Redefining Legal Rights and Personhood for Animals: A Shift Towards Interspecies Justice and Sustainability

Abstract

This article examines the evolving legal and ethical debate on granting legal rights and personhood to animals within contemporary jurisprudence. It argues that the traditional classification of animals as property is increasingly incompatible with scientific evidence of animal sentience and with modern theories of justice. Drawing on ethical frameworks such as utilitarianism and deontology, the study analyzes how recognition of animals as rights-bearing beings can challenge anthropocentric legal systems and promote a more inclusive conception of justice. The article further reviews significant constitutional developments and landmark judicial decisions, including the Kaavan case in Pakistan and the Sandra and Cecilia cases in Argentina, to demonstrate the growing international shift toward acknowledging animals as subjects of legal concern rather than mere objects of human use. It highlights the implications of animal personhood for welfare, conservation, biodiversity, and sustainability, while also addressing major objections based on legal capacity, economic disruption, and practical enforcement. The study concludes that recognizing legal rights and limited personhood for animals represents an important step toward interspecies justice, humane governance, and sustainable coexistence.