Spanish Parliament To Grant Rights To Apes

June 25, 2008 · Filed Under Legal News, World News

A new resolution that extends rights to apes has been submitted to the Spanish parliament and is expected to become law.

The new law will grant apes the right to life and freedom, and it will mark the first time that any national legislature has granted such rights to any non-human.

Once the new law goes in to effect, it will be illegal to keep apes for circuses, television commercials, or filming. The estimated 315 apes that are currently being kept in Spanish zoo’s will be allowed to remain there, but drastic improvements in living conditions for the animals will be required.

Any type of medical testing on apes will also be banned in Spain, although the Spanish government says it’s not aware of any such testing currently being done on apes in Spain.

As over-the-top as some of this sounds, I don’t really think it’s such a bad idea. I think this new law goes a bit far, but I certainly don’t think banning apes from performing in circuses is a bad thing.

The intelligence of apes is absolutely astounding and the way humans typically treat them is very unfortunate. I realize that for the human race to continue we have to be able to test new drugs on something. Apes are our closest living relatives, so it simply has to be done.

Outside of what must be done in the name of medical science, I think we should treat apes and other primates with more respect than we have in the past.