According to CNN, The Nonhuman Animal Rights Project (NhRP) lost its case in the state of New York to “grant captive chimpanzees the same rights as a ‘legal person.'” A victory would have freed four chimpanzees in the state and sent them to sanctuaries. NhRP, which intends to appeal the case, said it “plans to file more lawsuits across the country on behalf of captive animals ‘who are scientifically proven to be self-aware and autonomous,’ such as elephants, dolphins and whales.”

Wild animals lead complex and fulfilling lives in their natural habitat and should never be held captive by humans. Because chimps are so intelligent and relatable, advocacy groups have worked tirelessly to rescue them from laboratories, where they can be imprisoned and experimented on for life. To learn about how you can help bring an end to animal research, please visit Stop Animal Exploitation Now.

Los Angeles became the first city in the United States to ban bullhooks, tools used by elephant trainers in traveling circuses to “keep elephants under control.” According to the L.A. Times, “voting unanimously, the City Council asked the city attorney’s office to prepare an ordinance outlawing the use of the bullhook. Baseball bats, ax handles, pitchforks and other implements used on the pachyderms would also be banned.” Some activists are angry that the Council” agreed to give circuses three years to either change how they handle elephants or remove them from shows altogether.” Because elephants cannot be controlled without bullhooks, a ban on their use is really a ban on the use of elephants. According to One Green Planet, circuses that use elephants have already been banned in Bolivia, Peru, Slovenia, Cyprus, Greece, Paraguay, Columbia, the Netherlands. A ban in the U.K. goes into effect in 2015.

Circus Elephant Trainer with bullhook

Bullhooks are weapons used by “trainers” to scare captive elephants into submission. Their use is one of many reasons why elephants and other wild animals should not be used in circuses. If you support a ban on circus animals, then please see this article published by One Green Planet on ways you can help.

The NY State Department of Environmental Conservation “euthanized” a bear who wandered into a residential neighborhood in Albany, in spite of pleas from local residents and animal rights groups to relocate the bear to a sanctuary.

Photo credits: Albany Times Union

NY State Assembly Member Linda Rosenthal, who has been a consistent advocate for animals in the state legislature, stated, “After surviving being hit by a car, shot with a gun and a tranquilizer and falling from a tree after being stuck there for 24 hours, the bear fell victim to the DEC’s misguided policies. This ‘shoot first, ask questions later’ mentality must be stopped.”   In our own communities, each of us must help to elect animal-friendly lawmakers who can collaborate to stop senseless killing like this.