Lawyers for Animals

Why is everyone so up in arms about Charlotte Dujardin whipping a horse more than 20 times? Is it because Dujardin is (was) a highly-regarded Olympian? Is it because the abuse was caught on video? Is it because it she hit the horse 20 times, and not just 5 or 10? No, actually it's for none of those reasons. The reason we're all outraged is because she whipped a HORSE, and because horses are a species of animal we choose to love and protect. How do I know this? Well, because there are hundreds if not thousands of videos online of farmers and abattoir workers whipping, hitting, electrocuting, burning, and breaking the bones of pigs, sheep, cows, turkeys, and chickens - many of which my colleagues and I have filmed and witnessed (particularly on farms across the UK, USA, and Europe) over recent months... And guess what? The press and the public couldn't care less. Good Morning Britain aren't showing the footage to their viewers. My Facebook friends aren't voicing their disgust. It isn't all over the newspapers. So ask yourself - is the suffering of a farmed animal less cruel, upsetting or newsworthy than that of Dujardin's poor horse? If your answer is 'yes', then please let me know why you think so. If your answer is 'no', then you'll come to understand why I speak up for farmed animals as often as I do... And how our speciesism and cognitive dissonance allows us to love and protect some animal species while ignoring the suffering and exploitation of others. By the way - has anyone seen the name of this beaten horse mentioned anywhere, or a report on his/her wellbeing? I doubt it - because this is only a horse, after all. 😔 #cognitivedissonance #CharlotteDujardin #speciesism

Today, we're diving into the great debate: welfarism v abolitionism ⚖️ In this lecture, Raffael Fasel breaks down the debate between the so-called (new) welfarists and the abolitionists which has had a significant impact on the field. He looks at how new welfarism (which could be summarised with the slogan “first bigger cages, then no cages!”) has replaced classic welfarism (“bigger cages!”) and shed light on abolitionism (“no cages!”) as an alternative approach. Raffael then discusses some of the main arguments presented in favour and against abolitionism and new welfarism. Watch the full lecture at https://lnkd.in/e9tq9ers #AnimalRightsLaw #LawLecture #AnimalLaw #Lecture 

ANIMAL LAW UPDATE: Effective August 2024, new legislation in England and Northern Ireland makes dog and cat abduction a crime. This new law makes it clear that animals have a special legal status beyond mere property. Click below to read our full legal analysis.

Join me at the Bendigo Writers Festival on August 17th for a discussion on "Animal Rights and Wrongs". I’ll be on stage alongside Maggie MacKellar and Chris Flynn and Stephen Romei at The Capital in Bendigo. Get your ticket, here: https://lnkd.in/gk-wVrJS

I don't know what's a more bogus label- "cruelty-free" or "humane slaughter"? Let's start with the obvious oxymoron that is "humane slaughter"... According to the Cambridge Dictionary, "humane" is defined as "showing kindness, care and sympathy towards others". Therefore aren't the words "humane" and "slaughter" an utter contradiction in terms? Notwithstanding the procedures and methods used to mass slaughter farmed animals in a "humane" fashion, is there really a "humane" (or as a recent vegan-turned-omni burger restaurant in Sydney likes to call "higher-welfare") way to breed and murder a sentient being that values their existence and doesn't want to end their short life purely for human consumption? Then there's the ambiguity behind the "#crueltyfree" label... Whilst there's no legal definition for what constitutes a "cruelty-free" product, it's typically understood to be an end-product where no #animaltesting has occurred. But were any of the supplied ingredients tested on animals? Are the products sold in countries that necessitate animal testing? Was a third party used instead? And what about "cruelty-free" caviar where, rather than murder the female sturgeons for their eggs, the fish are cut open without pain relief to have their eggs ripped from their ovaries while alive?! (Never mind the incessant demands from the meat, poultry and seafood industries for more stringent labelling requirements for #plantbasedfoods given so many consumers are obviously being duped into believing they're buying animal products instead 🤦♂️🤦♂️🤦♂️)   With brands increasingly claiming to be more pro-ethical to boost their appeal and profitability, and the market allowing items such as "humane"/"higher welfare" meat or "cruelty-free" caviar, the real question is... ...who's really being duped here?!

COMPLAINT FILED: Six Illinois pet stores are violating their respective licenses and the Illinois Animal Welfare Act by offering dogs who are not sourced from animal control facilities or animal shelters for retail sale to the public. We are urging the Illinois Department of Agriculture Bureau of Animal Health and Welfare to investigate, suspend, and revoke the dog dealer licenses for all six licensees.

When it comes to animal experiments, most people think of mice, rats or even primates, but few consider the vast number of fish that are used every year. Read more about the forgotten victims of research: https://lnkd.in/gmKFTzQt

Want to learn more about animal welfare law? ⚖️ Check out the third lecture in our 2021/2022 Animal Rights Law course. In this lecture, Sean Butler provides an up-to-date review of animal welfare laws in the UK and EU. Sean discusses the ideology, design, achievements, and drawbacks of the welfare law approach. Watch the full talk at https://lnkd.in/eB_Wv3YB #AnimalRightsLaw #AnimalLaw #LawLecture #AnimalWelfare #AnimalWelfareLaw 

Wood duck surprising rescue from fireplace 💚 WIRES was alerted by a concerned member of the public who believed a possum had fallen into their fireplace. WIRES Emergency Responder Logan arrived on the scene, and quickly realised he required the assistance of a Fire and Rescue team, due to the challenging location that the animal was trapped in. Upon arrival, the fire and rescue team deployed a snake camera and discovered that it wasn't actually a possum but in fact a wood duck! The team had to carefully dismantle part of the fireplace to safely retrieve it. Logan then transported the freed duck to Canley Heights Vet where it was thoroughly assessed and luckily found to have suffered no injuries. Thanks to the collaborative efforts of WIRES and the fire and rescue team, the duck was successfully released in the area where it was rescued that day. ⚠️ Always remember: If you find an injured, orphaned or distressed native animal, contact WIRES on 1300 094 737. #WIRESWildlifeRescue #GoodNews

Our improved understanding of animal behavior is a legacy of Jane Goodall’s work. Julieta Cardenas explains: