Animals, not people, as plaintiffs Their activism doesn't stop with defending pets. Steven Wise regularly takes on cases on behalf of wildlife and laboratory animals. He filed suit against the U.S. Patent Office in an effort to stop the agency from issuing patents on genetically engineered animals. And he sued to stop the New England Aquarium from giving Rainbow the dolphin to the U.S. Navy. Wise feared the animal would be used in military exercises.
Animals have emotions.
They have mental lives. They don't deserve to be enslaved or killed or tormented. Of all the animals the Wises represent, dogs draw the most public attention. In court the Wises often argue that a single biting episode doesn't mean a dog is vicious. Typically, a client will also promise to curb the pet's behavior, usually by building a fence around the yard or by putting the animal in a training program.