Protecting Rights of Animals

As many of the nation's top law schools begin offering courses in animal law, the emerging field is gaining credibility.

Valerie Stanley, who teaches a seminar on animal law at Georgetown University Law Center, spoke Monday with CBS News Early Show Anchor Bryant Gumbel.

The law should recognize animals as more than property, she says, because "they have very complex social and emotional needs, especially animals such as primates, who can complete numerous tasks, communicate with each other, learn sign language and count."

"They're able to understand what's going on around them, and they're very self-aware....Unfortunately, currently, our legal system equates animals with inanimate objects," she says.

Stanley's interest in animal law comes directly from her life experience, she says. "I've been an animal activist for about 20 years. And I went into animal law because I wanted to increase the protections for animals and give them a voice in our legal system."

She does not believe, however, that most of those entering the field have activist agendas. "There are people from all walks of life."

Nor does she see the growth of animal law as leading activists to extreme acts. In fact, she says, "I think probably just the opposite, because of our legal system. It can actually promote the protection of animals and give them recognition and afford them rights. Maybe that will lead to a decrease in some forms of violence."

Not that the current legal situation is acceptable to Stanley. "Under our current system of laws, there's almost no protection given to farm animals raised for food. There's virtually little protection given to animals used in experimentation."

Stanley is optimistic, however, that that situation will change. "Courts are recognizing, just as the Supreme Court had to struggle with the issue of protecting people's interest in the environment 27 years ago, they're beginning to recognize people's interests in animals."