Today the Nonhuman Rights Project issued the following statement in response to the Colorado Supreme Court’s opinion in our elephant rights case, which denied the right to liberty to five elephants held captive in the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo:
This Colorado Supreme Court opinion perpetuates a clear injustice, stating that unless an individual is human they have no right to liberty, “no matter how cognitively, psychologically, or socially sophisticated they may be.” Future courts will reject this notion, as judges in the United States and around the world have already begun to do. As with other social justice movements, early losses are expected as we challenge an entrenched status quo that has allowed Missy, Kimba, Lucky, LouLou, and Jambo to be relegated to a lifetime of mental and physical suffering. We’ll share further analysis of this opinion as well as our next steps in the coming days.
Read more:
- What it’s like to argue in court for animal rights (NhRP attorney Jake Davis)
- I’ve studied elephants for over 45 years. This is why I support their right to liberty (Elephant expert Dr. Keith Lindsay)
- In the fight for animal rights, what does progress look like? (NhRP Executive Director Christopher Berry)
Take action: Help raise awareness of the fight for nonhuman animal rights by sharing this post.
To learn more about the NhRP’s clients and cases, visit our Clients page.