I’m an animal rights attorney who has successfully represented pro bono (without cost) many of my fellow animal rights activists accused of crimes related to their activism. How many leading major party candidates can say this?
Our mistreatment of animals is among our most pressing ethical issues today. During law school, I worked for the Animal Protection Unit of the Los Angeles City Attorney and was president of UCLA Law School’s Animal Law Society.
I support the Green Party of the United State’s platform regarding the Ethical Treatment of Animals, but believe it could go even further.
• We need to end factory farming.
• We need to end cruel animal experimentation.
• I also believe in legal personhood – protection of animals’ legitimate interests by advocates (which, no, does not include their own right to vote, but does include protections against torture).
A corporation is considered a “person” with some constitutional rights; shouldn’t living animals, capable of suffering and joy, be as well?
For more: Laws Should Protect Animals | Dissident Voice. By Dan Kapelovitz, Jill Ryther and Taimie Bryant / October 11th, 2008