PETA issued a statment prior to the ruling saying: "The U.S. Copyright Act grants copyright ownership of a 'selfie' to the 'author' of the photograph, and there’s nothing in the law limiting such ownership on the basis of species. Naruto has been accustomed to cameras throughout his life, saw himself in the reflection of the lens, made the connection between pressing the shutter and the change in his reflection, and posed for the pictures he took.