Top academics sign declaration agreeing on animal-people’s conscious experience capacity.

Recently, nearly 40 researchers signed “The New York Declaration on Animal Consciousness” at New York University in the United States. This significant statement was prompted, in part, by certain important discoveries in the last five years providing evidence that many animal-people species including invertebrates, have inner lives and are sentient. Scientists hope that the declaration may prompt further scientific research into the topic of sentience. This group aspires for this view on consciousness to be accepted universally and thus improve humanity’s treatment of animal-folk. From a legal perspective, some jurisdictions have already incorporated sentience into their laws. A US state of Oregon law recognizes an animal-individual’s capacity to feel pain, stress, and fear. Octopus-, crab-, and lobster-persons are considered sentient beings under British law.

Our hats off, dear scientists, on your praiseworthy act of publicly recognizing our animal friends’ sentience. In Heaven’s protection, may all our animal co-citizens be protected and respected.