It is no surprise that an American court has ruled that chimps cannot have the same rights as humans.

While we rightfully celebrate Nelson Mandela’s fight against discrimination, we still discriminate against animals who feel the same pain as we do.

We torture and execute animals in laboratories, on farms and in slaughterhouses.

We also exploit dairy cows and egg-laying hens; they lead miserable lives only to be horribly executed once worn out so they can be turned into meat.

Emma Richards, Halland Road, Brighton