Everybody but PETA apparently.
From the San Antonio Express News:
Court: Monkeys, chimps can't sue
The 4th Court of Appeals in San Antonio has rebuffed efforts by People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals to gain legal standing for chimpanzees and monkeys that were brought to San Antonio's Primarily Primates sanctuary in 2006.The appeals court Wednesday affirmed a decision by District Judge Andy Mireles, who dismissed the case in September 2006, saying the nine animals and two human plaintiffs didn't have a legal right to sue.
The animals came to Texas from Ohio State University with $324,000 that the university pledged for their care. PETA charged the sanctuary was substandard and wanted the animals and money moved to another sanctuary.
A later legal action by the Texas attorney general put the sanctuary into receivership for six months, during which time most of the animals involved in the suit were taken to Chimp Haven sanctuary in Louisiana. Primarily Primates now is suing to force their return.
PETA said it was evaluating whether to appeal the latest ruling. It issued a prepared response noting the findings of the court receiver.
In general I don't blog about PETA because I don't think they need any publicity from me. The right wing noise machine gives them all the free press they need in my opinion. I'm also of the opinion that if they'd stop talking about their every court case and publicity stunt PETA would slowly fade away. (Of course I also believe the same thing holds true for Al Franken and Michael Moore.) But PETA hasn't monkeyed around in my back yard since I've been blogging.
However one thing about this whole mess remains unclear. If lower life forms can't sue what are we going to do about all of the unemployed civil trial lawyers?
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