Ushuaia judge recognizes rabbits as subjects of rights

A federal judge in Ushuaia, Argentina, has recognized European rabbits as subjects of rights and sentient beings in a landmark ruling. The decision by Judge Federico Calvete stems from a legal battle initiated in 2020 to prevent the Centro Austral de Investigaciones Científicas (CADIC-CONICET) from using toxic phosphine gas to control the rabbit population on its grounds.

While the lawsuit was ultimately declared moot because the planned poisoning procedure was suspended and never carried out, the court's considerations established a significant legal precedent. The ruling acknowledges animals as non-human subjects of rights, a move championed by organizations such as Amigos del Reino Animal Fueguino (ARAF) and the Asociación de Funcionarios y Abogados por los Derechos de los Animales (AFADA).

The original dispute arose when a colony of rabbits began causing potential infrastructure damage by nesting under building foundations. Legal representatives had argued for ethical population control methods rather than the use of aluminum phosphide, a chemical that releases highly toxic gas upon contact with moisture.