Animal Law News
The latest news and views about animal protection law and policy in the UK and beyond. Written by our volunteer team and guest contributors.
Podcast: A legal perspective on puppy farming and dog theft in Ireland
In the latest episode, Paula discusses the puppy trade and dog theft in Ireland with Dr. Stephanie O’ Flynn, a Lecturer in Law in the Department of Law and Criminal Justice at Waterford Institute of...
Podcast: Proposed restrictions on the import of dogs into Great Britain
With a consultation into the Commercial and Non-Commercial Movement of Pets into Great Britain due to close on 16 Oct 2021, we ask three campaigners (Marc Abraham, Sarah Dixon and Jordan Shelley) at...
Podcast: Should pet abduction be a specific offence?
In this episode, we discuss the case for a specific crime of pet abduction. Should the criminal justice system treat the theft of companion animals in the same way as the theft of inanimate property...
Video: A-LAW responds to the Government’s proposed ban on privately kept primates
Watch this short video to find out more about our position on the UK Government's proposal to ban the private keeping of primates. In February 2021, our Wildlife Law and Companion Animal Law Working...
Factory Farming: The legal challenge against the UK government
Find out more about Humane Being’s legal challenge against the UK Government to end factory farming.
Video: The Cecilia Moot
Find out more about The Cecilia Moot, the UK's first annual animal law mooting competition in this video. The competition is hosted annually by A-LAW, and provides students with a fantastic...
Video: An exchange of minds between the UK and India to protect IUCN Red Listed Species
On Earth Day, April 22 2021, A-LAW's Student Ambassadors, Aditi Bardia, Aryan Mandal and Parnika Chaturvedi, hosted guest speakers Gauri Maulekhi, Trustee, People For Animals India, and Duncan...
Video: Animal Law Careers: Academic Pathways by A-LAW’s Young Animal Lawyers Network
On 15th September 2021, our newly formed Young Animal Lawyers Network celebrated their launch with an event all about animal law careers. The event focused on academic career paths and featured...
Third Animal Law, Ethics & Policy Conference: Day 2 Round-up
By Naomi Harland Smith The morning session of the second day of the Third Animal Law, Ethics and Policy Conference was a decidedly international one, with speakers from Ukraine, India, the EU and...
Podcast: Non-stun slaughter and religious freedoms – Finding a balance
Warning: some listeners may find content distressing Dr Joe Wills from Leicester Law School, discusses the decision in Centraal Israëlitisch Consistorie van België and Others. In this case, the...
Interview: The the new MA/Advanced Diploma in Animal Protection Laws at NALSAR University of Law, India
In this interview, A-LAW Student Ambassador, Aditi Bardia, speaks to Sonia Shad about the new MA in Animal Protection Law from NALSAR University, India.
Podcast: Domestic abuse – Are animals a missing link?
Warning: adult themes, not suitable for children 'Where animals are abused, people are at risk and where people are abused, animals are at risk.' That is the central message of this episode, in...
A-LAW releases free special edition of ‘The UK Journal of Animal Law’
The UK Centre for Animal Law (A-LAW) has released a free special edition of The UK Journal of Animal Law, which focuses on DEFRA's recent 'Action Plan for Animal Welfare' and the UK Government's...
Podcast: Nowzad, ‘Praying for a Miracle’
In this special edition of Talking Animal Law, Peter Egan, actor, animal advocate and ambassador for the charity Nowzad, talks about the organisation behind the headlines, including the brave team...
Podcast: Legal challenges to Government decisions on badger culling and the Ivory Act 2018
In this episode, A-LAW legal experts discuss two legal cases that made the headlines in 2020. Friends of Antique Cultural Treasures Ltd v DEFRA [2020] EWCA Civ 649, concerning a challenge to the...
podcast: Reflecting on a career in animal law with Peter Stevenson, OBE
In this first full episode of the Talking Animal Law podcast, Paula Sparks (A-LAW Chairperson) talks about a career in animal law with Peter Stevenson, Chief Policy Advisor at Compassion in World...
Podcast: Introducing the Talking Animal Law Podcast
A-LAW is delighted to introduce it's brand new Talking Animal Law podcast, hosted by Paula Sparks. Every fortnight on a Wednesday evening we will upload a new episode of our podcast, in which Paula...
Video: UK Chicken Welfare: What should we know? What do we need to consider?
Our A-LAW Edinburgh Student Chapter held an event on May 24th entitled 'UK Chicken Welfare: What should we know? What do we need to consider?' The event featured speakers Professor Andrew Knight...
The devil is in the detail: A less than warm reception from our Legal Team to the Animal Welfare (Sentience) Bill
A-LAW’s Legal Team gives its verdict on the Animal Welfare (Sentience) Bill.
Animal sentience – Job part done: A perspective on the Animal Welfare (Sentience) Bill
By Mike Radford, Reader in Animal Welfare Law & UK Constitutional Law Today, the UK Government published its long-awaited Animal Welfare (Sentience) Bill (Animal Welfare (Sentience) Bill [HL] –...
Student Ambassador Spotlight: Dara Eisen
Read our interview with A-LAW Student Ambassador, Dara Eisen, and be inspired to get involved, too!
Is 2021 the year the UK finally bans Foie Gras?
Animal Equality’s Jenny Canham considers whether 2021 could be the year we finally see a ban on the sale and import of foie gras.
World Aquatic Day 2021 & UK legal protections for fish
April 3 marked the second celebration of World Aquatic Animal Day, an occasion created by the Lewis & Clark Law School and its Aquatic Animal Law Initiative (AALI). The theme this year is ‘The...
Sentient Rights v Animal Rights: Advantages and Disadvantages
By Pablo P. Castelló, PhD Candidate in Philosophy at Royal Holloway University of London Philosopher Alasdair Cochrane has recently developed the notion of sentient rights, a system that would...