This Is The World’s First Country To Give Legal Rights To Animals

by Sanjana Shenoy
This Is The World’s First Country To Give Legal Rights To Animals

Ecuador has become the world’s first country to give legal rights to animals, At a time when animals are mistreated, endangered animals are killed, poached, hunted with absolutely no regard, this comes as a welcome move. The country has expanded legal rights to cover wild animals. Here’s where it all started.

Ecuador Have Legal Rights To Animals After A Prominent Court Case

The decision to give legal rights to animals in Ecuador started when a case related to an animal was taken all the way to the highest court. A woolly monkey, Estrellita, was taken from the wild when she was just one month old and kept as a pet for 18 years by Ana Beatriz Burbano Proaño, a librarian. However, in 2019, the wildlife authorities shifted the monkey back to the wild. A month after Estrellita was separated from her owner, she died. Ana Beatriz Burbano Proaño took matters to the court stating the animal’s rights were violated.

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Animals Have Individual Values Not Related To Usefulness To Humans

The court related that the monkey, Estrellita’s rights were indeed violated. But this violation was not just by the government but also by Ana Beatriz Burbano Proaño, as the monkey was taken away from her natural habitat at a young age. The court noted that wild animals have the right to not be collected, trafficked, traded, hunted, fished or captured. The creatures have individual values that are not related to usefulness to humans.