The documentary film "Citizen Animal – A Quest for Animal Rights" deals with the often very difficult human-animal relationship and the question whether animals should be granted certain rights. Filmmaker Oliver Kyr and his family traveled across Europe for six months to explore the subject from a philosophical, ethical and legal point of view. The starting point of his research was the Spanish community of Pedro Pérez Espinosa, which grants its dogs and cats rights as "non-human neighbors", which normally only humans are entitled to.

Many renowned animal welfare and animal rights experts are featured in the film, including primatologist Jane Goodall, Paul Watson (Sea Shepherd), Antoine F. Goetschel (Global Animal Law), Sigrid Lüber (OceanCare), Edmund Haferbeck (PETA), Christa Blanke (Animals' Angels) and the philosopher Helmut Kaplan. In February 2017, while filming the documentary, the film crew came to visit TIR in Zurich to discuss the legal status quo and the possibilities for the introduction of animal rights with TIR managing director Gieri Bolliger.

On September 9, 2017, "Citizen Animal" celebrated its world premiere at the Arthouse Alba cinema in Zurich in the presence of Oliver Kyr and his team, many of the experts featured in the film as well as around 150 invited guests. The audience was very impressed with the thought-provoking film. The screening of the documentary was followed by a lively panel discussion with Oliver Kyr, Sigrid Lüber, Antoine F. Goetschel and Gieri Bolliger.

"Citizen Animal" will be presented at various film festivals in Europe and overseas in the coming months and will be released in cinemas across Germany, Austria and Switzerland in 2018. The film will also be made available for free on the Internet later on. TIR would like to congratulate Oliver Kyr for his wonderful work and is hoping that "Citizen Animal" will spread as widely as possible!

Citizen Animal on Facebook.