Happy Christmas Sandra!

By

orangutan Sandra legal person

Sandra has achieved the unprecedented legal status of a “non-human person.” A court has recognized that she has rights and that being kept in a zoo unlawfully deprives her of her freedom.

Woo hoo!!!! 😀 😀 😀

In November, the Association of Professional Lawyers for Animal Rights (AFADA) filed for habeas corpus, a petition usually used to challenge the imprisonment of a human who has been illegally detained. Instead, this petition sought freedom for Sandra, a Sumatran orangutan. Sandra has spent the last 20 years of her life at the Buenos Aires Zoo. In 1986, she was born into captivity at a German zoo. Nine years later she was sent to Argentina. Sandra is described as very shy, with a marked preference for avoiding the stares of zoo visitors. AFADA’s case asserted “the unjustified confinement of an animal with probable cognitive capability” illegally deprived a “non-human person” of her freedom. AFADA insisted Sandra was a person in a philosophic sense, rather than a biological one. In other words, she’s not human, but she deserves certain equivalent rights. A three-member panel of Argentina’s Second Chamber of the Criminal Appeals Court unanimously granted habeas corpus, deciding that Sandra is a “juridical person” rather than an object.

Sandra

Congratulations Sandra and well done Argentina!

Let us hope that this decision is upheld and that it will lead to a more enlightened attitude worldwide resulting in person-hood rights being granted to all captive animals.

Happy New Year!!!!!!!

Read more: http://www.care2.com/causes/landmark-ruling-an-orangutan-is-a-non-human-person-with-rights-says-argentina.html#ixzz3Miy5Mzex

37 thoughts on “Happy Christmas Sandra!”

  1. My wife is from Argentina and I was so happy to learn that they liberated Sandra from the Buenos Aires ZOO. It is located in the city center near Palermo, and the location itself is very antique and not well suited for animals. I’m against all forms of their exploitation for a long time, and it was a happy news to learn that something is really changing. Even ourselves, since we became vegans with my wife this year and we had a wonderful traditional meal Panqueque Aleman in its vegan version (our friends from Eternal Abundance provided us with information how to substitute the milk and eggs so that the taste stays equally salted).

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    • It is wonderful news about Sandra, we all just have to keep our fingers crossed now that the zoo doesn’t appeal, or that, if they do, they fail. It is brilliant that the legal establishment has recognised Sandra’s right to a free and natural life and that is, in itself, a huge step forward. Thank you for your comment. Happy New Year! 🙂

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  10. It sounds great, but what is going to be done with her? Will they airlift her to a jungle and just drop her off? She was unfortunately born in captivity. Does she even know how to find food or to protect herself? What if she needs a vaccination? Does the veterinarian need to ask for her permission to treat her? Her rescue story is just beginning. Please continue to post updates, if you can.

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      • Dear Violet, this touches me deeply because it is my childhood zoo. Beyond its magnificent 19th century architecture, the penguins are dying of heat stroke outdoors. Outdated facilities, concrete cages for large carnivores, enslavement of so many species

        What saddened me most is that, according to the article I read, the zoo’s head of biology condones her enslavement because orangutans are “solitary creatures”, among other things.

        Very pleased to see Sandra again and that the habeas corpus iniative is making waves. Thank you for sharing the news!.

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