OVERVIEW
Our Animal Protection Education (APE) provides students and teachers with the information they need to understand and discuss the concept of granting legal personhood to animals.
YEAR LEVEL
Years 7-10.
RESOURCES
Encourage critical thinking on the subject of legal personhood for animals by downloading our free APE resources below:
- Video
- Fact Sheet
- Infographic
- Quiz
- Podcast
- Teacher Guide
- Classroom activities and lesson plans
- Student worksheets
- Glossary
- Animal Protection Encyclopedia
To access lessons and worksheets see the box on the right hand side of this page.
VIDEO
This 6-minute animated video introduces students to the concept of legal personhood, and its potential application to animals. It contains no graphic footage and is suitable for use in high school classrooms for all ages and countries.
You can also download the transcript of this video for students to follow along or use for activities.
Here’s a worksheet you can use alongside this video.
FACT SHEET
A comprehensive introduction to the concept of legal personhood for animals to encourage critical thinking in the classroom. Browse through the Flipbook of the fact sheet below or download your pdf here.
Some of the questions covered include:
- What is legal personhood?
- What is the legal status of animals?
- What is the Nonhuman Rights Project?
- Should animals be granted rights?
- Why aren’t animals legal persons?
INFOGRAPHIC
Concise and ideal for visual learners, this infographic can be printed for use in the classroom or used as an e-resource. Download a pdf here.
QUIZ
An online quiz to help students test their understanding of the key terms contained in this APE. Click here.
PODCAST
EPISODE 1 – Legal Personhood For Animals
This engaging and informative 30-minute educational podcast is suitable for advanced students. High school students can listen in to hear the arguments for/against granting legal personhood status to animals from some of the world’s foremost legal experts on the topic.
Interviewees include:
- Professor Steven Wise, lead attorney and founder of the Nonhuman Rights Project (USA);
- Joyce Tischler, founder of the Animal Legal Defense Fund (USA);
- Professor Richard Epstein, New York University (USA);
- Dr Erin O’Donnell, Senior Fellow at University of Melbourne (AUS).
Access the transcript of the podcast here.
Teacher Guide
This Teacher Guide has been designed to provide teachers with the information, tips and additional resources required to facilitate lessons on the topic of legal personhood.
Acknowledgement: Voiceless is grateful to the Nonhuman Rights Project for sharing their time and expertise in reviewing these APE resources.
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