The cause of animal rights may be moving forward. Activists were given a historic victory yesterday when a judge at the New York Supreme Court of Justice briefly decreed that chimpanzees held at Stony Brook University for research purposes are covered by a writ of habeas corpus, effectively rendering the animals as legal “people”. Although the decision to grant the chimps human rights was amended hours later, the Nonhuman Rights Project, which claims the animals are unlawfully detained, said they plan to use it in future cases brought in the defense of other intelligent animals such as elephants and dolphins. Even if the May 6th hearing of a Stony Brook University representative brings no further development to the case, yesterday’s temporary decision of the judge may have just cracked the door open onto a new era for the defense of captive animals in the court of law in America.
US judge briefly extends human rights to chimpanzees
More of Today's Solutions
How robots and drones are cleaning the ocean floor across Europe
BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM Most ocean cleanup efforts work on the same assumption: the problem floats. Skim the surface, collect the plastic, ...
Read MoreHummingbird migration 2026: when they’ll reach your garden and how to get ready
BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM Right now, somewhere over the Gulf of Mexico, a hummingbird that weighs less than a nickel is crossing ...
Read MoreThrills and chills: how horror films can improve your mental health
The mere mention of legendary horror films such as "The Exorcist" and "Silent Night, Deadly Night" conjures up images of terror and revulsion. But ...
Read MoreIrish town’s Smartphone ban offers blueprint for digital balance and ki...
The daily quandary of when to introduce smartphones to tweens resonates with parents worldwide. Greystones, County Wicklow, in Ireland, however, didn't just grapple with ...
Read More
