Dolphins are people too

[Graham Kennedy]

Source

India has officially recognized dolphins as non-human persons, whose rights to life and liberty must be respected. Dolphin parks that were being built across the country will instead be shut down.

India's Ministry of Environment and Forests has advised state governments to ban dolphinariums and other commercial entertainment that involves the capture and confinement of cetacean species such as orcas and bottlenose dolphins. In a statement, the government said research had clearly established cetaceans are highly intelligent and sensitive, and that dolphins "should be seen as 'non-human persons' and as such should have their own specific rights."

The move comes after weeks of protest against a dolphin park in the state of Kerala and several other marine mammal entertainment facilities which were to be built this year. Animal welfare advocates welcomed the decision.

"This opens up a whole new discourse of ethics in the animal protection movement in India," said Puja Mitra from the Federation of Indian Animal Protection Organizations (FIAPO). Mitra is a leading voice in the Indian movement to end dolphin captivity.

Interesting. Can animals have rights like people? Should they? If so, how far do those rights extend?

[stitch626]

Thats interesting. Wonder how it will effect politics elsewhere...

[RK_Striker_JK_5]

I am... off-put by this. I don't know how else to describe it, really.

[Captain Seafort]

Thats interesting. Wonder how it will effect politics elsewhere...

By about three-quarters of fuck all I expect.

I am... off-put by this. I don't know how else to describe it, really.

Aye. There's a world of difference between criminalising neglect or deliberate abuse, and treating animals as though they're full members of human society.

[RK_Striker_JK_5]

I am... off-put by this. I don't know how else to describe it, really.

Aye. There's a world of difference between criminalising neglect or deliberate abuse, and treating animals as though they're full members of human society.

Yeah, that'd be about it. Legit thank you. But yeah, pass laws for outlawing neglect/abuse, but granting them this level of rights? *Looks to refrigerator* Yeah...

[Graham Kennedy]

Aye. There's a world of difference between criminalising neglect or deliberate abuse, and treating animals as though they're full members of human society.

I doubt they intend to do that, though.

[Nutso]

What if there are some gay Dolphins? Will India now have to imprison those gay dolphins, like they voted to do with actual gay humans?

[Vic]

Hmmm, "non-human persons" and "own specific rights". Perhaps this means something along the lines of a sacred animal? Does not say anything about human rights though.

[Graham Kennedy]

I would assume that it means they intend to grant dolphins some rights that humans have, but not others. For instance they seem to be saying that they have the right not to be imprisoned, but one would imagine they aren't going to get the right to vote, say.

[McAvoy]

Exactly.

ARA have been trying to do this all over the world. Animals get the right to not be eaten or imprisoned or used as slaves.