Southern California City Becomes First in Nation to Recognize the Rights of a 'Non-human Animal'
One city in Southern California is making headlines for a wonderfully unusual reason--animal rights! That's right, the city of Ojai has become the first in the nation to recognize another species' right to freedom following a 4-1 vote by the City Council.
It may sound like a small move, but it's a huge step forward in protecting animal welfare in California and in the country as a whole.This legislation, which was proposed by Council Member Leslie Rule, recognizes and defines elephants' right to liberty. Council Member Rule worked alongside the Nonhuman Rights Project to develop this animal rights legislation, and their work finally paid off on September 26.
While this is a great first step toward protecting animals in California, notes the Ojai Daily News it can be hard to know what exactly the legislation means. In the simplest terms, elephants cannot be imprisoned or kept against their will within Ojai city limits.
"There are efforts in other cities and states to pass similar ordinances," Rule explained to her fellow Council Members. “Countries have passed constitutional amendments granting fundamental rights to nonhuman animals and natural entities, like rivers.” That's true! Though uncommon in the United States, many natural landmarks and animal species have won bodily autonomy--or habeas corpus--rights around the world.
The passing of the law in Ojai is part of the Nonhuman Rights Project's nationwide efforts to ask for a hearing to determine whether several zoo elephants should be relocated to an animal sanctuary. The elephants in question are the trio from the Fresno Zoo, two of whom are pregnant. The southern California town's decision will be noted and considered in the California Supreme Court, when the Nonhuman Rights Project presents their case on a statewide level.
There are currently 19 elephants kept in zoos in California, though one town's decision could be the reason that all changes.
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