In 2004 , all of the whale , dolphin , and porpoise in the world unify for a single cause : to protest the U.S. Navy ’s usage of sonar during wartime . Represented by ( human ) lawyer Lanny Sinkin , who launched the case on their behalf , the aquatic mammals contend that the Navy ’s function of certain types of sonar technologies could disrupt marine mammal doings and have tissue damage , among other injuries .
foretell themselves the Cetacean Community ( defined in the case as “ all of the world ’s whales , porpoises , and dolphins ” ) , they brought a suit against George W. Bush and Donald Rumsfeld for permitting the harmful naval policies . Or they judge to .
The case , “ Cetacean Community v. Bush , ” terminate up centering on whether or not animals even have the right to sue humans . On the cetaceous side , Sinkin wait for sound common law for animal plaintiffs . He note that , in a anterior case , the endangered Hawaiian Palila bird was report as “ fly ” its way into motor hotel as “ a plaintiff in its own rightfield . ” But the defense countered that the description of the bird ’s legal standing had been nothing more than a “ rhetorical tucket . ”
Sinkin then noted that “ corporation , partnerships or trusts , and even ships ” are empower to sue — so why not animate being ? Other inanimate and non - human entities have fetch slip , he debate : If corporate entities like Coca - Cola are considered a person under the law , the cetaceans should be too .
Sinkin ’s case made a spattering in the legal community , but in the goal , thecourt give notice the cetaceans’case , and a subsequent prayer bomb . In an 18 - page opinion for the ingathering panel , Judge William A. Fletcher wrote : “ If Congress and the President intended to take the extraordinary gradation of authorizing animal as well as citizenry and sound entities to process , they could , and should , have articulate so plainly . ”
