You may have already heard about it: legally speaking are animals to be seen us things. But is this true?
What’s the matter about this affirmation?
The German Civil Code (BGB) contains a provision in § 90a BGB that contains regulations concerning animals. The provision is based on the idea that an animal, as a fellow creature, should not be equated with a thing. This is why § 90a p.1 BGB also states that animals are not things. The provision was introduced into the BGB in 1990 by the Act to Improve the Legal Status of Animals in Civil Law (TierVerbG).
What about this common statement that animal are just things? This is not true and the German Law is really clear about that. Animal laws are really clear and a specialized team of animal lawyers will help you clarify all the legal questions you may have.
Legally speaking: are animals just things?