Animal Law News
Would you want to be a seabird in New Zealand?
Plastic pollution is emerging as a top threat to ocean ecosystems. By 2025, it’s been estimated that there could be 1 ton of plastic for every 3 tons of fish in the ocean. Plastic debris affects nearly 700 species worldwide through entanglement and ingestion, alters natural biological and chemical processes, and provides a means for the introduction of toxins into the food web costing national economies millions each year. The majority of this debris comes from land-based sources (e.g., plastic manufacturers, processors, landfills, sewage overflows, litter).
As the issue of...more >>
£25,000 bounty for a dog's head
A sniffer dog has had a £25,000 bounty placed on its head by criminals because it is so good at its job, its owner has claimed. Springer spaniel Scamp managed to detect £6m worth of illegal tobacco in a year, causing headaches for smugglers and black market dealers. His powerful sense of smell led to a string of court cases
Dogs are obviously an established part of our society. When people think about dogs, they usually think about them as pets. But take a moment to think about the wider roles that dogs fulfil to protect and serve the public. Scamp obviously works as...more >>
CCTV in abattoirs - to doggie daycare centres?
You do know the latest about the whales, right?
Issues of whales, conservation, and the tensions between country and international law are just some of the issues highlighted in the news about Japan withdrawing from the International Whaling Commission ("IWC") and resume commercial whaling. The commission, with 89 member governments, was established in 1946 to conserve whales and manage whaling around the world. It banned commercial whaling in 1986.
Do animals experience grief?
A Thai man has made it his life's mission to help people through their grief with animals. (https://www.bbc.com/news/topics/clm1wxp533pt/animals)
There's no doubt that when pets are lost or die, there are those who mourn their loss....more >>
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?
How Close Are We to Talking With Animals?
Smile for the camera: Computers successfully trained to identify animals in photos
