Animal Law News
Post-Brexit trade deals - are they really a threat to animal welfare?
Law can be viewed as "society's rulebook" about what's acceptable (or not) in terms of people's dealings with each other, and their responsibilities towards other people and "things", including animals. However, the line regarding what's acceptable varies enormously, reflecting the contrasting, competing, and frequently conflicting interests of the many stakeholders involved.
The singular largest use of animals is as a source of protein (food) for people. The theory is that improved standards of animal welfare translate to improved food safety and...more >>
Critiquing cat management legislation
Compulsory microchipping and some form of registration for cats has recently become official policy for Local Government New Zealand (LGNZ). Like many issues involving animals, opinion is divided as to the merits of the proposal of cat management legislation. The proposal, put forward by a New Zealand City Council, was passed with just 51% of a vote at an annual meeting of the body that represents local government. 1% is hardly a landslide.
Councils have claimed that they currently have limited powers to enact bylaws, and needed regulatory powers for cat control, including cat...more >>
Regulations for animal welfare (New Zealand)
New Zealand's Animal Welfare Minister Nathan Guy says 46 new animal welfare regulations will be developed in 2017, with the objective of them coming into effect before October 2018. He says the Ministry of Primary Industry will focus on having the regulations ready to be delivered by the end of 2017. The delayed lead-in time will theoretically enable farmers, processors, transporters and others to ensure that their systems are prepared before the new regulations take effect.
“Changes we made to the Animal Welfare Act 1999 in 2015 have allowed us to create directly-...more >>
The "animal law war" over tail docking (New Zealand)
People have polarised perspectives about animals, and standards of animal care. There are plenty of examples to demonstrate that it's always been that way. 200 years ago opinion was divided as to whether there even needed to be a law to govern the treatment of animals. And today opinion continues to be divided on almost every use of animals from their involvement in entertainment (e.g. bullfighting, circuses, zoos), agricultural husbandry systems (e.g. hen cages, treatment of Bobby calves, and farrowing crates for pigs), right through to the latest issue affecting New Zealand dogs and...more >>
New farmer advisory panel for New Zealand Animal Evaluation
New Zealand Animal Evaluation (NZAEL), a subsidiary of DairyNZ, has established a new farmer advisory panel to provide practical, farmer based feedback on animal evaluation research, development, and communication.
Researchers Have Reorganised an Animal's Brain to Act Like Another Species' Brain
Species that share similar kinds of brain anatomy have been caught using different neural circuits to perform identical behaviours, and it challenges a basic assumption on the relationship between behaviour and neurology.
Is the curtain falling on America's circus animals?
Here are the Best Liars in the Animal Kingdom
The protections afforded to animals through the law are driven by a number of factors. Among the reasons that one species will benefit from greater protections than another, is the degree in which the public can relate to the experience of the animal. The "they are like us" factor. The likeness between people and animals includes not only the ability to experience pain or distress, but also character traits - including the ability to lie.
Trump dumps Paris climate deal: reaction
Regulatory controls and responsible use of animal medicines
Healthy animals are the first step in producing quality food, however, when it comes to meat, eggs and dairy produce, a recent study has shown that consumers are often unaware of the strict regulatory safeguards associated with animal medicines that operate effectively behind the scenes, not only to protect the health and welfare of animals, but also to ensure their own health is protected.
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