Ever since I was a little girl, I have always held a special place in my heart for donkeys. This summer I visited El Refugio Del Burrito, and, as always, was humbled by the warmth and affection of the donkeys I saw, especially considering the abject suffering they have been through to find a home with the charity. El Refugio Del Burrito, alongside its UK counter-part, The Donkey Sanctuary, works tirelessly to try to end the cruelty inflicted on donkeys […]
This is the first in a series of posts focusing on the history and philosophy of UK animal law, containing a brief overview and looking at some of the people whose ideas have shaped the view of animals that informs our laws today. Throughout history humanity has drawn some fairly arbitrary lines between different animal species when choosing friends, foes, and food. Cats were worshipped in ancient Egypt, dogs have been our companions for thousands of years, yet other species […]
When we think of elephants we conjure the image of a gentle giant wandering free. For the Asian elephant that would be in its jungle habitat found in India, Thailand and the Malay Peninsula. As a species, many of us share a love, or at least fascination, for elephants. However, our desire to get up close and personal has fuelled a cruel and dark tourism industry, built on our interest and their suffering. The behaviour of Asian elephants Asian elephants […]
Nzioki Wa Makau sits as a judge at the Industrial Court of Kenya and is Chairman of the Tsavo Trust. He has enjoyed a distinguished career in the Kenyan anti-corruption movement, having previously held positions at the Kenya Anti-Corruption Commission and the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission. It is at the crack of dawn. I woke up about 25 minutes ago, took a very brief shower and dressed in a light t-shirt and some jungle trousers and walked to the sitting […]
Image above: CounterCanter, Flickr Performance equine shows are a regular occurrence in many communities throughout the United States and demonstrate the incredible bond between horse and rider. However, the motivation to achieve the ‘perfect show horse’ can lead to extreme suffering. This blog discusses Tennessee Walking Horses, a breed which has been subjected to severe cruelty in the name of aesthetics. The Tennessee Walking Horse natural gait is a smooth 4 beat gait known as the running walk, with the […]
Image above: Nancy W Beach As a student of Animal Welfare Science, Ethics and Law, I have closely followed developments in this divisive debate. In Australia, modern greyhound racing began in 1927[1] and there are now 19 tracks across six states, predominately in New South Wales (NSW). Geoff O’Conner, former chief executive of Greyhounds Australia, stated that ‘The Australian Greyhound industry is probably the best-run, the best-regulated and more in touch with animal welfare issues than any other greyhound industry or nation in the […]
Amidst fears of chlorine chickens and cheap low-welfare imports, a beacon of light for post-Brexit animal welfare has emerged in the form of Gove’s promise to increase the maximum sentence for serious animal cruelty in England. This draft bill, raising maximum jail time from six months to five years, is long overdue, bringing England into line with Northern Ireland, the Irish Republic, Australia and Canada. It’s an obvious cause for celebration for animal advocates and lawyers but, actually, human criminal […]
On 20 December 2017, the Scottish Parliament voted to pass the Wild Animals in Travelling Circuses (Scotland) Bill, adding to a growing number of European states who have made it an offence for circus operators to use wild animals in travelling circuses. The Scottish Government introduced the ban, not on the basis of animal welfare, but on ethical grounds “…that this practice is morally objectionable to a large proportion of Scottish society”. Austria, Bolivia, Cyprus and Greece are some of […]