Animal Law News

Herding sheep with a drone and positive reinforcement
Imagine the sheep running to the farmer rather than the traditional picture of farm dogs barking and herding the sheep.
 
Utilising technology in agriculture is nothing new. And most people are familiar with drones and how they work, so there's the assumption that drone technology in agriculture utilises the drones to bark like dogs and herd the sheep. As novel is that may be, that's not the situation for one farmer who has trained the sheep to associate the sound of the drone with food.
 
Those with small farms and a handful...more >>

So you thought that VR was for just for teenagers?
It's been reported that there are a few cows in Moscow who were among the first to try new virtual reality ("VR") headsets that have been specially designed to reduce anxiety and improve milk production. Inside the VR goggles are visions of a “unique summer field simulation” to have the cows thinking they’re frolicking around in their own personal paradise.
 
“According to an analysis of the welfare of dairy cattle by Wageningen University employees in the Netherlands, environmental conditions have a significant impact on...more >>

Three 200-year old principles governing today's animal law

The following is an independent review of the book “Animals, Welfare and the Law” by University of Lincoln Senior Lecturer, Diane Ryland:

This text, based on twenty nine fundamental principles underlying the human/animal relationship, certainly makes the reader take stock and think at the outset. But the author invites his reader to do more: to use these principles, not only as aids to learning but, more importantly, to assess critically, the current state of the law in order to drive the development of animal welfare law. In this way, his ‘...more >>

Rewriting the rule-book from the roots up

International Animal Law ("IAL") is now a registered charity with a focus on seeing legislation recognise AND properly define animal "sentience".

Have you heard the old saying that goes along the lines "for every thousand working on the leaves, there is one working on the roots"? IAL takes the view that sentience - particularly recent discussions about sentience in law - is a potential turn-key for change that would elevate the standards governing the inseparable relationship between people, animals, and their shared planet. 

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Shooting the slow race horses (Victoria, Australia)

The media title announces “Racing Victoria to send vets to euthanase horses…”

 

It's not against the law to destroy an animal provided that it is humanely done. But what are the ethical issues in shooting slow horses while still breeding them in such large numbers that shooting the slow ones is justified as the preferred option?

“Victoria Racing Club establishes horse welfare fund” and “Racing Victoria launches $25 million racehorse welfare plan” are among the Google headlines alongside the article...more >>

"Tragedy of the Commons" - have you heard of it?

The Murray Darling Basin in Australia is reportedly relied upon by 2.6 million people and contributes 24 billion dollars to the economy. The Murray Darling Basin is also a depleting water resource resulting in animals dying, farmers going out of business, and whole communities under threat of having to move. It’s been described, and long recognised, as an environmental disaster.

The conflicts of interest between Australian States and Territories regarding the Murray Darling Basin was referred to in a recent meeting as an example of “the tragedy of the commons in...more >>

UK animal law - Can you spot the differences?
There are a lot of good articles and published papers on animal law and relevant issues.
 
This article is one of those "stand out" ones because it serves as a very useful summary of existing law in the UK.
 
 
It also raises some points for your consideration as you do a "contrast and compare" of the English Animal Welfare Act 2006 ("AWA") with other international jurisdictions. For example:
 
1. Can you recognise the similarities AND distinctions between the...more >>

What difference does it make to the daily lives of Indian animals?
 
An Indian court recently ruled that animals should enjoy the same rights as human beings, saying “they have distinct personas with corresponding rights, duties and liabilities of a living person”.
 
In a landmark ruling, the Uttarakhand High Court reportedly accorded the status of “legal person or entity” to animals in the northern state.
Justices Rajiv Sharma and Lokpal Singh bestowed the status on “the entire animal kingdom” while ruling on a set of guidelines to prevent cruelty against...more >>

ACT (Australia): The current leader of sentient-animal law

A recent media release stated: "Under the proposed laws the ACT would become the first jurisdiction in the country to recognise animals as "sentient...". The ACT has reportedly furthered it's intention to see animals legislatively recognised as sentient. But how is "sentience" being defined?

The same media article defined it this way:"Under the proposed laws the ACT would become the first jurisdiction in the country to recognise animals as "sentient beings" — the idea that animals are able to feel and perceive the world...more >>

When does your right to freedom of speech get shut down for Privacy breaches?

Aussie Farms is a registered charity that has a website showing the location of hundreds farms and abattoirs. The website shows the location of hundreds of farms and abattoirs, and encourages people to upload photos or videos of animal exploitation in a bid to influence consumer choices.

What are your thoughts so far? From a legal perspective, isn’t that just freedom of speech? The question is, at what point do those sorts of activities breach privacy and raise concerns for politicians and lawyers involved in issues of public law and charitable status of organisations?

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