In the legal system, animals are simply considered property, similar to a chair or a rug. As a result, they cannot access many rights or protections. Their legal status does not reflect the life and importance of an animal, especially pets, who most people consider to be one of their family members. In some families, pets are given presents, birthday parties and sometimes treated like a human baby. It is clear that pet owners love their pets and view them as a part of their family.

In October 2017, Chloe, the Instagram-famous Mini Frenchie, died after an accident conducted by the vet staff. She had gone in for a routine surgery and stayed overnight for observation. However, “the staff there erroneously directly attached the oxygen to her” which ended up blowing out her lungs and causing multiple cardiac arrests that eventually killed her. The hospital issued an apology and claim that they would make amends but they have done nothing to fix their problem. Because Chloe was only seen as a piece of property, not much can be done legally to push for change.

There are various situations when an animal can be in need of legal protection and humane treatment. If a dog is beaten to death, legal action should be taken to ensure justice for the mistreatment of a living being. However, this cannot be done if the prosecution chooses not to press charges. The dog cannot fight for its own rights. In a divorce, pets are treated as property to be divided up between the spouses, similar to the division of money and furniture. Considered a family member, pets should be treated similarly to children, and be in custody of the parent that can provide a better life for it. Luckily, some courts are recognizing this and looking for a pet’s best interest in divorce proceedings, but this has only happened in Iowa and Alaska. In addition, the EU, New Zealand and Quebec have recognized animals as “sentient,” beings that are able to perceive or feel things.

Animals should not be considered a piece of property or compared to furniture. They are living, breathing beings that are capable of emotion and pain. As a result, the legal system should recognize animals as that.

I ask the US legal system to change the status of animals so that they are recognized as sentient beings that deserve legal protection. Please sign this petition if you support this initiative.