Animal Law News

Animal Law News

Thinking about animal research from a different perspective

The use of animals in research continues to be one of the more contentious subjects for those who have interests involving animals and their welfare.

So how are you defining the word "research"? When you think about "animal research", what comes to mind?

Nature is wonderfully abundant, diverse and mysterious — but biological research today tends to focus on only seven species, including rats, chickens, fruit flies and us. We're studying an astonishingly narrow sliver of life, says biologist Alejandro Sánchez Alvarado, and...more >>

The Sentencing of Dangerous Dogs and Dangerous Owners

"There are no bad dogs, there are just bad owners" is a phrase commonly used within dog behavioural training circles. Discussions in which the phrase occurs often demonstrate varying opinion as to how accurate the statement is, and there are frequently references to dogs that are exceptions to the commonly held generalisation. But what everybody usually agrees on, is that there is a principle of "responsibility" that attaches to the owner. That same principle is reflected in law.

The question is, how does the law portion consequences...more >>

Should we keep a record of people that abuse animals?

Animal abusers registers. Should governors keep a record of people that abuse animals?

"Should" is always such a subjective term. So perhaps the question might be "what are the arguments, for and against, keeping a record of people that abuse animals"?

If a person is convicted of an animal welfare offence, then one of the potential penalties that the court may consider is application of a banning order, which prevents the convicted individual from owning, or having responsibility for, animals in the future. From a...more >>

New ISO specification for better management of animal welfare worldwide

The new ISO technical specification ISO/TS 34700:2016, Animal welfare management – General requirements and guidance for organizations in the food supply chain, is promoted on the basis that it will help the food and feed industry to develop an animal welfare plan that is aligned with the principles of the World Organization of Animal Health (OIE) Terrestrial Animal Health Code (TAHC)* and ensure the welfare of farm animals across the supply chain.

ISO/TS 34700 is the result of a joint effort between ISO and the OIE following the...more >>

Study suggests surprising reason killer whales go through menopause

There are many reasons that promote the development of animal protection law. Bio-prejudice is a term that has been used to describe a preference, or aversion, to a species based on its similarities to people. For example, people are generally more supportive of protecting species like pandas, elephants and whales than many other species e.g. spiders

And there is a definite link and animal protections for a species when science identifies traits that have people thinking "they are like us". And sometimes, the similarities can be...more >>

Food Production and Animal Welfare Legislation in Australia

What is the impact of food production systems on animals and the environment? In the field of animal welfare and law, the terms corporate responsibility and sustainability are frequently used but the question is, how well are the corporates actually delivering?

This publication traces the rise of corporate domination of farm animal production in Australia as a response to increasing domestic and international demand for meat products and describe the systematic exclusion of State and Territory Animal Welfare Acts to farm animals intended to be processed for food...more >>

Water and Marine Animal Law

When people think of animal welfare they frequently focus on land-based animals, and overlook those that exist in the world's oceans, lakes and rivers.

While there are several serious issues affecting the world’s fish populations, unsustainable fishing has long been pointed to as chiefly responsible for declining wild fish populations. While the pace of overexploitation of fisheries has slowed since 1990, and progress has been made in reducing exploitation rates and restoring overexploited fish stocks and marine ecosystems, the world’s...more >>

Rethinking The Ethics of Animal Rescue

This article is reproduced in its entirety (from http://www.bedlamfarm.com/2015/09/22/rethinking-the-ethics-of-animal-rescue/) because quoting a part of it didn't appear to properly convey the thoughtfulness of its message. The...more >>

Baboons use vowel sounds strikingly similar to humans

The differences between people represented one of the early barriers to the development of animal welfare protection law. For example, it was originally believed that animals didn't have a structured society, language, or the ability to reason in contrast to mankind who were also "made in the likeness of God".

But increasingly science has demonstrated that animals and people share many similarities. And thanks to communication technology, the findings of science have been able to be communicated wide and fast to the human population. A greater...more >>

Combining veterinary care and social work in animal euthanasia

Think of the anguish felt when you or a loved one had to take that final trip to the vet with a beloved pet, saying goodbye to the cat, dog or other animal before it is put down in the most humane, painless way possible.

Try to put yourself in the shoes of the veterinarian responsible for performing countless similar procedures, putting on a brave face even as he or she ends the lives of creatures they trained for years — some their whole lives — to heal. Consider how difficult even the thousandth, most routine euthanization...more >>