A happy elephant does not have the same rights as a man: it will remain a captive at the Bronx Zoo, where it has lived for 45 years

A New York court ruling refused to acknowledge a habeas corpus, a principle that protected personal inviolability, despite displaying human-like intelligence: as a result, the elephant could not be moved to a shelter as required. And she will have to stay at the New York Zoo, where she lived alone for 10 years.

1. Green color

2. the animals

3. Protecting and respecting animals

Story of the happy For several years he was passionate and united animal rights activists Around the world: It seemed that a fileAsian elephantwho lives in Zoo subordinate Bronx From 1977thanks to the mobilization carried out by the inhumane Human Rights Project, it can finally be released and transferred to a safe haven. Instead, came the bitter decision of New York Court: Said will have to stay imprisoned at the zoo. for him rights They should not be considered on an equal footing with humans.

According to the proposed name, non-human rights project It deals with the protection of the rights of “non-human” animals, and tries to ensure compliance with some basic principles of all living things. One of these isIssuing a summonsprinciple sanctity The staff, whom the organization was counting on at Happy early in 2020, but without success. The organization believes that the elephant forintelligenceThe sensitive And theindependence He must be considered, before the law, as a person.

for elephant 51 years old — which was owned by the Bronx Zoo, where he lives, for 45 years lonlinesswithout the company of his colleagues – until he was promoted petition on Change.org, which almost achieved its goal 1.5 million signatures.

“The Bronx Zoo has been shamefully named the fifth worst elephant zoo in the country. The New York Times describes Happy as the lonely elephant in the Bronx Zoo. In fact, this highly intelligent social being is one of the only elephants across the United States to be kept alone in a zoo.‘,” the petitioners write, asking for Happy to be moved to a shrine.

Unfortunately, yesterday New York Court of Appeals He extinguished all hope of freedom for the elephant, declaring that His rights are not comparable to human rights.

“At the same time, this is not just a loss for Happy, whose freedom was at stake in this case and who is still imprisoned at the Bronx Zoo. It is also a loss for all who are interested in upholding and enforcing our cherished values ​​and principles of justice – autonomy, freedom, equality and fairness – and ensuring that our legal system is free of arbitrary thinking and that no one gets it. on him. Fundamental rights denied just for what they arecommented after the bitter non-human rights decision.

For those who are interested in animal welfareZoos are a questionable and controversial reality that must be rethought. As the story of the happy elephant shows, in fact, it often happens animals rights They stomped on her and overwhelmed her economic interests and entertainment.