Animal law is a broad field that explores all areas affecting animals. It is about animal health and welfare, but it is about their rights, too. It covers various concerns, from handling animal diseases to complex issues like animal cloning [1].
Animal law isn’t an isolated field. It intersects with other traditional legal areas, including environmental, constitutional, family, and criminal law [2,3].
Animal law relates to or has an impact on nonhuman animals.
Factory farming significantly contributes to environmental degradation, an area deeply connected to animal law.
Civil rights in animal advocacy are integral to animal law, addressing many ethical and legal issues.
Animal law differs across the globe. Unique cultural and moral values shape each country’s laws. They range from recognising non-human animal sentience to having no anti-cruelty laws. Different cultures and societies vary in understanding and prioritising animal welfare and rights [4].
As of 2019, 32 countries had formally recognised non-human animal sentience.
This global variation helps us appreciate the complexity of animal welfare and encourages us to think about how we can improve their lives, no matter where we are.
Read next: The animal lawyers we interviewed
Your Career in Animal Law
Learn everything you need to explore and excel in an animal law career.
