Keynote Speaker Announcements and Call for Papers deadline extension to 4th February for the UK Animal Law Conference 2026
We are delighted to announce Melanie Challenger and Kim Stallwood as keynote speakers for the 6th UK Animal Law Conference, in addition to Kathy Hessler, as previously announced. The conference theme is The Future of Animal Law and takes place on 3-4 June at the...
New Danish Rules on Dog Breeding | Leading by Example
By the Legal Advisory Group on Extreme Conformation in Dogs (LAGECDogs) In early 2025, Denmark implemented a new law establishing minimum standards for dog breeding.[1] Under this law, no dog, whether purebred or mixed, may be used for breeding if the dog carries...
EU Adopts New Rules on Dog and Cat Welfare and Traceability, including proposals on extreme conformation
By the Legal Advisory Group on Extreme Conformation in Dogs (LAGECDogs) At the end of November 2025, the European Council and Parliament reached a provisional agreement to adopt Regulations proposed in 2023 establishing minimum EU-wide standards for the welfare and...
Call for Papers now open for the 6th Annual UK Animal Law Conference
The UK Centre for Animal Law (A-LAW) and the Multispecies Collective at the University of Birmingham are delighted to announce that the Call for Papers is now open for the 6th Annual UK Animal Law Conference, which takes place 3-4 June 2026 at the University of...
Save the date: UK Animal Law Conference 3-4 June 2026
We are delighted to announce that the next UK Animal Law Conference will take place on 3–4 June 2026. Our 2026 theme is ‘The Future of Animal Law’. The conference will once again be held in Birmingham, UK, but this year we are excited to welcome attendees to a new...
The UK Centre for Animal Law (A-LAW): Panel on The State of Animal Law: Policy, Courts, Academia
On 24th November 2025, A-LAW was delighted to host a panel discussion on the current status of animal law for our friends and members. We took this opportunity to step back from the day to day work to consider how the movement has evolved towards better law and...
‘More Than Baggage’: European Multispecies Families
The Interpretation of Article 17(2) of the Montreal Convention in Iberia Líneas Aéreas de España (C-218/24) Companion animals are in many instances at the heart of family life and are widely recognised as sentient and irreplaceable members of households. This reality...
2025 Annual Student Essay Competition Winners
Join us in extending congratulations to our winners of the 2025 Annual Student Essay Competition. In first place, Luke McLaughlin, second place, Julia Kadas, and in third place, Tilly Green. Luke is a second-year Solicitor Apprentice pursuing an LLB at The...
From Resource to Rightsholder: Towards Legal Personhood for Whales
By Marianthi Baklava Following He Whakaputanga Moana (the landmark Declaration for the Ocean signed by Polynesian Indigenous leaders in March 2024), momentum continues to build for recognising whales as legal persons. The initiative forms part of wider conservation...
Standards of Modern Zoo Practice for Great Britain – Recent Update
By Divya Selvaraj The Zoo Licensing Act (1981) defines zookeeping as the keeping of an animal "when it is elsewhere in the personal possession of the operator of the zoo, or of competent persons acting on his behalf".1 Read together with the Zoo Licensing Act 1981:...