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Austria: Activists ask European human rights court to declare chimpanzee a 'person'
The Associated Press
Published: May 21, 2008

VIENNA, Austria: Matthew Hiasl Pan isn't even a human, but that hasn't stopped his supporters from taking his case to Europe's top human rights court.

Austrian animal rights activists are fighting to get Pan

Those chimps must be living pretty high on the hog if they're costing 5,000 pounds per month - more than most families in the world are earning.

Bradams quoted:

Cautiously, British Tories savor a big victory

I just wanted to say - Boooooooo to this.

As to the question of poor Matthew Pan.....when we don't even treat humans humanely.....what chance is there for the chimpanzee?

I think as Jared Diamond thinks. We are the third chimpanzee. I think Linnaeus felt this way too, as he originally grouped us with them. I am all about securing what we refer to as human rights for the great apes. I have supported the Great Ape Project for years and their aim was to secure rights for great apes. The esteemed scientists, Richard Leakey and Peter Singer are behind the efforts of the Great Ape Project. The apes are in dire need of legal representation. Our sphere of morality must be widened. While I agree that we are awful to humans, I do not think that means we should throw up our hands and do nothing about the situation of the apes. The apes are disappearing. We need to work on our care of humans while working on our care of the other animals we share this planet with. Declaring the chimpanzee a person, would be a shortcut around changing the laws regarding their protection. I would love for Bradams to keep us updated on this issue. Thank you for posting about it!

BTW, evidently Richard Dawkins supports the Great Ape project as well. I did not know this when I originally posted. I just read about this in A Devil's Chaplain.

I can't imagine many scientists not supporting the Great Ape Project.

For those interested in issues touched on in this thread and the Great Ape Project, you can visit: http://www.greatapeproject.org/declaration.php.

Well, Chris, unfortunately there are scientists who don't support GAP. Many scientists involved in biomedical and even social/psychological research would not agree to granting apes equal rights. Don't get me wrong, there are a few instances, like what Roger Fouts is doing with apes, where research is humane and would not conflict with GAP's aims. However, situations with apes in captivity and especially with those in research facilities, would most likely conflict with GAP's aims.

I think that if an animal can wear people cloths and is cute enough, we should give them rights!