[There is no Rep. Harold Wolfe -- Democrat, Californian or other -- in the
U.S. House. Aside from that, it's an entertaining satire. Previous Politech
message: http://www.politechbot.com/p-03497.html --Declan]
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From: "japgray" <japgray_at_msn.com>
To: "Declan McCullagh" <declan_at_well.com>
Subject: Congress Acts to Protect Animal Privacy
Date: Sun, 12 May 2002 08:03:43 -0400
Congress Acts to Protect Animal Privacy
By Peter Gray
Washingtonword
Washington, May 13, 2002 Reacting to concerns that animals in captivity do
not have a legal right to privacy, Rep. Harold Wolfe (D-CA) today
introduced the Animal Privacy Entitlement (APE) Act of 2002. The
legislation would provide animals in zoos, circuses and theme parks with
new privacy protections.
In a statement, Congressman Wolfe said, Over 50 bills have been introduced
in the 107th Congress to protect human privacy, but none to protect animal
privacy. This is unfair, undemocratic, and discriminatory. My bill would
extend to animals basic fair information practices that limit the
collection, disclosure and uses of health and other personal data on
animals. I expect many animal lovers and privacy advocates in Congress will
co-sponsor my bill.
Among the most controversial provisions of the APE Act, video surveillance
of the dating, mating and other personal activities of captive animals
would be prohibited. The Act also allows class-action lawsuits to be
brought on behalf of captive animals against zoos and other public animal
habitats that violate, or permit the public to violate, animal privacy.
Animal rights activists, privacy advocates, and trial lawyers joined forces
to support the legislation. Speaking on behalf of the group, Polly Finch,
Executive Director of The Center for Animal Democracy, said that the bill
represents an important step forward to ensure privacy parity for animals.
Since an animal is not capable of bringing a private right of action
against an abuser of its privacy, legal representatives of animals should
be permitted to file class-actions on their behalf , she added.
On May 6, 2002, the Washington Post reported that the National Zoo refused
to release a deceased giraffe s medical records on grounds that it would
violate the animal s right to privacy. However, courts have ruled that
animals do not have a legal right to privacy. The APE Act would remedy this
legal deficiency.
Declan, your Politech subscribers will recognize that humor sometimes
becomes reality. Peter
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Received on May 14 2002
Intro
