Office Hours: An Elephant Is A Person? New York's Highest Court Will Decide ft. Steven Wise

Is an elephant a legal “person”? That’s the big question before the New York Court of Appeals as it gears up next year to decide the fate of Happy, a female Asian elephant at the Bronx Zoo who seeks liberty from her confinement. The litigation, which could set paradigm-shifting precedent and impact a host of business interests, was described as “the most important animal-rights case of the 21st century,” by historian Jill Lepore. While it isn’t unheard of for a non-human to be deemed a “person” for purposes of the law — things such as a ship and a river have been accorded such designation — it is no easy feat. The petition for writ of habeas corpus on Happy’s behalf was filed by the Nonhuman Rights Project (NhRP), an animal rights organization, that seeks to transfer her to a sanctuary. CAFE's excecutive producer Tamara Sepper spoke to Steven Wise, founder and president of NhRP, about the battle before him and the journey intelligent animals like elephants and chimpanzees face from thinghood to personhood.