This past week I read an article about about an Austrian animal rights group that is attempting to have the European Court of Human Rights grant human rights to a chimpanzee. One of their arguments is that the chimpanzee is very similar to a human so we might as well give them human rights.
All of us in the human race should be insulted by this attempt. While our DNA maybe very similar, we are not the same. Human rights should be reserved for humans.
One other thing to remember. These animals were considered a food source for humans at one time. Allowing this chimp to have human rights will only open the door for other food animals to be granted them too.
Here is a link to the article.