Free Pony Theory ~ Chimpansee is a person

Joined: 23 Sep 2006 Posts: 1088

http://www.abc.net.au/rn/allinthemind/stories/2008/2290721.htm

Paula Stibbe: Certainly yes, he's very important in my life. There was one day in particular that I was spending time with Matthew and we were playing a game of tug of war, which is probably his favourite game actually, and my mobile phone rang and I went to pick it up and I received some upsetting personal news. I think I probably wept a little bit and Matthew came over to me and started stroking my arm and showed me kind of sympathy in the way that I would imagine from any human friend, and was making obvious attempts to comfort me.

Anita Barraud: That said, Paula knows Matthew is a chimp and is wary of anthropomorphising. But now his future is uncertain because the Austrian animal shelter he lives in is in deep financial trouble.

Paula Stibbe: As soon as bankruptcy proceedings start Matthew is seen probably as an asset and we would lose control over what would happen to him. He could be shipped out to some circus in god knows where or a laboratory, or yes, it would just out of our control and certainly out of his.

http://www.boingboing.net/2008/07/22/apes-legal-personhoo.html