The Nonhuman Rights Project is deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Dr. Jane Goodall. As one of our first board members, Dr. Goodall offered her support for our mission and work in the very early days of the NhRP, when the concept of nonhuman animals as legal persons with rights was still just an idea and not the legal reality it’s now becoming. Dr. Goodall was a personal and professional inspiration to our entire team. Her groundbreaking studies of wild chimpanzees transformed the world’s understanding of nonhuman minds. Our work would not be possible without her, and our gratitude for her contributions to our court cases seeking the right to liberty for imprisoned chimpanzees is beyond measure.Â
Expressing a deep kinship between her work and ours, Dr. Goodall told us to “never give up” on our mission: “I’m helping people to understand and feel in their hearts that these animals are deserving of personhood.” The Nonhuman Rights Project will continue to take inspiration from Dr. Goodall’s courageous leadership in creating a more just and compassionate world for all.