#AnimalLivesMatter? The controversial case for legal personhood for animals
Keywords:
Animal Personhood, RSPCA, Animal Rights, EU LawAbstract
The word ‘slavery’ is an emotive and controversial word which reminds us of the darkest side of human nature. Morally, society as a whole would agree that enslaving the non-consensual should remain unlawful. Animal rights activists have argued the definition of the non- consensual should be extended to non-human animals and in order to offer non-human animals the best legal protection, they should be given the status of ‘legal personhood’. This essay examines the legal journey and current status of non-human animals in English and European courts and whether the courts are ready to give non-human animals the status of legal personhood. As a secondary issue, this essay will also scrutinize society’s readiness to give non-human animals the status of legal personhood most evidently why people of colour, who would empathise with the horrors of enslavement more than anybody else, are not at the forefront of stopping the enslavement of nonhuman animals – and what animal rights activists would need to do to sway society’s mind.
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