No, Hippos Are Not People, Too
Recently, the Animal Legal Defense Fund (ALDF) claimed that a group of hippos in Columbia were the first animals to be designated as persons by a U.S. Court.
Well, not so fast.
As explained in an analysis by Phil Goldberg of the law firm Shook, Hardy and Bacon, the court did no such thing. Other legal voices agree. Amazingly, even the ADLF court brief said they were doing no such thing.
The important point is that granting “personhood” to animals would not be good for animals. Current law generally recognizes the cherished role pets play in our lives and protects the legal framework that makes pet ownership affordable for most everyone. Animal rights would come at the expense of animal welfare. We are working to protect and improve animal welfare. Read more about our efforts to maintain a legal structure that is good for animals and keeps pet ownership affordable.
