2007 Animals in the News
Zoo Faces Possible Charges for Tiger Attack
MSNBC, December 28, 2007
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/22422879/
The San Francisco Zoo is facing possible fines after a fatal tiger attack on Christmas Day. In the days following the attacks, which left one teenager dead and two others injured, it has become increasingly apparent that the 350-pound Siberian tiger escaped by climbing over a wall that was four feet below the minimum recommended height for U.S. zoos. The zoo could face fines from regulators, be stripped of its exhibitor license, and lose its accreditation, in addition to possibly facing huge lawsuits from the families of the victims and potential criminal charges. Based on the findings in the ongoing investigation, the two surviving victims may also be criminally charged if they are found to have caused or contributed to the teenager’s death.
Animal Rights Activist Charged with Arson Attacks
BBC, December 14, 2007
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/oxfordshire/7144576.stm
British animal rights activist Mel Broughton has been charged with committing arson attacks at Oxford University. The arson attacks allegedly occurred at Queens College in November 2006 and at Templeton College in February 2007. Mr. Broughton also faces charges for conspiracy to blackmail and possessing an article with intent to destroy or damage property. Mr. Broughton is a founder of SPEAK, an organization that campaigns against animal testing.
Animal Activist Guilty of Dog Theft
Tribune Democrat, December 14, 2007
http://www.tribdem.com/local/local_story_348235209.html
In less than thirty minutes, a jury found animal activist Tammy Grimes guilty of stealing a tethered dog and refusing to return him. On September 11, 2006, Grimes went onto the property of Steve and Lori Arnold and took Jake, their nineteen-year-old German Shepherd mix, after a neighbor of the Arnold’s complained that Jake had been tethered for three days. The neighbor said that Jake did not have food or water, and was unable to move. According to the judge in the case, Jake’s condition did not justify Grimes taking a dog that did not belong to her. However, the verdict has only spurred Grimes to fight even harder for a state law that would make constant tethering a crime. Grimes is the founder of anti-tethering organization Dogs Deserve Better.
Bel Air Pet Store Uses Puppy Mills
MSNBC, December 12, 2007
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/22207779/
The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) recently released details from an undercover investigation into Pets of Bel Air, an upscale pet store that caters to celebrities. According to the HSUS, Pets of Bel Air deceived customers by claiming that all the puppies sold at the store are from private breeders and not puppy mills, when in reality the store is selling puppies purchased from puppy mills around the country. HSUS investigations revealed that Pets of Bel Air purchased puppies from at least 28 commercial breeders. Following the HSUS’s investigation, Los Angeles Animal Services inspected and closed the shop last week after discovering that the store has been operating for three years without a permit. Pets of Bel Air denied HSUS’s allegations, again claiming that all of their puppies come from private breeders.
ASPCA Unveils Mobile Animal CSI Unit
NY Daily News, December 12, 2007
On Tuesday, December 11, 2007, the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) revealed a $220,000 mobile animal Crime Scene Investigation lab. This CSI lab takes the form of a customized Ford E-450 van containing a fully equipped surgical suite, medical supplies, digital microscope, exhumation apparatus and blood-evidence equipment. Using this state-of-the-art forensic technology, the mobile CSI unit will travel the country breaking up dogfighting rings and puppy mills. According to Dr. Melinda Merck, the nation’s top forensic veterinarian, the mobile lab will make the process of investigating animal abuse cases much faster. It is the hope of the ASPCA that with this vehicle they will get stronger prosecutions and evidence, which will lead to tougher sentences for animal abuse cases.
Michael Vick Sentenced to 23 Months
CNN, December 10, 2007
http://www.cnn.com/2007/US/law/12/10/vick.sentenced/index.html
Suspended Atlanta Falcons star quarterback Michael Vick was sentenced to 23 months in prison for running a dogfighting ring and helping to kill dogs that did not fight aggressively. Rules governing good behavior in the federal system could reduce Vick’s prison term by about three months. Vick had faced a maximum of five years in prison, with federal sentencing guidelines recommending a sentence of 12-18 months. Vick and three co-defendants still face trial on state dogfighting charges in Virginia. They are accused of torturing and killing dogs and promoting dogfights, all felonies which carry maximum five year sentences.
Proposed Ban on Horse-Drawn Carriages in NYC
NBC, December 8, 2007
http://www.wnbc.com/news/14805884/detail.html?rss=ny&psp=news
In a move strongly opposed by New York City’s carriage drivers, city councilman Tony Avella is introducing a bill to ban horse-drawn carriages around Central Park. Avella’s bill comes just months after a carriage horse, spooked by street musicians, ran into traffic and died. This was the second such incident in less than two years. According to Avella and animal rights advocates, the carriage horses are exposed to cruel conditions and are at risk of serious injury or death in NYC traffic. The Horse and Carriage Association is fighting back, claiming that the city’s 220 carriage horses are in excellent health.
Port St. Lucie, Florida Vicious Dog Law is Unconstitutional
TC Palm, December 6, 2007
http://www.tcpalm.com/news/2007/dec/06/30psl-vicious-dog-law-dubbed-unconstitutional/
In Port St. Lucie, Florida, an appeals court has ruled that the city’s vicious dog ordinance, under which Larry and Lisa Ciaccio’s dog Liner was condemned to die, is unconstitutional. In January 2005, Port St. Lucie Animal Control officers responded to a call reporting that Liner and the Ciaccio’s other dog Boss were loose and fighting. Boss had previously been declared vicious and was confiscated and euthanized. Animal Control also declared Liner, a pit bull mix, to be vicious and confiscated him. The Ciaccio’s were required to pay boarding charged for the two years during which they challenged Animal Control’s determination. An appeals court found that the law is facially unconstitutional because it failed to provide procedural due process to dog owners. The court said the law should give dog owners written notice that their dog had been deemed vicious and a chance to appeal that determination. The ordinance has since changed and now allows dog owners to challenge a vicious determination in an administrative hearing before confiscation.
Judge Approves Guardian’s Placement of Michael Vick’s Former Fighting Dogs
Daily Press, December 6, 2007
http://www.dailypress.com/news/dp-now-vickdogs.1206,0,6440735.story
The judge in the Michael Vick dog fighting case has granted a motion to place the former fighting dogs in eight different animal rescues, including the local Animal Rescue of Tidewater. The court-appointed guardian of the animals made the recommendations of where to place the dogs and how much money to pay the rescue organizations. Organizations taking 22 pit bulls who are good candidates for adoption will receive $5000 each and they will be eligible to be adopted "after a period of time in a foster home where behavior could be assessed and training would occur." Rescue organizations that agreed to take 25 dogs that are not suitable for adoption will receive $20,000 per dog as the dogs will most likely require a lifetime of training and monitored socialization.
New Baltimore Law Allows Residents to Legally Care for Stray Cats
Baltimore Sun, December 6, 2007
http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/local/baltimore_city/bal-cats1206,0,639533.story
A new Baltimore, Maryland, law mades it legal and easier for feral cat caretakers to trap, neuter, and return stray cats to feral colonies instead of using lethal means of population control. The new law will also make it legal for the caretakers to continue to feed the cats after release without fear of being penalized for abandoning an animal. Boston has an estimated 185,000 stray cats and many organizations that help care for them.
Three Charged in Puerto Rico Pet Massacre
Miami Herald, December 5, 2007
http://www.miamiherald.com/news/world/AP/story/333643.html
Three men have been charged with animal cruelty for their role in the massacre of pets in the Puerto Rican town of Barceloneta. In October 2007, municipal officials and animal control officers seized over eighty pets from housing projects, drugged them, and threw them off of a bridge. Only half a dozen of the animals survived the fall, some sustaining serious injuries. Julio Diaz, the owner of Animal Control Solutions, and two employees have each been charged with three counts of violations to the U.S.’s territory laws against animal cruelty. These cruelty charges carry maximum nine-year prison sentences.
Damaged Dogs Plucked from the Assembly Line
MSNBC, December 5, 2007
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/22100558/
In the wake of a raid on a puppy breeding operation in Virginia in November, which resulted in the confiscation of 1,080 dogs, the need to crack down on the conditions of licensed and unlicensed puppy mills has been made clear. State and local agencies around the country have been cracking down on large scale breeding operations, known as puppy mills, which sell pure bred dogs to pet stores, animal brokers and Web-based pet businesses. While the puppies may be in reasonable health, the adult dogs, housed in above-ground rabbit hutches where they bred countless litters, were another story, according to Kelly Farrell, director of the Angels of Assisi shelter in Roanoke, which took in about 60 of the dogs from the Hillsville, Virginia raid. Shelters around the country are hard pressed to accommodate the additional animals as local law enforcement becomes for aggressive in their investigations of puppy mill cruelty.
Trade in Illegal Wildlife Increases in China
China Daily, December 5, 2007
http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/china/2007-12/05/content_6298901.htm
According to the Chinese Ministry of Public Security, China has seen an increase in the number of criminal cases involving the illegal hunting of wildlife and the illegal trade in wild animals this year. Statistics published on December 4, 2007, show an 11.5 percent rise in the number of cases dealing with the illegal trading and hunting of wild animals. The Ministry has asked local police to tighten controls on the hunting, sale and smuggling of wild animals in an attempt to halt this growing problem.
Tiger Mauling at Actress’ Animal Sanctuary
Los Angeles Times, December 4, 2007
http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-tiger4dec04,1,6850188.story?coll=la-headlines-california
On December 3, 2007, a tiger living at actress Tippi Hedren’s wildlife sanctuary attacked a caretaker as the man was cleaning the tiger’s enclosure. The caretaker is in critical but stable condition with multiple bite wounds. Hedren’s wildlife sanctuary, Shambala Preserve, houses 70 African lions, Siberian and Bengal tigers, leopards, servals, mountain lions and bobcats. Many of the tigers come from abused backgrounds, having been bred in the United States as exotic pets. Hedren has for years been pushing legislation that would prohibit the commercial breeding of tigers and crack down on people who keep them as pets.
World’s First Panda Protection Law
People’s Daily Online, November 24, 2007
http://english.peopledaily.com.cn/90001/90776/90882/6308816.html
Chinese authorities in the Sichuan Province have submitted proposals for the Chengdu Giant Panda Protection and Management Ordinance. In order to become law the ordinance must be approved by two different standing committees during the stages of review, which could take up to six months. If approved, the Giant Panda Protection and Management Ordinance would be the world’s first law to specifically protect the endangered panda bears. According to sources from the Chengdu People’s Congress, the ordinance would not only better protect the pandas, but would also improve people’s understanding of the situation facing giant pandas and help to prevent their exploitation.
Pennsylvania Judge Rules Dogs are “Personal Property” in Suit Charging Theft
Altoona Mirror, November 6, 2007
http://www.altoonamirror.com/page/content.detail/id/501636.html?nav=742
Last year Tammy Grimes, founder of the dog rescue organization Dogs Deserve Better, took a 19 year old shepherd mix from the yard of its owner. Grimes took the dog because she alleged that it appeared to be mistreated and in poor health. She was charged with theft by unlawful taking and receiving stolen property. At trial she intended to argue that she was justified in taking the dog to prevent harm, arguing that comparable law exists for removing people from harm. In ruling on a pre-trial motion that challenged this proposed testimony, the judge ruled that dogs are “personal property” and that the defense of justification applies only to other humans, not animals. The judge deferred other pretrial challenges until trial.
International Agreement on Antarctic Conservation Plan
ABC News, November 5, 2007
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2007/11/05/2082410.htm
A new conservation plan for the Antarctic Ocean could help protect a number of endangered marine species. The 30 member countries of the Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources have agreed to divide the Antarctic Ocean into regions, based on the endangered species found in each area. According to the Commission’s Executive Director, Denzil Miller, the plan will preserve rare species while still allowing fishing to continue.
Endangered Swan Killer Gets 12 Year Prison Sentence
MSNBC, November 5, 2007
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21646284/
Chinese farmer, Zhao Naishun, was sentenced to 12 1/2 years in prison for killing and selling endangered white swans. Zhao poisoned 37 white swans on the Yellow River last fall and sold them to another area farmer for 150 yuan (US$20) each. The farmer who purchased the swans was sentenced to 13 years in prison. These endangered white swans are under the protection of the Chinese state.
Hua Hin, Thailand Passes Dog Ordinance
Hua Hin Today, November 5, 2007
http://www.huahintoday.net/index.php?action=show&type=news&id=1345
Hua Hin, Thailand has recently passed an ordinance that controls the feeding and releasing of dogs within the municipality. The ordinances aim is to protect people from the annoyance and germs caused by stray dogs. Among other things, the ordinance requires dog owners to find the dog a new owner if they no longer desire to care for the dog. If they cannot find a new owner, the dog owners are required to give the dog to the municipality and continue to pay for the food and care of the dog.
Wichita Takes Proactive Approach to Dangerous Dog
The Wichita Eagle, November 5, 2007
http://www.kansas.com/news/local/story/219093.html
Wichita, Kansas has taken a proactive approach to monitoring dangerous dogs by proposing a law that would allow the city to deem a loose dog dangerous if they have merely posed a threat. Under the current law a loose dog would have to bite or attack before they could be declared dangerous. Under this law, a loose dog that chases someone aggressively or threatens to attack could be picked up by the city and declared dangerous. Owners of dangerous dogs are required to microchip and sterilize their animals.
Illinois Proposes Humane Transport Law
The Daily Herald, November 4, 2007
http://www.dailyherald.com/story/?id=70738&src=3
Illinois has proposed an amendment to the Humane Care for Animals Act that would ban the transport of horses in a vehicle or trailer that has two or more levels. The proposed law is in reaction to an October crash that killed 17 horses and injured dozens more. Violators would be guilty of a class C misdemeanor and be fined $500 per animal for the first offense and $1000 per animal on subsequent offenses. If the law passes, Illinois will join four other states that ban double-decker horse trailers.
Over 100 Dogs Seized from AKC Champion Breeder
WRAL, October 31, 2007
http://www.wral.com/news/local/story/1987954/
Animal rights organization, the Animal Legal Defense Fund, sued a Raleigh woman, Janie Conyers, after authorities seized more than 100 dogs and several birds from her home. The non-profit group was able to bring suit under a North Carolina law that allows private citizens or organizations to file suit to stop animal cruelty. ALDF is seeking the permanent removal of these severely neglected animals from Conyers, as well as the county’s cost of caring for the animals. They are joined in the suit by Dr. Kelli Ferris, the Wake County animal cruelty investigator and veterinarian with North Carolina State University. The housing in which the animals were being kept smelled of ammonia and was covered in feces and infested with cockroaches. Some of the animals had burns on their skin from continuous contact with urine and feces, while others had developed eye disease and body infections. ALDF estimates that immediate veterinary expenses will be over $70,000.
Slayton, MN Passes Dangerous Dog Ordinance
The Daily Globe, October 29, 2007
http://www.dglobe.com/articles/index.cfm?id=6967§ion=News
Slayton, Minnesota has passed a dangerous dog ordinance that requires owners of a dangerous dog to register their dog with the city and abide by certain rules. The ordinance is directed at animals that have showed aggression towards humans, domestic animals, or personal property. The owner of a dangerous dog must, among other requirements, register the dog, keep the dog in an approved enclosure, pay an annual fee, and obtain liability insurance. Owners that do not comply with the ordinance may have their dog seized.
Bush Signs into Law Act Addressing Pet Food
Mondaq, October 29, 2007
http://www.mondaq.com/article.asp?article_id=52908
The U.S. Food and Drug Administrations Amendments Act, signed into law last month, included a section addressing the safety of pet food. The law requires that regulations be developed setting standards for pet food ingredients and labeling. The Act also requires the promulgation of regulations to establish a system to warn the public of possible pet food adulteration or outbreaks of illness associated with pet food.
Cobb County Shelter to Stop Using Gas Chambers
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, October 24, 2007
http://www.ajc.com/metro/content/metro/cobb/stories/2007/10/24/cobbshelter_1025.html
The Georgia state Department of Agriculture has issued a letter to Cobb County asking them to begin switching to a different method of euthanasia than gas chambers. The letter was in reaction to a lawsuit filed by a former shelter worker and a legislator that sponsored a 1990 bill, which was signed into law, which requires counties with populations of 25,000 or more to use lethal injection instead of gas chambers. The Cobb shelter was cited specifically in the complaint for violating the 1990 law.
Mandatory Sterilization of Pets Considered
South Florida Sun-Sentinel, October 23, 2007
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/palmbeach/sfl-flpshelter1023pnoct23,0,195792.story
In an attempt to deal with a pet overpopulation crisis, Palm Beach County is considering the adoption of a mandatory pet sterilization policy. This controversial move has only been enacted in about 50 cities and counties in the United States. According to the Humane Society of the United States, people keep roughly 450,000 cats and dogs as pets in Palm Beach County, and more than 270,000 of these are not sterilized. Animal control officers have put to death more than 75,000 dogs and cats in the last five years, with 18,248 dogs and cats killed last year alone.
Memphis Dog Fighting Bust
The Associated Press, October 17, 2007
http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2007/oct/17/46-dogs-seized-2-arrested-memphis-dog-fighting-bus/
Police arrested two men and seized forty-six pit bull and mixed breed dogs in a raid on a Memphis home. The dogs were malnourished, scarred and unvaccinated. According to officials, the dogs will probably be destroyed. Pit bulls are not likely to be put up for adoption and they will not be returned to owners charged with fighting dogs. The two men face dog fighting, animal cruelty and drug charges.
Law Professor Ordered as Guardian to Michael Vick’s Dogs
Indiana Star, October 17, 2007
http://www.indystar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071017/LOCAL/710170468/1006/LOCAL
Rebecca Huss, a Valparaiso University law professor and animal law expert, was appointed by a federal judge to be a guardian for the pit bull’s recovered from Michael Vick’s house. Huss will be evaluating 48 dogs to determine whether they are fit to be placed in animal rescue. Vick released ownership of the dogs as part of his plea agreement.
Over 200 Dead Animals Found in Illinois Woman’s Home
Chicago Tribune, October 16, 2007
A woman in Lee County Illinois pleaded not guilty to 10 misdemeanor counts of animal cruelty and not caring of her pets. On October 12, 2007 authorities found more than 200 dead cats and 2 dead dogs on Barbara C. Munroe’s property. The dead animals were stuffed in the freezer, into barrels, and lying around the property. Munroe also had 300 living animals, including 160 cats, 105 dogs, and 35 birds. Authorities reported that the number of animals is an estimate, as the bodies had deteriorated so much it was hard to tell what exactly they were observing. The TAILS Humane Society is caring for the dogs at a temporary shelter, but 12 had to be euthanized for aggression.
Legal Loophole Allows Dancing Bears in Spain
The Olive Press, October 16, 2007
http://www.theolivepress.es/2007/10/16/dancing-bears-in-spain-cause-public-outcry/
A dancing bear draws in many spectators at a medieval market in Los Morales, Spain. The bear, from Northern Europe, is in Spain and performing legally. Despite public outcry, and objections from several animal welfare organizations, it appears that nothing can be done because Spain has no laws specifically addressing dancing bears, and the bear’s owners have all the necessary paperwork. The practice is illegal and looked down upon in many other European countries, including Bulgaria and Austria, which have banned such performances. Many hope that increased awareness of the cruel techniques used to train the bears will lead Spain and other countries to outlaw the practice. On October 10, Non-Governmental Organizations met with European politicians and high profile celebrities in order to determine what steps can be taken to improve the conditions of animals used for entertainment.
Largest Cockfighting Bust in U.S. History
Fox News, October 16, 2007
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,302097,00.html
On Saturday October 13, 2007 authorities seized more than 5,000 roosters, hens and chicks from two training grounds in the Otay Mesa industrial area of San Diego, California. More than 2,500 birds were seized from one of these training grounds six years ago. Fifty people were issued misdemeanors, and authorities are still looking for fifty others. If these defendants have a history of animal cruelty, they may be charged with felonies. About eighty percent of the birds seized have been euthanized.
Judge Bars Shelter From Euthanizing Dogs Based on Breed
Washington Post, October 15, 2007
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/10/15/AR2007101501254.html
A judged issued a preliminary injunction banning the Loudon County, VA Animal Shelter from euthanizing dogs, namely pit bulls, based on their breed. The injunction was triggered by a case brought by Ronald Litz who tried to adopt a pit bull from the Loudon County Animal Shelter, but was denied based on the shelter’s policy not to adopt out pit bulls. The injunction will not stop the shelter from euthanizing pit bulls deemed to be dangerous.
Schwarzenegger Approves Lead-Bullet Ban: Measure to aid California condors
Monterey Herald, October 14, 2007
http://www.montereyherald.com/ci_7175521
Despite objections from the California Fish and Game Commission, on October 13, 2007 Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger signed into law a bill to ban the use of lead ammunition in hunting big game in the California condor range. The endangered condor is especially sensitive to lead poisoning, and at least 12 condors have died from ingesting carcasses of animals shot by hunters with lead bullets. California now joins Arizona in implementing a ban on using lead bullets in hunting.
California Supreme Court Upholds West Hollywood Ban on Cat Declawing
San Francisco Chronicle, October 11, 2007
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2007/10/11/BA4MSO436.DTL&hw=declaw&sn=001&sc=1000
In 2003, West Hollywood passed an ordinance that banned the declawing of cats within the city limits, unless for therapeutic reasons such as removing infected tissue. A Los Angeles trial court overturned the ordinance on the grounds that the city lacked power to regulate state-licensed professionals, but that ruling was overturned by a Court of Appeals ruling that said West Hollywood has the authority to set minimum standards of humane treatment for animals within the city limits. The California Veterinary Medical Association appealed to the state Supreme Court, which declined to review the case, ultimately upholding the ban.
Victoria, Australia Introduces Tough Animal Abuse Bill
Herald Sun, October 10, 2007
http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,22560571-662,00.html
Victoria, Australia, introduced a bill to State Parliament that would, among other things, give courts the power to ban animal abusers from owning a pet for up to 10 years. The bill comes after a series of severe animal neglect and abuse cases in Victoria. The bill doubles the jail time from 1 to 2 years for those who commit acts of gross animal cruelty. The bill also increases penalties for illegal trapping, gives Councils increased power to seize abandoned pets, and to penalize those who fail to microchip their pets.
Fingal County, Ireland Bans Circuses Using Wild Animal Acts
Independent.ie, October 10, 2007
http://www.independent.ie/national-news/council-bans-circuses-using-wild-animal-acts-1139076.html
Fingal County, located in northern Dublin, Ireland became the first local area to ban circuses that use wild animals in their acts from performing on public land. Similar measures have passed in Belfast and other localities in Europe. The Councilors were heavily lobbied by local citizens as well as Circus Watch Ireland and Alliance for Animal Rights.
UK Exotic Pet Regulations Relaxed
The Independent, October 6, 2007
http://news.independent.co.uk/uk/legal/article3033346.ece
After a review of the UK Dangerous Wild Animals Act, a total of thirty-three new species were deemed not to be a risk to the public and can now be owned without a license. Some of these new species include the North American and crested porcupines, sand snakes, the Brazilian wolf spider, a number of wild cats, sloths, raccoons, and emus. Experts assessed which animals should be kept on the list of dangerous wild animals according to a number of criteria, including whether the animals were likely and capable of doing serious harm to humans.
Golden Retriever Gets Order of Protection in Connecticut
New York Times, October 2, 2007
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/10/02/nyregion/02pet.html?ref=nyregion
On September 23, 2007, Cassandra Reynolds visited her ex-husband’s home in South Windsor, Connecticut to pick up some of her belongings. The visit resulted in a dispute, during which her ex-husband’s Golden Retriever Riley approached Ms. Reynolds. Ms. Reynolds allegedly kicked Riley, causing him to yelp. The following day a Connecticut Superior Court judge issued an order of protection against Ms. Reynolds pursuant to a new Connecticut law that allows judges to issue protective orders on behalf of pets. Ms. Reynolds has been ordered to stay at least 100 yards away from Riley, or face up to 5 years in prison and a fine of up to $5,000.
Austrian Court Rules Chimp Not a Person
Discovery Channel, September 28, 2007
http://dsc.discovery.com/news/2007/09/28/chimp_ani.html?category=animals&guid=20070928143000
An animal rights organization in Austria is campaigning to get 26-year-old chimpanzee Matthew Hiasl Pan legally declared a person. Unfortunately, a provincial judge dismissed the case, ruling that the Vienna-based Association Against Animal Factories had no legal standing to argue on behalf of Pan. Pan was captured as a baby in Sierre Leone and smuggled over to Austria for use in pharmaceutical experiments. Customs officers intercepted the shipment, however, and gave Pan to a shelter where he has lived for the last 25 years. Recently, the shelter filed for bankruptcy and it was concerns regarding Pan’s fate if the shelter should close that led to this suit. The Association Against Animal Factories hopes to get Pan declared a person so that a guardian can be appointed to look out for his interests and provide him with a home.