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EVENT:
Aug. 7, 2006
DVD
Presentation to the American Bar Association:
Meet Koko, Ambassador for the Animal
World |
 A
special DVD, entitled “Meet Koko, Ambassador for
the Animal World”, was developed by The Gorilla
Foundation in association with the Animal Law Committee
of the American Bar Association, for presentation at
their annual conference in Honolulu, Hawaii, this August.
The 20-minute DVD features an interview with Dr. Penny
Patterson, and selected video footage of gorillas Koko,
Michael and Ndume that condense the ongoing story of
Project Koko into a sequence of glimpses that make clear
the main implication for humanity — animals are
much more than they appear to be. The video clearly
shows how similar the intellectual, emotional and behavioral
capabilities of great apes (like Koko, Michael and Ndume)
are to humans, and helps make the case that at least
some non-human animals should be provided with basic
legal rights — such as the right not to be killed
or to suffer at the hands of humans.
It also establishes Koko as the eminent spokesperson
for the animal world — in spite of the fact that
there is nothing special about Koko except for the special
attention and education she was given by humans —
and asks for the support of the legal profession to
ensure that there will be a succession of animal “ambassadors”
like Koko for generations to come, to remind humans
of our role as their stewards (rather than their captors).
The DVD was presented at the conference in Honolulu
on Aug. 7, 2006 by the Animal Law Committee’s
2006 and 2007 chairpersons, Kristina Hancock and Gilda
Mariani, respectively. Ms. Hancock, who interviewed
Dr. Penny Patterson for the DVD, and hosted the session,
reports below on the results of the presentation and
about her experience collaborating with The Gorilla
Foundation.
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 Koko’s
Impact at the 2006 ABA Conference
by Kristina Hancock
Kristina
Hancock is a tax attorney at Luce, Forward, Hamilton
& Scripps LLP’s Del Mar office, and an
adjunct professor at California Western School of
Law, where she teaches Animal Law. |
When
the American Bar Association’s TIPS Animal
Law Committee began to plan for its annual meeting
program this year in Hawaii, my first thought was
how wonderful it would be to have Koko as the program’s
keynote speaker.
The mission of the Animal Law Committee is to be
the instrument of a paradigm shift to raise consciousness
and facilitate the evolution of thought on animal
issues, both domestically and internationally. In
the entire planetary animal kingdom, Koko is the
only being who is able to communicate to us so clearly
the inner thoughts and feelings of another species.
Although certain other great apes, dolphins and
parrots have achieved the capacity for more limited
communication with humans, Koko’s 35 year
journey with Penny Patterson has singularly equipped
her to serve as our true “ambassador to the
animal kingdom,” a role she fulfills with
uncommon grace, insight and humor. So who better
to represent her kingdom before a room full of lawyers?
Koko was the obvious choice.
When we learned that the Gorilla Foundation and
Koko were willing to be a part of our program, it
would be fair to say that everyone at ABA TIPS was
absolutely “tickled pink.” The actual
creation of the video turned out to be a labor of
love and there was a true meeting of the minds that
exceeded even our highest expectations. As Penny,
Gary and Lorraine focused their energies together
with the members of the Animal Law Committee, a
synergy emerged from the blending of our diverse
perspectives (science and law) with a common goal:
the creation of an educational vehicle that would
provide a window into the soul of an animal, juxtaposed
against the stark social reality that animals currently
share the legal status of inanimate objects.
When we finished the video, I knew that something
powerful had been created. Yet I was not prepared
for the full impact that the piece would have on
a room full of “rational” attorneys
skilled in razor-sharp critical analysis. I was
stunned when I glanced around the room after the
scene documenting the death of Koko’s first
kitten, All Ball, and realized that there was hardly
a dry eye in the room. Afterwards, a veteran ABA
member described watching the video as “a
life altering experience.”
Public awareness of animal-related issues has reached
an all-time high, and I believe this is largely
attributable to the work of individuals like Penny
Patterson. We at the ABA TIPS Animal Law Committee
are honored to have worked with the Gorilla Foundation
on this important project, and I would like to take
this opportunity to thank Penny and Koko for helping
us to further our goal of improving conditions for
all members of the animal kingdom. |
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The
DVD — Meet Koko, Ambassador for the Animal
World — was developed expressly for the purpose
of this presentation to the American Bar Association.
It is not currently available to the general public.
However, excerpts and special versions are in preparation
now for public consumption, and for posting on the
Gorilla Foundation’s website. |
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Please Help Koko Save Her Species
©
Copyright 2006 The Gorilla Foundation/Koko.org.
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