Animal Law News

Animal Law News

The Chinese variant of bull fighting

So, you've heard about the bullfighting in Spain, right? And the debates questioning how the law can condone harming an animal for peoples entertainment?

Animal welfare groups have celebrated when the practice of bullfighting has been banned in certain areas. But in China, the practice is seemingly simply varied. the Chinese variant of bullfighting doesn’t involve swords or gore like it’s Spanish counterpart, but instead is a combination of wrestling and kung fu to bring down the animals involved.

Typically, a fighter approaches the bull head-on, grabs its...more >>

Live exports: What underpins the controversy?

So when you hear the term “live exports”, what do you think of? And are you a supporter, or a non-supporter, or …?

New Zealand is a country that has made a lot of its alleged ban on live exports. In 2003 the Government banned the export of live sheep after a disastrous shipment went wrong and 4000 sheep died en route to Saudi Arabia. The export of live sheep for slaughter was suspended in 2003 and in 2007 the Government introduced a Customs Export Prohibition Order (CEPO) on all livestock for slaughter.

In early 2014, MPI Minister Nathan...more >>

Have you seen alligators at your airport?

When someone comments on "the human-animal relationship", many of us nod sagely in agreement that there's obviously an inseparable connection between people and animals - but would you have picked that alligators at the airport would be used to foster that relationship, and provide benefits to human travellers?

In recent years, airports around the world have recognized the power of cute, cuddly animals for soothing harried, stressed-out flyers. Flyers travelling through Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport this winter are being...more >>

How Close Are We to Talking With Animals?

One of the things that we've recognised for a long time, is that as people, we like those who "are like us". That's not restricted just to whether or not we like other people, but also to whether or not we like certain animals.

Science and communication technology have been key advancements that let people know about animals, and see how much they "are like us". Unsuprisingly, the law reflects people's bias about protecting animals as well. We like pandas, elephants, and dolphins - hairy spiders, venomous snakes, scary...more >>

Smile for the camera: Computers successfully trained to identify animals in photos

A computer model developed at the University of Wyoming by UW researchers and others has demonstrated remarkable accuracy and efficiency in identifying images of wild animals from camera-trap photographs in North America.

The artificial-intelligence breakthrough, detailed in a paper published in the scientific journal Methods in Ecology and Evolution, is described as a significant advancement in the study and conservation of wildlife. The computer model is now available in a software package for Program R, a widely used programming language and free software...more >>

The two primary causes of species extinction are ....?

Can you succinctly state them?

1. Over-predation. Basically, the animals are hunted and killed faster than what they can reproduce.

2. Habitat destruction.

Have you noticed how so many programs, "new" initiatives, and anti-cruelty organisations strive to deal with the issues created by people? And (this is almost funny if the outcomes weren't so destructive) how governors and other "do-well-ers" point to almost every other contributor OTHER THAN people. Politically, of course, that's all dressed...more >>

Inspiration for people direct from the cat's tongue...

People are frequently interested in things that will make their lives better, so it's unsurprising that one of the constant arguments for looking after animals, studying them, and the permissions granted under law to conduct research on them, is because there are benefits for people in learning from them.

Cats love to groom themselves almost as much as they love to sleep, spending up to one-quarter of their waking hours cleaning their fur. The secret to their self-cleaning success? The spines on their tongues are curved and hollow-tipped. These tiny spines, called...more >>

EU to review animal welfare strategy

The European Commission is going to evaluate its animal welfare strategy, it has said in response to a report by the European Court of Auditors.

The review of the strategy comes almost three years after the European Parliament asked for it.

Auditors said in their report that animal welfare in the EU has improved, but that member states were slow to implement recommendations from the commission.

The EU's animal welfare strategy was published in 2012, and was specifically designed for the...more >>

Do you see a conflict of interests for New Zealand's Ministry for Primary Industries? (Opinion piece)

"New Zealand has a long history of animal cruelty and neglect". That's the title of the article produced by a New Zealand lawyer with a long-standing interest in New Zealand's standards governing the treatment of it's animals. It's quite a statement about a country that holds itself out as a world leader for animal welfare.

The author states that in terms of a willingness "to enforce animal welfare laws", it's time to take the responsibility away from New Zealand's Ministry for Primary Industries ("MPI...more >>

The 'hypocrisy gap' between ethical sentiment and behaviour in food consumption.

A recent investigation has looked at the 'hypocrisy gap' between ethical sentiment and behaviour in food consumption.

Australians appear to care about animal welfare: research has found 92 percent of shoppers in Sydney considered animal welfare to be important.

However, when distribution of market share of so-called high-welfare foods in Australia was considered, the results showed a varied picture. Aussie shoppers seem to care far more about free-range eggs than the living conditions of pigs, cows and...more >>