6 February 2012
Last updated at 22:34 ET
The five wild-captured orca “plaintiffs” are based at SeaWorld Orlando and SeaWorld San Diego
Five killer whales have been named as plaintiffs in a court case which argues they deserve the same constitutional protection from slavery as humans.
A US judge is considering a lawsuit by People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals’ (Peta) against SeaWorld.
It is reportedly the first time a US court has heard legal arguments over whether animals should enjoy the same constitutional protections as humans.
SeaWorld’s legal team said the case was a waste of time and resources.
The marine park’s lawyer, Theodore Shaw, told the court in San Diego: “Neither orcas nor any other animal were included in the ‘We the people’… when the Constitution was adopted.”
He said that if the case were successful, it could have implications not just on how other marine parks or zoos operate, but even on the police use of sniffer dogs to detect bombs and drugs.
‘Historic case’
Peta says the killer
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