Rights protect against intolerable wrongs—no matter who you are.
With persistence and rigor we're challenging a centuries-old status quo that unjustly sees all nonhuman animals as "things" with no rights.
A message from the NhRP
Learn about our unique mission and work and the progress we've made.
The clients we're fighting for
The first of their kind in the world, our initial cases demand the right to liberty of self-aware, autonomous nonhuman beings who undeniably suffer when deprived of their freedom.
Donate to support the fight
Your gift will help make nonhuman rights a legal reality and end the suffering caused by animals' rightlessness.
Donate online
Help make nonhuman rights a legal reality by donating to support our litigation, legislation, and education efforts.
Mail a check
The Nonhuman Rights Project Inc. 5195 NW 112th Terrace Coral Springs, FL 33076
Planned giving
Leaving a legacy gift to the NhRP is a significant contribution to a future where nonhumans’ fundamental rights are recognized and protected.
Create a fundraiser
Share with your friends and family why the NhRP’s work is important to you. This is a simple yet powerful way to spread and support our mission.
Other ways to advance the mission
Do you want to get involved in the fight for nonhuman rights? Here are some ways to take action.
Action alert
Submit a message to help #FreeTheFresnoElephants.
Action alert
Submit a message to help #FreeHappy and #FreePatty.
Sign petition
Join others in calling for Happy's freedom.
Sign petition
Join others in calling for freedom for the Fresno Chaffee Zoo elephants.
Tweet support
Elephants don’t belong in zoos.
Tweet support
The science is clear. When will the law catch up?
Tweet support
I believe in a world where nonhuman rights are protected alongside human rights.
Tweet support
We aren’t the only beings who need and want to live freely.
Media coverage
New yorker
“A curious legal crusade… is raising profound questions about the interdependence of the animal and human kingdoms.”
AP News
“Animal rights activists have started legal efforts aimed at removing elephants from zoos.”
The atlantic
“No case like this has ever reached so high a court, anywhere in the English-speaking world.”
A brief history of the NhRP's impact
As in any fight for social justice, persistence is key to progress. Below are some key milestones in our fight for nonhuman rights.
2013
Our lawsuits demanding chimpanzees' right to liberty were the first of their kind in the world.
2015
Our clients Hercules and Leo became the first nonhuman animals in the world to have habeas hearings to determine the lawfulness of their imprisonment.
2018
A judge on New York's highest court urged his fellow judges to treat our clients' rightlessness as “a deep dilemma of ethics and policy that demands our attention."
2022
Two judges on New York's highest court wrote powerful dissents in support of Happy's right to liberty.
Blog
New bill to ban elephant captivity in NYC
From 2018 to 2022, Happy–an elephant held alone in captivity in the Bronx Zoo–was the NhRP’s client in what became…
Our New Client in Our First California Lawsuit
We’ve taken on a new client in our litigation to #FreeTheFresnoElephants: his name is Mabu, and he’s one of the…
What Sanctuary For Elephants Looks Like
As part of our work to secure the right to liberty for our unlawfully imprisoned clients, the NhRP demands their…
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