legal capacity to…
Guest Post by Richard L. Cupp Jr. “Edgy Animal Welfare”
By Nancy E. Halpern, D.V.M. on
Edgy Animal Welfare
Denver Law Review (Forthcoming)
Pepperdine University Legal Studies Research Paper No. 2018/11
16 Pages Posted: 24 Jul 2018
Richard L. Cupp
Pepperdine University School of Law
Date Written: July 18, 2018
Abstract
Legal animal welfare proponents should not reject out-of-hand reforms that may be celebrated by some as steps toward a radical
…
The Ninth Circuit’s perplexing Article III statements in Naruto v. Slater and Cetacean Community v. Bush.
By Nancy E. Halpern, D.V.M. on
In Naruto v. Slater, 2018 WL 1902414 (9th Cir. April 23, 2018)-the case in which Naruto, a crested macaque by and through his alleged “next friends,” People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, sued a photographer and his publishers for copyright infringement-the Court, citing an earlier case, Cetacean Cmty. v. Bush, 386…
Connecticut Court Dismisses Nonhuman Rights Projects’ Latest Attempt To Obtain Personhood Rights For Animals.
By Nancy E. Halpern, D.V.M. on
As they had promised, the Nonhuman Rights Projects, Inc. (the “petitioner”) filed another petition seeking personhood rights through a writ of habeas corpus for 3 elephants in Connecticut owned by R.W. Commerford & Sons, Inc. (the “Commerford Zoo”) on November 13, 2017.
Long before the scheduled status conference, which was to be held on…
The Goals of Animal Rights and Animal Welfare Groups do not align.
By Nancy E. Halpern, D.V.M. on
Reports from two animal-related trade organizations provide insight into the current status and goals of animal rights organizations intent on eliminating the use of animals by humans, without regard to how humanely those animals are treated.
Based on these revealing comments from activists it remains vitally important that the public is exposed to the…
Reading List: “Cognitively Impaired Humans, Intelligent Animals, and Legal Personhood” by Pepperdine Law School Professor Richard Cupp
By Nancy E. Halpern, D.V.M. on
Pepperdine Law School Professor Richard Cupp has posted on SSRN.com an article that is forthcoming in the Florida Law Review entitled Cognitively Impaired Humans, Intelligent Animals, and Legal Personhood.
The article may be downloaded for free at http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=2775288.
This Article analyzes whether courts should grant legal personhood to intelligent animal species, such as chimpanzees,…
Ballot Initiatives Reinvented
By Nancy E. Halpern, D.V.M. on
Citizens in the State of Massachusetts may be considering a ballot initiative next fall that would severely limit the sale of meat and eggs imported from out of state and would significantly drive up the price of eggs, veal and pork sold in the state, according to Richard Bonanno, president of the Massachusetts Farm Bureau…