In a lawsuit filed by the Nonhuman Rights Project, the plaintiffs are the beagles themselves. The filing asks the court for a writ of habeas corpus. The legal tool is almost always used to challenge unlawful confinement of humans. Berry wants the court to extend that same protection to the beagles at Ridglan Farms. Similar legal efforts have been used in attempts to free elephants from zoos in New York and Pennsylvania.
FOX6 MILWUAKEE: An animal rights group is suing Ridglan Farms, asking a court to treat thousands of beagles housed at the Dane County breeding facility as people under the law rather than property…
Last fall, prosecutors agreed not to file criminal charges if Ridglan surrendered its breeding license by July 1 and sold off its current stock of dogs. Animal rights activists say they cannot afford to wait that long…
A special prosecutor previously said Ridglan would likely have all the dogs sold by February or March. Records provided to FOX6 by the Marty Project and Rise for Animals show Ridglan has sold about 140 dogs since signing the settlement agreement. The company had about 2,300 dogs in September and last month said that more than 2,200 remained at the facility…
Christopher Berry of the Nonhuman Rights Project said his team is using a novel legal approach aimed at freeing the dogs… “Animals have an interest not to be abused,” said Berry. “It bridges a gap in existing law.”
In a lawsuit filed Monday by the Nonhuman Rights Project, the plaintiffs are the beagles themselves. The filing asks the court for a writ of habeas corpus.
“Habeas corpus is Latin for free the body. And it’s a common law legal mechanism to protect in all forms, all forms of unlawful confinement,” said Berry.
The legal tool is almost always used to challenge unlawful confinement of humans. Berry wants the court to extend that same protection to the beagles at Ridglan Farms.
“This is the first case advocating for animals based on animal cruelty violations,” said Berry.
Similar legal efforts have been used in attempts to free elephants from zoos in New York and Pennsylvania.
“So far, courts haven’t recognized this on behalf of animals, but really it’s only a matter of time,” Berry said. BRIAN POLCYN
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