Animal Law News
Covid19, Brexit and much more in 2020: A Bad Year for Animal Welfare?
While the jury is still out as to the exact origins of Covid 19, the even the potential of animal involvement as a cause, or vector, must raise questions regarding the human-animal relationship, and the governance of that relationship.. There are those who are of the view that the pandemic should not have come as a surprise when it emerged, as zoonotic diseases were one of the threats scientists had been warning governments and the public about for years. Since the pandemic began, it has reportedly been transmitted from animals through markets in China and then carried across the...more >>
How much could you lose? How much could you gain? Pigs in NZ's High Court
It's not unusual for a private organisation or a charity to conduct a court case challenging governance performance, standards or positions. PETA, Greenpeace and the Animal Legal Defence Fund ("ALDF") are just a few of the many organisations who have taken their challenge to the courtroom.
In July 2020 the New Zealand Animal Law Society went to the High Court to review whether the use of cages in pig farming is illegal under the Animal Welfare Act 1999.
Media reports on the internet and on television demonstrate the polarised views...more >>
Here's a quick journey in to animal law
Mr. Mike Radford gives a talk on Animal Welfare Law at the 2017 Veterinary Ethics and Welfare Conference at the Royal Dick School of Veterinary Studies in Edinburgh.
Mike is a recognised legal expert on the subject of animal law. You can read more about him, and the expertise and experience that makes him an...more >>
What do animals "think" and "feel"?
Do animals "think" and "feel"? Yes? No?
Have a look at the TED talk in the link shown below (https://youtu.be/-wkdH_wluhw) and see if it affects your answer. When you've listened to it perhaps you could ask yourself this question: "Is the model of animal protection law that's been in place for 200 years, which essentially protects animals from unnecessary suffering, fit for today's global-size risks, issues and purposes...more >>
Where's your country on WAP's Animal Protection Index?
World Animal Protection ("WAP") has ranked 50 countries around the globe according to their legislation and policy regarding animal protections
Each country has an overall score based on indicators that, in WAP's view, are "the most important aspects of animal protection".
As a point of interest, and given International Animal Law's ("IAL") focus on animal law and particularly a legal reform that incorporates "positive animal welfare"...more >>
Farming methods, risks and "problematic pathogens in the future"
Overuse of antibiotics, high animal numbers and low genetic diversity caused by intensive farming techniques increase the likelihood of pathogens becoming a major public health risk, according to new research led by UK scientists.
An international team of researchers led by the Universities of Bath and Sheffield, investigated the evolution of Campylobacter jejuni, a bacterium carried by cattle which is the leading cause of gastroenteritis in high income countries.
The authors of the study suggest that changes in cattle diet,...more >>
What happens to all those animals?
Covid-related slaughterhouse shutdowns in the US are leading to fears of meat shortages and price rises, while farmers are being forced to consider “depopulating” their animals.
More than 20 slaughterhouses have been forced to close and at least two million animals have already reportedly been culled on farm. That number is expected to rise.
It has been reported that veterinarians and government officials would be ready to assist with culls, or “depopulation”, if alternatives could not be found....more >>
Lucy's Law: Better done with an extended duty of care?
The English Government has introduced new legislation to tackle issues related to "low-welfare, high volume supply of puppies and kittens" by banning their commercial third-party sale in England.
‘Lucy’s Law’ means that anyone wanting to get a new puppy or kitten in England must now buy direct from a breeder, or consider adopting from a rescue centre instead. Licensed dog breeders are required to show puppies interacting with their mothers in their place of birth. If a business sells puppies or kittens without a...more >>
China reclassifies dogs as pets, not livestock
China has drawn up new guidelines to reclassify dogs as pets rather than livestock. The move is reportedly a response to the coronavirus outbreak that the Humane Society called a potential “game changer” in animal welfare.
Animals classed as "livestock" can be bred to provide food, milk, fur, fibre and medicine, or to serve the needs of sports or the military.
Although dog consumption has become increasingly unpopular in China, the Humane Society International, an animal welfare group, estimated that around 10 million dogs a year...more >>
Recognising the Upside of the Lockdown
Putting a "stop", or at least a "slow down", to the business-as-usual of people around the planet dramatically demonstrates the environmental carnage people cause.
Get onto the Internet and you can find a multitude of examples where the break from peoples activities has benefits for animal populations, and the environment. Olive Ridley sea turtles are one of those examples where their numbers might make a comeback during the time period where they are left alone and undisturbed because the usual tourist vendors and visitors are on lockdown...more >>