Jun26
Historic News! Spain to Extend Rights to Great Apes
Posted at 02:44 PM | Permalink
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In a historic first, the Spanish Parliament is expected to pass legislation that will extend rights to great apes. Yes, you read that right. The resolutions bringing Spanish law in line with the recommendations of the Great Ape Project will not only outlaw experimentation on apes but will also make it illegal to exploit them for films and TV. Boo-ya! The new legislation has been approved by Parliament's environmental committee and has strong enough support that it is expected to become law within a year.
Woo-hoo! Way to go, Spain! Come on, America, what's the dealio?
By the way, if you want to do something for apes and other primates in the U.S. of A. (since we're not going to be able to get them all Spanish visas), be sure to tell your senators to support the Captive Primate Safety Act. Really. Go.
Posted by Jeff Mackey
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Comments
that's good news.. but I wish the Spanish parliament would also do somehting to help the bulls horribly and hideously tormented for their gruesome so called 'festivals'.. one of which they treat a bull as though it was a 'living dart board'.. I saw a picutre of a bull standing still literally embedded with more than 70 or more darts and still the crowd bayed for more torture and torment.. and continued to throw more darts at this poor tormented animal.. (you are short of feeling enraged when you see this pic) .. I find it incomprehensible how people or in this case Spaniards can be so mercilessly and callously cruel.. and intentionally for their 'entertainment'.. yes.. it's good news about the apes.. but they really need to stop tormenting and torturing bulls for so called festivals and for their 'amusement'.. it's deeply deeply loathsome and detestable what they do.. not to mention extremely cowardly and cruel!!! they need to banish their cruel blood sports.. regardless or not whether it is part of their culture or so called tradition.. and find something else less cruel and/or does not involve the repetitive spearing or darting of a live animal to amuse themselves!!!
Posted by: yvonne | June 26, 2008 03:14 PM
THEY WILL BE DOING SOMEHTING WHEN THEY GET RID OF BULLFIGHTING AND THE HANING OF HUNTING DOGS AFTER THEY ARE ABUSED AND STARVE THEM, AND THEN HANG THEM FROM TREES UNTIL THEY DIE A HORRRIBLE DEATH. WHAT A HORRIBLE AND CRUEL SOCIETY.
Posted by: SHARIE | June 26, 2008 03:30 PM
I totally agree with Yvonne that it is great that Spain is doing great things for the great apes, but now they also have to pass some laws to protect bulls, not use them as dart boards or to kill them in the bullring. That is just plain torture, tradition or not. Bullfights must be eliminated!
Posted by: Rex's Mom | June 26, 2008 03:43 PM
This really is wonderful news and Spain should be commended for taking such an intelligent and compassionate position regarding our closest cousins. So now we can expect,I hope, that they will also use this new found empathy to stop the public torture of bulls.
Posted by: Maureen | June 26, 2008 03:54 PM
This great news for the great apes!! Even bigger and better news would have been if they took the lead in ending animal/primate experiments altoghter and the use of non-animal tests. But I guess this one deserves a high five!! Only if they can end the so called "tradition" of bull runs/fights (if you would call it that) then maybe I'ld give them a bigger Woo-Hoo!!!
Posted by: Carla | June 26, 2008 04:41 PM
AMEN SHARIE!!!
Peace for all animals!
Posted by: Judith | June 26, 2008 05:44 PM
Great news for Apes! What about those bulls whose ears & testicles are chopped off in the name of 'entertainment'?
Posted by: Niranjan | June 26, 2008 09:56 PM
I share everyone's sentiments. It is sad that Spain cannot extend the same kind of compassion to other animals, like bulls or horses. However, I am thankful that great apes are protected and hopefully more nations will follow.
Posted by: MT | June 26, 2008 10:12 PM
This is huge. Unbelievable. Wonderful and potentially powerful precedent. I could not dream of something like that. All is not lost.
Posted by: Ksenia | June 26, 2008 11:05 PM
WOW!! This is monumental! Spain, you say!? Actual RIGHTS for great apes!?This is breathtaking,exciting news, especially for the non-human primates and those who've worked so hard on The Great Ape Project!!!
True, Spain has to clean up its violations against bulls and other animals but this says alot about the Spanish Parliament.
Thank you, Spain!
Boo-ya! Woo Hoo! and Way to go Spain! indeed, Jeff!!
Posted by: lynda downie | June 27, 2008 01:01 AM
I'm glad to hear that!!!....I'm a spaniard and I've always hated bullfights...you people must know that right now, here in Spain there are so many people trying to end this. Just a few months ago we finally got them to close the bullfighters school in my town, and almost all the young people in Spain loathe this kind of "tradition". But the conservatives and the old people...it's mor difficult for them cause it's like their culture...but we're trying to change our culture, so please, do not think that all the spanish society like bullfights
Posted by: Claudia | June 27, 2008 06:34 AM
what's wrong with using apes in movies?(but then again its not like spanish movies are any good!)
Posted by: Adam | June 27, 2008 07:13 AM
Why are they calling it "rights"? Isn't it more like protection? Whatever, I guess I'm happy for the little guys.
Posted by: Kurt K | June 27, 2008 10:54 AM
I found a place digg style, but focused on activism and social movements, it seems again to see if they start a few campaigns in this portal
Ana H.
www.erelive.com
Posted by: ana H. | June 27, 2008 02:34 PM
As a Spaniard I have to tell you how happy I am, but also clear the air: most Spaniards are against bullfighting and find in barbaric. The bullfights are here not for Spaniards, but for tourists. Once tourists stop putting in money it will surely stop...and if Spaniards keep expressing their disgust with this outdated form of "entertainment." P.S.- Spanish movies rock! Pedro Almodovar?!! Genius.
Posted by: lasenoraroja | June 28, 2008 12:45 PM
Thank you Claudia, for enlightening me. I've never been to Spain so I would hate to stereotype!
Congratulations on the progress your area has made - that is great news!
The problem with older folks and their traditions is a huge problem in the United States too. Not that all older folks are that way, but old, cruel traditions are hard to get rid of.
Posted by: Maya, C.V.T. | June 28, 2008 01:32 PM
GO APE.....!
Posted by: Saucy | June 30, 2008 12:18 AM
I think Spain needs to be commended for this. Though, I know that it still has to do the same for bulls, but even one measure to protect animals is better than none at all.
Remember, we will not achieve victories for all animals at once, so this should be welcomed as a positive first step. THis could be used as a precedent for other countries to follow suit.
Gemini Xettigar
Goa,India.
Posted by: Gemini Xettigar | June 30, 2008 05:47 AM
Wonderful news, wonderful!
Go Vegan, save up to 100 farm animals per person per year, save your health, and our world...
Posted by: Holly | June 30, 2008 03:47 PM
The keys to end bullfighting in Spain IMHO:
1- Time (hopefully one generation)
2- Strong, focused, concerted and sustained campaign outside Spain againts attending these events because this is greatly supported by tourism
3- Campaign in EU againts ALL subsidies to bulls but ban eventually needs to come from within Spain, not impossed by EU
Posted by: Alfredo | July 22, 2008 10:03 PM
Its not only for the tourist, thats a lie. I was in spain the last summer. Bull fighting was on tv day and night. Not on one channel , but on many. And even if it was only for the tourist , to do this kind of cruelty to animals just for money , says something about many spanish people. If all the young people hate it, unite and demonstrate till they stop with it
Posted by: Serdar | July 14, 2009 01:45 PM