Each month we will be featuring a ‘Book of the month.’ We will be selecting from books about animals that our readership finds interesting and informative. If you come across an interesting animal related book (science, law, ethics, policy or simply general interest) please send us your nomination along with the reasons for your choice. This month’s book is Fellow Creatures: Our Obligations to the Other Animals, by Christine M. Korsgaard, the Arthur Kingsley Porter Professor of Philosophy at Harvard […]
In recent years, animal law has flourished, with extraordinarily talented and courageous women entering the field. Among them are these three women, all of whom have been featured by Unbound, the multimedia documentary project celebrating women in animal advocacy. Shatha Hamade In 2012, Shatha Hamade was named Australia’s Young Lawyer of the Year. She had left the corporate world to train in law with the specific aim of helping animals, after a chance encounter with an animal welfare stall one […]
Gizmo was 16 years old, the long-beloved cat of Helena Abrahams. Gizmo went out to play in July 2016, but never returned home: she was in a road traffic accident. Even though Gizmo had a microchip, she was disposed of before anyone scanned her for a chip. Currently under UK Law, dogs must be microchipped, and drivers who hit cats on the road must report the accident under UK law. An animal rescue centre or veterinary profession would be informed, […]
This piece is the first in a series focusing on the female lawyers featured in the multimedia documentary project Unbound, co-founded by acclaimed photojournalist Jo-Anne McArthur (We Animals, The Ghosts in Our Machine) and Dr Keri Cronin (Department of Visual Arts, Brock University). Find out more at unboundproject.org. The documentary series Unbound celebrates women at the forefront of animal advocacy, including veterinarians, scientists, rescuers, and activists. These remarkable women inspire the audience and the world to make a difference. Notably, […]
You would be forgiven for wondering why a book about re-wilding a British farm features in our book of the month series. In fact, it is recommended reading for anyone at all concerned with wildlife and farming policy, species decline and loss of biodiversity. It also makes for fascinating read. The author recounts the story of the journey made by herself and her husband, Charlie. Both are arable and dairy farmers who had increasingly been adopting intensified farming methods before […]
Under the current law, no distinction is made between the theft of pets and the theft of possessions. Both are treated the same, meaning that in the eyes of the law, pets are considered as little more than inanimate objects. With an ever-growing market for the selling and breeding of ‘designer’ pooches, as well as a continued market for dog fighting, incidents of pet theft are on the rise. However, very few of those incidents ever make it to court, […]
Each month we will be featuring a ‘Book of the month.’ We will be selecting from books about animals that our readership finds interesting and informative. If you come across an interesting animal related book (science, law, ethics, policy or simply general interest) please send us your nomination along with the reasons for your choice. Our first book of the month is Sentience and Animal Welfare by Donald Broom, Professor of Animal Welfare (Emeritus) at the University of Cambridge. From […]
Paula Sparks and Natalie Harney report on the Wild Animal Welfare Committee (WAWC) Conference 2019. We had the recent privilege of attending the second conference hosted by WAWC, a body that provides independent advice about the welfare of free-living wild animals in the UK. We would suggest that what emerged from this thoroughly interesting and informative conference was a consensus that the current legislative regime protecting wild animals leaves much to be desired, that much work remains to be done […]
When visiting iconic cities such as London or New York City, many tourists are enchanted by the sight of horse-drawn carriages. To some, the use of horse-drawn carriages is a delightful activity. Others, however, perceive this as a cruel and unnecessary practice. The horses involved often pull heavy loads whilst trying to navigate traffic. Walking and standing on concrete and asphalt can also lead to debilitating leg problems, whilst breathing in exhaust fumes can cause respiratory disorders.[1] Over the years, […]
The late Dame Daphne Sheldrick stated: “No animal triggers more heated debate within conservation circles than the elephant, for no animal has greater impact on the environment or is more “human” emotionally”.[1] One of the greatest debates surrounding the conservation of elephants is whether the most appropriate method of conserving them is through mass culling. Culture of Culling Despite being ravaged by poaching in the 1950s, pockets of elephant populations grew in national parks, such as Hwange in Zimbabwe, Tsavo […]