Macarena Montes Franceschini | Harvard Law School (original) (raw)

Papers by Macarena Montes Franceschini

Social Science Research Network, 2024

In this Article, we argue that animal rights and rights of nature can and should find synergistic... more In this Article, we argue that animal rights and rights of nature can and should find synergistic connections to tackle some of the most significant planetary threats today, notably, industrial animal agriculture. Until a landmark 2022 decision of the Supreme Constitutional Court of Ecuador, no court or legislation had concluded that animal rights could exist within rights of nature, and scholarship on rights of nature and animal rights has mostly ignored each other. Tackling industrial animal agriculture fits both movements’ goals as this industry is a major driver of climate change, deforestation, land and water use, and soil erosion, and is responsible for the suffering of billions of animals. However, the animal rights movement has had no significant practical strategy or success against industrial animal agriculture, and the rights of nature movement has taken on many issues adjacent to industrial animal agriculture but not the key issues themselves. We examine each movement, identify its history, aims, past practices, strengths, advantages, weaknesses, and disadvantages, and piece together a path forward that is inspired by the Ecuadorean decision and draws upon the strengths of each movement. We propose an approach that can produce an effect greater than the sum of the parts and call the movements together to advance the strategy we launch here. This Article presents an argument and an invitation.

In this Article, we argue that animal rights and rights of nature can and should find synergistic... more In this Article, we argue that animal rights and rights of nature can and should find synergistic connections to tackle some of the most significant planetary threats today, notably, industrial animal agriculture. Until a landmark 2022 decision of the Supreme Constitutional Court of Ecuador, no court or legislation had concluded that animal rights could exist within rights of nature, and scholarship on rights of nature and animal rights has mostly ignored each other. Tackling industrial animal agriculture fits both movements’ goals as this industry is a major driver of climate change, deforestation, land and water use, and soil erosion, and is responsible for the suffering of billions of animals. However, the animal rights movement has had no significant practical strategy or success against industrial animal agriculture, and the rights of nature movement has taken on many issues adjacent to industrial animal agriculture but not the key issues themselves. We examine each movement, identify its history, aims, past practices, strengths, advantages, weaknesses, and disadvantages, and piece together a path forward that is inspired by the Ecuadorean decision and draws upon the strengths of each movement. We propose an approach that can produce an effect greater than the sum of the parts and call the movements together to advance the strategy we launch here. This Article presents an argument and an invitation.

Oxford Handbook of Animal Law, in Anne Peters, Kristen Stilt, & Saskia Stucki (Ed.), 2025

This case note examines the Constitutional Court of Ecuador’s landmark ruling, which recognised a... more This case note examines the Constitutional Court of Ecuador’s landmark ruling, which recognised animals as rights holders under the constitutional rights of nature. The Court recognised that individuals and the state violated woolly monkey Estrellita’s rights when she was poached, raised in a human household for 18 years, confiscated, and quarantined in a zoo without considering her circumstances. The ruling expanded the scope of rights of nature beyond ecosystems and species to include individual animals and ordered the development of protocols and legislation to enforce the ruling and protect animal rights in Ecuador. This decision challenges rights of nature’s traditional focus on endangered species and sparks discussions about advancing animal rights through rights of nature beyond Ecuador’s borders.

Routledge eBooks, Jun 27, 2023

Revista Brasileira de Direito Animal, Sep 14, 2020

Como una medida contra el COVID-19 y futuras pandemias, la Comisión Europea presentó la estrategi... more Como una medida contra el COVID-19 y futuras pandemias, la Comisión Europea presentó la estrategia “De la Granja a la Mesa,” el pasado 20 de mayo de 2020. El objetivo de esta estrategia es crear un sistema de alimentación sostenible que garantice la seguridad alimentaria, así como la protección de las personas y el medioambiente dentro de la Unión Europea. Considerando que la Unión Europea es reconocida como la región promotora del bienestar animal a nivel mundial, este artículo analiza dicha estrategia con la finalidad de ver los avances y retrocesos en materia de bienestar animal y derechos de los animales no humanos.

Journal of animal ethics, 2021

Chucho is an Andean bear who had lived most of his life in semicaptivity in a nature reserve in M... more Chucho is an Andean bear who had lived most of his life in semicaptivity in a nature reserve in Manizales, Colombia. After his sister’s death, he became severely depressed, so the environmental authority transferred him to Barranquilla Zoo. A local lawyer filed a writ of habeas corpus based on Chucho’s right as a sentient being to live in his natural habitat. This writ has triggered a complex debate on nonhuman animal legal personhood and animal rights between two of the highest courts in the country: the Supreme Court of Justice and the Constitutional Court.

Animals, Sep 28, 2022

This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative... more This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY

Journal of animal ethics, Oct 1, 2022

Animals

Since Roman law, the category of the legal person has been the most relevant legal category, allo... more Since Roman law, the category of the legal person has been the most relevant legal category, allowing humans and entities to act within the law and enter into legal relations. The legal system does not consider nonhuman animals as legal persons but as property or as sentient beings regulated by the rules of property. Throughout history, there have been different concepts of the legal person, and some are still relevant today. This article examines four traditional concepts of legal personhood, arguing that nonhuman animals can be considered persons according to each concept. The article reaches three main conclusions. First, the legal person is not the same as the human. Second, the debate between the equivalence and the subset views poses a dilemma between a revolution or the reform of animals’ legal status. Third, an ecumenical defense of animal legal personhood may benefit animals as it supports animal persons according to any of the traditional concepts of legal personhood.

Journal of Animal Ethics, 2021

Chucho is an Andean bear who had lived most of his life in semicaptivity in a nature reserve in M... more Chucho is an Andean bear who had lived most of his life in semicaptivity in a nature reserve in Manizales, Colombia. After his sister’s death, he became severely depressed, so the environmental authority transferred him to Barranquilla Zoo. A local lawyer filed a writ of habeas corpus based on Chucho’s right as a sentient being to live in his natural habitat. This writ has triggered a complex debate on nonhuman animal legal personhood and animal rights between two of the highest courts in the country: the Supreme Court of Justice and the Constitutional Court.

N. Almiron, Animal Suffering and Public Relations, Routledge, 2023

Abstract: The animal entertainment industry includes different practices. Some consist in torturi... more Abstract: The animal entertainment industry includes different practices. Some consist in torturing an animal to death, as in bullfighting and countless other popular traditions, while others involve watching an animal in captivity, which can be another form of torture. Perhaps the most profitable practice is forcing very intelligent animals to perform the same routine several times daily in zoos and aquariums containing marine mammals, or in circuses containing terrestrial mammals. These businesses then present the animals in whatever way makes the practice appear less immoral, claim to have education and conservation as their mission, and present their entertainment businesses as altruistic charities. Disseminating their misleading discourse is unethical.

Animals, 2022

Since Roman law, the category of the legal person has been the most relevant legal category, allo... more Since Roman law, the category of the legal person has been the most relevant legal category, allowing humans and entities to act within the law and enter into legal relations. The legal system does not consider nonhuman animals as legal persons but as property or as sentient beings regulated by the rules of property. Throughout history, there have been different concepts of the legal person, and some are still relevant today. This article examines four traditional concepts of legal personhood, arguing that nonhuman animals can be considered persons according to each concept. The article reaches three main conclusions. First, the legal person is not the same as the human. Second, the debate between the equivalence and the subset views poses a dilemma between a revolution or the reform of animals’ legal status. Third, an ecumenical defense of animal legal personhood may
benefit animals as it supports animal persons according to any of the traditional concepts of legal personhood.

Revista General de Derecho Animal y Estudios Interdisciplinares de Bienestar Animal, 2022

En el presente comentario se analiza la sentencia de la Corte Constitucional del Ecuador de 27 de... more En el presente comentario se analiza la sentencia de la Corte Constitucional del Ecuador de 27 de enero de 2022, que revisó las sentencias dictadas en una acción de habeas corpus interpuesta en representación de una mona chorongo de nombre Estrellita. En este fallo, la Corte Constitucional reconoció que los animales, individualmente considerados, son sujetos de los derechos de la Naturaleza de rango constitucional. La sentencia que se analiza es una de las decisiones más importantes en el Derecho Animal moderno, pues no solo busca proteger a la biodiversidad o a los animales como parte de una especie, sino como individuos con valor inherente en sí mismos. Igualmente, la Corte Constitucional de Ecuador aceptó la posibilidad de que se interpongan acciones de habeas corpus en favor de animales silvestres en cautividad que se encuentren en una situación vulnerable, en un pronunciamiento que, deja la puerta abierta para que se extiendan los derechos de la naturaleza a todos los animales sintientes en general, incluidos los domésticos.

Animal Ethics Review , 2022

Este artículo examina cómo la personalidad jurídica y los derechos de los animales han pasado de ... more Este artículo examina cómo la personalidad jurídica y los derechos de los animales han pasado de ser “el elefante en la habitación” a ser temas que se están discutiendo cada vez más en tribunales de diferentes lugares del mundo y respecto de animales pertenecientes a diversas especies. El artículo examina cinco casos provenientes de Estados Unidos, Argentina, Colombia y Pakistán, respecto de orcas, chimpancés, orangutanes, osos andinos y elefantes asiáticos, que demuestran los avances en esta materia, a pesar de la reticencia existente en el ámbito jurídico a reconocer los derechos de los demás animales no humanos.

Animal & Natural Resource Law Review, 2021

macaRena monTes fRanceschInI * introduction Courts around the world have discussed nonhuman anima... more macaRena monTes fRanceschInI * introduction Courts around the world have discussed nonhuman animal 1 personhood in different types of procedures. This paper examines twentyseven such cases, most of which are writs of habeas corpus (HCW) filed on behalf of specific animals incarcerated in a zoo or laboratory in the hope that a court will find that the animal's imprisonment is unlawful and order their transfer or release. To date, there has only been one successful HCW case, regarding a chimpanzee named Cecilia in Argentina. 2 Cecilia lived alone in a concrete cage at the notorious Mendoza Zoo for many years, until, following her trial, a court ordered her transfer to Brazil's Great Ape Sanctuary, where Cecilia currently resides with other chimpanzees. 3 The remaining legal cases this paper will discuss are either administrative, criminal, or copyright proceedings in nature, where the topic of an animal's legal personhood has been an issue. This paper examines the arguments for legal personhood that have been employed in court, teases out the trends that emerge from this historical analysis, and presents the reader with three difficult dilemmas. The first argument pertains to the pros and cons of employing legal or political means; the second argument examines the relative advantages * Macarena Montes Franceschini is an attorney and a predoctoral researcher at Universitat Pompeu Fabra (Barcelona). She is a member of the UPF-Centre for Animal Ethics, a member of the Editorial Committee of the Chilean Journal of Animal Law, and the treasurer of the Great Ape Project-Spain. She has written several articles on nonhuman animal personhood and animal law and a book titled Animal Law in Chile. The author would like to thank Randy Abate, Paula Casal, Carlos Contreras, Maggie Livingston, and Steve Wise for their valuable help and comments, and the entire editorial team at MSU ANRLR for their hard work on this article.

Juriste International, 2021

Cet article analyse comment la personnalité juridique et les droits des animaux sont passés du st... more Cet article analyse comment la personnalité juridique et les droits des animaux sont passés du statut de « l’épine dans le pied » (ou « l’éléphant dans la pièce » comme disent les Anglo-Saxons) à des questions qui sont de plus en plus discutées par les tribunaux dans différentes parties du monde, et ce, concernant les animaux appartenant à différentes espèces. L’article examine quatre cas aux États-Unis, en Argentine, en Colombie et au Pakistan, qui démontrent des progrès dans ce domaine, malgré la réticence dans le domaine juridique à reconnaître les droits d’autres animaux.

Journal of Animal Ethics, 2021

Chucho is an Andean bear who had lived most of his life in semicaptivity in a nature reserve in M... more Chucho is an Andean bear who had lived most of his life in semicaptivity in
a nature reserve in Manizales, Colombia. After his sister’s death, he became severely depressed, so the environmental authority transferred him to Barranquilla Zoo. A local lawyer filed a writ of habeas corpus based on Chucho’s right as a sentient being to live in his natural habitat. This writ has triggered a complex debate on nonhuman animal legal personhood and animal rights between two of the highest courts in the country: the Supreme Court of Justice and the Constitutional Court.

Revista Brasileira de Direito Animal, 2020

Como una medida contra el COVID-19 y futuras pandemias, la Comisión Europea presentó la estrategi... more Como una medida contra el COVID-19 y futuras pandemias, la Comisión Europea presentó la estrategia “De la Granja a la Mesa,” el pasado 20 de mayo de 2020. El objetivo de esta estrategia es crear un sistema de alimentación sostenible que garantice la seguridad alimentaria, así como la protección de las personas y el medioambiente dentro de la Unión Europea. Considerando que la Unión Europea es reconocida como la región promotora del bienestar animal a nivel mundial, este artículo analiza dicha estrategia con la finalidad de ver los avances y retrocesos en materia de bienestar animal y derechos de los animales no humanos.

Social Science Research Network, 2024

In this Article, we argue that animal rights and rights of nature can and should find synergistic... more In this Article, we argue that animal rights and rights of nature can and should find synergistic connections to tackle some of the most significant planetary threats today, notably, industrial animal agriculture. Until a landmark 2022 decision of the Supreme Constitutional Court of Ecuador, no court or legislation had concluded that animal rights could exist within rights of nature, and scholarship on rights of nature and animal rights has mostly ignored each other. Tackling industrial animal agriculture fits both movements’ goals as this industry is a major driver of climate change, deforestation, land and water use, and soil erosion, and is responsible for the suffering of billions of animals. However, the animal rights movement has had no significant practical strategy or success against industrial animal agriculture, and the rights of nature movement has taken on many issues adjacent to industrial animal agriculture but not the key issues themselves. We examine each movement, identify its history, aims, past practices, strengths, advantages, weaknesses, and disadvantages, and piece together a path forward that is inspired by the Ecuadorean decision and draws upon the strengths of each movement. We propose an approach that can produce an effect greater than the sum of the parts and call the movements together to advance the strategy we launch here. This Article presents an argument and an invitation.

In this Article, we argue that animal rights and rights of nature can and should find synergistic... more In this Article, we argue that animal rights and rights of nature can and should find synergistic connections to tackle some of the most significant planetary threats today, notably, industrial animal agriculture. Until a landmark 2022 decision of the Supreme Constitutional Court of Ecuador, no court or legislation had concluded that animal rights could exist within rights of nature, and scholarship on rights of nature and animal rights has mostly ignored each other. Tackling industrial animal agriculture fits both movements’ goals as this industry is a major driver of climate change, deforestation, land and water use, and soil erosion, and is responsible for the suffering of billions of animals. However, the animal rights movement has had no significant practical strategy or success against industrial animal agriculture, and the rights of nature movement has taken on many issues adjacent to industrial animal agriculture but not the key issues themselves. We examine each movement, identify its history, aims, past practices, strengths, advantages, weaknesses, and disadvantages, and piece together a path forward that is inspired by the Ecuadorean decision and draws upon the strengths of each movement. We propose an approach that can produce an effect greater than the sum of the parts and call the movements together to advance the strategy we launch here. This Article presents an argument and an invitation.

Oxford Handbook of Animal Law, in Anne Peters, Kristen Stilt, & Saskia Stucki (Ed.), 2025

This case note examines the Constitutional Court of Ecuador’s landmark ruling, which recognised a... more This case note examines the Constitutional Court of Ecuador’s landmark ruling, which recognised animals as rights holders under the constitutional rights of nature. The Court recognised that individuals and the state violated woolly monkey Estrellita’s rights when she was poached, raised in a human household for 18 years, confiscated, and quarantined in a zoo without considering her circumstances. The ruling expanded the scope of rights of nature beyond ecosystems and species to include individual animals and ordered the development of protocols and legislation to enforce the ruling and protect animal rights in Ecuador. This decision challenges rights of nature’s traditional focus on endangered species and sparks discussions about advancing animal rights through rights of nature beyond Ecuador’s borders.

Routledge eBooks, Jun 27, 2023

Revista Brasileira de Direito Animal, Sep 14, 2020

Como una medida contra el COVID-19 y futuras pandemias, la Comisión Europea presentó la estrategi... more Como una medida contra el COVID-19 y futuras pandemias, la Comisión Europea presentó la estrategia “De la Granja a la Mesa,” el pasado 20 de mayo de 2020. El objetivo de esta estrategia es crear un sistema de alimentación sostenible que garantice la seguridad alimentaria, así como la protección de las personas y el medioambiente dentro de la Unión Europea. Considerando que la Unión Europea es reconocida como la región promotora del bienestar animal a nivel mundial, este artículo analiza dicha estrategia con la finalidad de ver los avances y retrocesos en materia de bienestar animal y derechos de los animales no humanos.

Journal of animal ethics, 2021

Chucho is an Andean bear who had lived most of his life in semicaptivity in a nature reserve in M... more Chucho is an Andean bear who had lived most of his life in semicaptivity in a nature reserve in Manizales, Colombia. After his sister’s death, he became severely depressed, so the environmental authority transferred him to Barranquilla Zoo. A local lawyer filed a writ of habeas corpus based on Chucho’s right as a sentient being to live in his natural habitat. This writ has triggered a complex debate on nonhuman animal legal personhood and animal rights between two of the highest courts in the country: the Supreme Court of Justice and the Constitutional Court.

Animals, Sep 28, 2022

This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative... more This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY

Journal of animal ethics, Oct 1, 2022

Animals

Since Roman law, the category of the legal person has been the most relevant legal category, allo... more Since Roman law, the category of the legal person has been the most relevant legal category, allowing humans and entities to act within the law and enter into legal relations. The legal system does not consider nonhuman animals as legal persons but as property or as sentient beings regulated by the rules of property. Throughout history, there have been different concepts of the legal person, and some are still relevant today. This article examines four traditional concepts of legal personhood, arguing that nonhuman animals can be considered persons according to each concept. The article reaches three main conclusions. First, the legal person is not the same as the human. Second, the debate between the equivalence and the subset views poses a dilemma between a revolution or the reform of animals’ legal status. Third, an ecumenical defense of animal legal personhood may benefit animals as it supports animal persons according to any of the traditional concepts of legal personhood.

Journal of Animal Ethics, 2021

Chucho is an Andean bear who had lived most of his life in semicaptivity in a nature reserve in M... more Chucho is an Andean bear who had lived most of his life in semicaptivity in a nature reserve in Manizales, Colombia. After his sister’s death, he became severely depressed, so the environmental authority transferred him to Barranquilla Zoo. A local lawyer filed a writ of habeas corpus based on Chucho’s right as a sentient being to live in his natural habitat. This writ has triggered a complex debate on nonhuman animal legal personhood and animal rights between two of the highest courts in the country: the Supreme Court of Justice and the Constitutional Court.

N. Almiron, Animal Suffering and Public Relations, Routledge, 2023

Abstract: The animal entertainment industry includes different practices. Some consist in torturi... more Abstract: The animal entertainment industry includes different practices. Some consist in torturing an animal to death, as in bullfighting and countless other popular traditions, while others involve watching an animal in captivity, which can be another form of torture. Perhaps the most profitable practice is forcing very intelligent animals to perform the same routine several times daily in zoos and aquariums containing marine mammals, or in circuses containing terrestrial mammals. These businesses then present the animals in whatever way makes the practice appear less immoral, claim to have education and conservation as their mission, and present their entertainment businesses as altruistic charities. Disseminating their misleading discourse is unethical.

Animals, 2022

Since Roman law, the category of the legal person has been the most relevant legal category, allo... more Since Roman law, the category of the legal person has been the most relevant legal category, allowing humans and entities to act within the law and enter into legal relations. The legal system does not consider nonhuman animals as legal persons but as property or as sentient beings regulated by the rules of property. Throughout history, there have been different concepts of the legal person, and some are still relevant today. This article examines four traditional concepts of legal personhood, arguing that nonhuman animals can be considered persons according to each concept. The article reaches three main conclusions. First, the legal person is not the same as the human. Second, the debate between the equivalence and the subset views poses a dilemma between a revolution or the reform of animals’ legal status. Third, an ecumenical defense of animal legal personhood may
benefit animals as it supports animal persons according to any of the traditional concepts of legal personhood.

Revista General de Derecho Animal y Estudios Interdisciplinares de Bienestar Animal, 2022

En el presente comentario se analiza la sentencia de la Corte Constitucional del Ecuador de 27 de... more En el presente comentario se analiza la sentencia de la Corte Constitucional del Ecuador de 27 de enero de 2022, que revisó las sentencias dictadas en una acción de habeas corpus interpuesta en representación de una mona chorongo de nombre Estrellita. En este fallo, la Corte Constitucional reconoció que los animales, individualmente considerados, son sujetos de los derechos de la Naturaleza de rango constitucional. La sentencia que se analiza es una de las decisiones más importantes en el Derecho Animal moderno, pues no solo busca proteger a la biodiversidad o a los animales como parte de una especie, sino como individuos con valor inherente en sí mismos. Igualmente, la Corte Constitucional de Ecuador aceptó la posibilidad de que se interpongan acciones de habeas corpus en favor de animales silvestres en cautividad que se encuentren en una situación vulnerable, en un pronunciamiento que, deja la puerta abierta para que se extiendan los derechos de la naturaleza a todos los animales sintientes en general, incluidos los domésticos.

Animal Ethics Review , 2022

Este artículo examina cómo la personalidad jurídica y los derechos de los animales han pasado de ... more Este artículo examina cómo la personalidad jurídica y los derechos de los animales han pasado de ser “el elefante en la habitación” a ser temas que se están discutiendo cada vez más en tribunales de diferentes lugares del mundo y respecto de animales pertenecientes a diversas especies. El artículo examina cinco casos provenientes de Estados Unidos, Argentina, Colombia y Pakistán, respecto de orcas, chimpancés, orangutanes, osos andinos y elefantes asiáticos, que demuestran los avances en esta materia, a pesar de la reticencia existente en el ámbito jurídico a reconocer los derechos de los demás animales no humanos.

Animal & Natural Resource Law Review, 2021

macaRena monTes fRanceschInI * introduction Courts around the world have discussed nonhuman anima... more macaRena monTes fRanceschInI * introduction Courts around the world have discussed nonhuman animal 1 personhood in different types of procedures. This paper examines twentyseven such cases, most of which are writs of habeas corpus (HCW) filed on behalf of specific animals incarcerated in a zoo or laboratory in the hope that a court will find that the animal's imprisonment is unlawful and order their transfer or release. To date, there has only been one successful HCW case, regarding a chimpanzee named Cecilia in Argentina. 2 Cecilia lived alone in a concrete cage at the notorious Mendoza Zoo for many years, until, following her trial, a court ordered her transfer to Brazil's Great Ape Sanctuary, where Cecilia currently resides with other chimpanzees. 3 The remaining legal cases this paper will discuss are either administrative, criminal, or copyright proceedings in nature, where the topic of an animal's legal personhood has been an issue. This paper examines the arguments for legal personhood that have been employed in court, teases out the trends that emerge from this historical analysis, and presents the reader with three difficult dilemmas. The first argument pertains to the pros and cons of employing legal or political means; the second argument examines the relative advantages * Macarena Montes Franceschini is an attorney and a predoctoral researcher at Universitat Pompeu Fabra (Barcelona). She is a member of the UPF-Centre for Animal Ethics, a member of the Editorial Committee of the Chilean Journal of Animal Law, and the treasurer of the Great Ape Project-Spain. She has written several articles on nonhuman animal personhood and animal law and a book titled Animal Law in Chile. The author would like to thank Randy Abate, Paula Casal, Carlos Contreras, Maggie Livingston, and Steve Wise for their valuable help and comments, and the entire editorial team at MSU ANRLR for their hard work on this article.

Juriste International, 2021

Cet article analyse comment la personnalité juridique et les droits des animaux sont passés du st... more Cet article analyse comment la personnalité juridique et les droits des animaux sont passés du statut de « l’épine dans le pied » (ou « l’éléphant dans la pièce » comme disent les Anglo-Saxons) à des questions qui sont de plus en plus discutées par les tribunaux dans différentes parties du monde, et ce, concernant les animaux appartenant à différentes espèces. L’article examine quatre cas aux États-Unis, en Argentine, en Colombie et au Pakistan, qui démontrent des progrès dans ce domaine, malgré la réticence dans le domaine juridique à reconnaître les droits d’autres animaux.

Journal of Animal Ethics, 2021

Chucho is an Andean bear who had lived most of his life in semicaptivity in a nature reserve in M... more Chucho is an Andean bear who had lived most of his life in semicaptivity in
a nature reserve in Manizales, Colombia. After his sister’s death, he became severely depressed, so the environmental authority transferred him to Barranquilla Zoo. A local lawyer filed a writ of habeas corpus based on Chucho’s right as a sentient being to live in his natural habitat. This writ has triggered a complex debate on nonhuman animal legal personhood and animal rights between two of the highest courts in the country: the Supreme Court of Justice and the Constitutional Court.

Revista Brasileira de Direito Animal, 2020

Como una medida contra el COVID-19 y futuras pandemias, la Comisión Europea presentó la estrategi... more Como una medida contra el COVID-19 y futuras pandemias, la Comisión Europea presentó la estrategia “De la Granja a la Mesa,” el pasado 20 de mayo de 2020. El objetivo de esta estrategia es crear un sistema de alimentación sostenible que garantice la seguridad alimentaria, así como la protección de las personas y el medioambiente dentro de la Unión Europea. Considerando que la Unión Europea es reconocida como la región promotora del bienestar animal a nivel mundial, este artículo analiza dicha estrategia con la finalidad de ver los avances y retrocesos en materia de bienestar animal y derechos de los animales no humanos.

Santiago: Libromar , 2018

El objetivo de este artículo es analizar y comparar algunas cuestiones relativas al estado del De... more El objetivo de este artículo es analizar y comparar algunas cuestiones relativas al estado del Derecho Animal en Chile y Colombia en la actualidad. Existen novedades legislativas y jurisprudenciales cuya finalidad es mejorar la protección de los animales en ambos países. En particular, en Chile se promulgó recientemente la ley sobre tenencia responsable de mascotas y animales de compañía, y en Colombia se penalizó el maltrato animal. En el ámbito jurisprudencial, en Colombia existen importantes pronunciamientos de los tribunales superiores de justicia. Por el contrario, en Chile aún no se produce un desarrollo jurisprudencial comparable, pero sí existe un gran desarrollo en materia de bienestar animal, cuestión que no se encuentra tan desarrollada en Colombia. Aunque en Chile y Colombia existen diversos avances en esta materia, aún existen muchísimas cuestiones por mejorar y regular para proteger a los animales.

In Núria Almiron & Catia Faria (Ed.). Especismo y Lenguaje

No es de esperar que el lenguaje jurídico contenga tantas expresiones especistas como el lenguaje... more No es de esperar que el lenguaje jurídico contenga tantas expresiones especistas como el lenguaje común, dado su carácter formal, técnico, preciso y ponderado y las sucesivas etapas de escrutinio colectivo que ha de sobrevivir el texto de toda ley. No obstante, el derecho es el principal instrumento de regulación de nuestras relaciones de propiedad y control sobre otros animales y adopta los valores de nuestra cultura. Así, no se otorga una protección jurídica basada en las necesidades de cada especie, sino según el uso que damos a los individuos. Las propias especies están, a su vez, clasificadas en amansadas o salvajes, útiles o dañinas y todo el universo jurídico se divide solamente en dos: las cosas, que no tienen derechos, y las personas, que no solo poseen derechos, sino también cosas, algunas de las cuales son animales.

In Anne Peters, Kristen Stilt, & Saskia Stucki (Ed.). Oxford Handbook of Animal Law

In Núria Almiron (Ed.). Public Relations and the Animal-Industrial Complex. Lobbying Against Compassion and the Ethics of Persuasion. London: Routledge, 2023

The animal entertainment industry includes different practices. Some consist in torturing an anim... more The animal entertainment industry includes different practices. Some consist in torturing an animal to death, as in bullfighting and countless other popular traditions; others involve watching an animal in captivity, which can be another form of torture. Perhaps the most profitable practice is forcing very intelligent animals perform the same routine several times daily in zoos and aquariums containing marine mammals, or circuses containing terrestrial mammals. These businesses then present the animals in whatever way makes the practice appear less immoral, claim to have education and conservation as their mission, and present their entertainment businesses as altruistic charities.

In Ruth Montiel (Ed.). El 2%, 2021

In Israel González (Ed.). Derecho Animal, Tenencia Responsable y Otras Propuestas Interdisciplinarias. Actas de los IV Coloquios de Derecho Animal. Santiago: Ediciones Jurídicas de Santiago, 2021

En junio de 2017, se interpuso un habeas corpus en representación de Chucho, un oso andino ante e... more En junio de 2017, se interpuso un habeas corpus en representación de Chucho, un oso andino ante el Tribunal Superior de Manizales, Colombia. Chucho y su hermana Clarita vivieron más de diez años en un régimen de semi-cautividad en una reserva en Manizales. En el año 2008, Clarita murió y Chucho se deprimió, comenzó a subir de peso y volverse sedentario. Por lo tanto, la autoridad ambiental decidió trasladarlo al zoológico de Barranquilla. El cambio desde un régimen de semi-cautividad a uno de cautividad motivó el habeas corpus. En el recurso, se alega que Chucho es un ser sintiente que tiene derecho a vivir en su hábitat y se solicita su traslado a la reserva donde nació en la región de Nariño. Esta acción generó un profundo debate sobre la personalidad jurídica y los derechos de los animales en diversos tribunales colombianos. Entre ellos, dos de los tribunales más altos del país, la Corte Suprema de Justicia y la Corte Constitucional. El caso de Chucho es la segunda vez en la historia que se presenta un habeas corpus en favor de un oso y la primera vez en la historia que un tribunal concede un habeas corpus a un oso.

In Israel González (Ed.). Personalidad jurídica de los animales no humanos y nuevas tendencias en derecho animal. Santiago: Ediciones Jurídicas de Santiago, 2019

Los ordenamientos jurídicos de la tradición continental se estructuran sobre la distinción entre ... more Los ordenamientos jurídicos de la tradición continental se estructuran sobre la distinción entre cosas y personas que fue incorporada a través del proceso de codificación en los respectivos códigos civiles. Solamente las personas son consideradas como sujetos de derechos. En el extremo opuesto, se encuentran los animales no humanos, quienes han
sido considerados como cosas desde el Derecho Romano. En algunos estados, los animales han dejado de ser considerados como cosas y en otros países han avanzado más y han modificado el Código Civil para establecer que los animales son seres sintientes. No obstante, los animales continúan estando sujetos al régimen de la propiedad en estos lugares. Desde la década de los setenta, los avances morales han impulsado un movimiento a favor del reconocimiento de los derechos de los animales. En el ámbito del derecho, este reconocimiento se encuentra en pugna con la actual consideración de los animales como cosas, pues implica reconocer a los animales como sujetos de derecho y reconocerles al menos algunos derechos básicos. Por lo tanto, implica sacarlos de la clasificación de cosas y dejar de aplicar a su respecto las normas de la propiedad.

In Israel González (Ed.). Discusiones y desafíos en torno al Derecho Animal. Actas de los terceros coloquios de Derecho Animal de la Universidad Católica del Norte. Santiago: Ediciones Jurídicas de Santiago, 2018

El objetivo de este artículo es analizar y comparar algunas cuestiones relativas al estado del De... more El objetivo de este artículo es analizar y comparar algunas cuestiones relativas al estado del Derecho Animal en Chile y Colombia en la actualidad. Existen novedades legislativas y jurisprudenciales cuya finalidad es mejorar la protección de los animales en ambos países. En particular, en Chile se promulgó recientemente la ley sobre tenencia responsable de mascotas y animales de compañía, y en Colombia se penalizó el maltrato animal. En el ámbito jurisprudencial, en Colombia existen importantes pronunciamientos de los tribunales superiores de justicia. Por el contrario, en Chile aún no se produce un desarrollo jurisprudencial comparable, pero sí existe un gran desarrollo en materia de bienestar animal, cuestión que no se encuentra tan desarrollada en Colombia. Aunque en Chile y Colombia existen diversos avances en esta materia, aún existen muchísimas cuestiones por mejorar y regular para proteger a los animales.

• The UPF-CAE sends a question to Anna Sanitjas, Directora General d'Ecosistemes Forestals i Gest... more • The UPF-CAE sends a question to Anna Sanitjas, Directora General d'Ecosistemes Forestals i Gestió del media of the Catalan government, Generalitat de Catalunya, on how the authorities plan to deal with coypus. No response is received. January 23, 2023.

UPF-CAE, 2023

Annual report or the UPF-Centre for Animal Ethics for 2022

UPF-Centre for Animal Ethics, 2020

2019 UPF-CAE Anual Report

Macarena Montes contributes with "The judicial struggle for the liberation of Suiça the chimpanze... more Macarena Montes contributes with "The judicial struggle for the liberation of Suiça the chimpanzee" in El 2%, edited and illustrated by Ruth Montiel, 96-99. • UPF-CAE holds a CAE-Talk live on Facebook on the topic "L'actualitat del projecto ZOO XXI", a conversation between Núria Almiron and Rosi Carro (Fundació Franz Weber) and Ana Luz (Alaire Barcelona), February 4. • UPF-CAE, under the moderation of Eze Paez, holds the seminar "¿Tiene sentido reconocer el derecho al trabajo a los animales?" with Jose Luis Rey Pérez, professor, and researcher at the Universidad Pontificia Comillas. It was conducted by videoconference with the participation of 24 attendees, February 9. • Marta Tafalla participates in "Ecofeminismo", round table organized by Equo Cantabria, February 10.

UPF-Centre for Animal Ethics, 2020

2019 Annual Report

UPF-Centre for Animal Ethics, 2020

Memòria d'activitats 2019

Court of Appeals of San Miguel, Santiago, Chile, 2022

Brooks McCormick Jr Animal Law & Policy Program at Harvard Law School (K. Stilt & M. Montes) and Nonhuman Rights Project (S. Wise & K. Schneider), 2021, 2021

Brooks McCormick Jr Animal Law & Policy Program at Harvard Law School (K. Stilt & M. Montes) and Nonhuman Rights Project (S. Wise & K. Schneider), 2021

School and the Nonhuman Rights Project hereby respectfully present the following amicus curiae ac... more School and the Nonhuman Rights Project hereby respectfully present the following amicus curiae according to article 12 of the Organic Law of Jurisdictional Guarantees and Constitutional Control, in the matter of Case No. 253-20-JH before the Constitutional Court of Ecuador. 1.2 Ana Burbano received the woolly monkey (Lagothrix lagothricha) named Estrellita at the age of one month. The woolly monkey is classified as vulnerable by the IUCN Red List (Stevenson et al. 2021). Particularly, woolly monkeys are suffering from habitat loss and hunting in Ecuador (Álvarez-Solas, de la Torre, and Tirira 2018, 187). Burbano kept Estrellita and raised her in a human family; Estrellita had no contact with other woolly monkeys. The Ecuadorian environmental authority confiscated Estrellita on September 11, 2019, when she was around 18 years old, on the basis of article 147.5 of the Organic Environmental Code, which provides that private individuals may not breed, keep, buy, or sell exotic or native wildlife. The authorities relocated Estrellita to San Martín de Baños Zoo. Estrellita was put in quarantine and died in the zoo on October 9, 2019. Burbano filed a writ of habeas corpus on Estrellita's behalf, demanding that the judge return Estrellita to her human family and issue the wildlife license that Burbano required to keep Estrellita in her home. The lower court and the Court of Appeals denied the writ of habeas corpus.

Boletín INTERcids de Derecho Animal, 2020

El artículo analiza las medidas propuestas por organismos internacionales para hacer frente a la ... more El artículo analiza las medidas propuestas por organismos internacionales
para hacer frente a la problemática del abandono de perros, así como las
medidas implementadas por diversos países europeos para lograr este
objetivo. En especial, el artículo analiza el exitoso caso de Países Bajos. El
objetivo de este análisis es proponer un programa integral de medidas
públicas para erradicar el abandono de perros en España.

Boletín INTERcids de Derecho Animal, 2019

El artículo analiza la evolución de las resoluciones sobre el vínculo entre la violencia de géner... more El artículo analiza la evolución de las resoluciones sobre el vínculo entre la violencia de género o la violencia doméstica y el maltrato animal, identificando los avances que se han dado en esta materia, así como las omisiones que existen en aquellos casos en que la violencia no solo se ejerce sobre la mujer u otros familiares, sino también sobre su animal doméstico.

Boletín INTERcids de Derecho Animal, 2018

El Tribunal Supremo reconoce la indemnización por daño moral desde el año 1912 y es posible encon... more El Tribunal Supremo reconoce la indemnización por daño moral desde el año 1912 y es posible encontrar numerosos casos en que se ha concedido esta indemnización por la pérdida o lesión de un animal de compañía. Sin embargo, existe gran dispersión jurisprudencial en la materia.

El presente artículo tiene la finalidad de sistematizar los criterios jurisprudenciales más relevantes y aportar algunas pautas para facilitar la labor de jueces y particulares que se encuentran ante casos de indemnización del daño moral por la pérdida o lesión de animales de compañía.

El caballo de Nietzsche , 2018

El caballo de Nietzsche, 2018

Palomas urbanas: los animales "sin papeles" de nuestras ciudades • Las palomas urbanas sobreviven... more Palomas urbanas: los animales "sin papeles" de nuestras ciudades • Las palomas urbanas sobreviven en las calles en condiciones muy duras, pasan hambre y sed, padecen enfermedades y sufren accidentes que les provocan agonías dolorosas, pero pasan desapercibidas para la mayoría • Lejos de ser discriminadas y exterminadas, las palomas urbanas deben ser incluidas, junto a los demás animales, en la lucha por la protección y los derechos de los animales Convivimos en el espacio urbano con las palomas, que merecen nuestro respeto y protección Macarena Montes Franceschini / Silvina Pezzetta 5 de junio de 2018 21:34h Las palomas urbanas están presentes en casi todas las ciudades del mundo, son altamente exitosas como especie y desafían las