Professor Rick Cupp Cited in "Legal Battles Against Animal Abuse, Puppy and Kitten Mills, and Other Inhumane Activities" -- ABA Magazine

Professor Richard L. Cupp is cited in the American Bar Association Magazine article, "Legal Battles Against Animal Abuse, Puppy and Kitten Mills, and Other Inhumane Activities." The article, by Samatha Jones and Ralph Demeo, discusses how Professor Cupp's law review article, “Animals as More Than ‘Mere Things,’ But Still Property: A Call for Continuing Evolution of the Animal Welfare Paradigm,” (SSRN) identifies a path toward better legal protections for sentient animals.

Excerpt from "Legal Battles Against Animal Abuse, Puppy and Kitten Mills, and Other Inhumane Activities"

And although Florida has a wealth of local ordinances throughout its counties aimed at the protection of animals, state law currently defines an animal as “every living dumb creature” (Fla. Stat. Ann. § 828.02). In comparison, the state of Maine offers a much more progressive, thorough definition of an animal: “‘Animal’ means every living, sentient creature not a human being” (Me. Rev. Stat. Ann. tit. 17, § 1011). As noted by Richard L. Cupp Jr. in his article “Animals as More Than ‘Mere Things,’ But Still Property: A Call for Continuing Evolution of the Animal Welfare Paradigm,” the recognition of animals as sentient property, rather than mere personal property, could be the first step toward changing the legal significance of an animal. Indeed, state legislatures across the country have acknowledged that animals can suffer; anti-cruelty laws preventing the infliction of cruelty upon animals have been adopted in every state.

The complete article may be found at ABA Magazine (registration required)