The UK Centre for Animal Law (A-LAW) is delighted to announce the launch of a national Animal Law Day, to be celebrated each year on 22 July, the anniversary of Britain’s first national animal welfare law. Animal Law Week will run from 18-22 July, culminating in Animal Law Day on 22 July.
This marks the bicentenary anniversary of the ‘Cruel Treatment of Cattle Act 1822’ (also known as ‘Martin’s Act’) which received Royal Assent on 22 July 1822. This legislation was the first of its kind, introducing laws to regulate the treatment of animals and paving the way for animal protection legislation in the UK and around the world.
To mark this milestone, A-LAW is hosting a series of activities to raise awareness of animal law and its importance. These include educational outreach, fundraising and talks, culminating in Animal Law Day on 22 July. They are asking lawyers to celebrate and raise awareness of animal law with their own events and activities.
A-LAW Chairperson, Paula Sparks said: “The law has a huge impact on the lives of animals. It can both serve to legitimise harms to animals for purposes that benefit humans and conversely, protect animals from gratuitous cruelty and legislate for their welfare as kept animals. Law also has a huge potential role in achieving a paradigm shift for animals, to halt and reverse species loss and to achieve policy objectives such as sustainability and climate goals, that align with animal welfare objectives. We are pleased to announce this initiative to raise awareness about the importance of animal law and public policy and the need to continue discussion about how to make the law work for animals.”
Professor Jane Holder, Director of Research Studies, University College London Faculty of Laws, said: “This initiative draws attention to the growing strength of the animal justice movement and the growing need for legal education to pursue an animal justice agenda. The next generation of lawyers and law makers will need to approach law critically and creatively and push for much needed legal reform in all aspects of law relating to animals. Animal Law week contributes greatly to this educational aim, marking both progress in the law to date, but also the need for future legal action.”
Today, the UK Centre for Animal Law (A-LAW) are pleased to announce the launch of Animal Law Day, to be celebrated annually on 22 July. This marks the bicentenary anniversary of the ‘Cruel Treatment of Cattle Act 1822’ (also known as ‘Martin’s Act’), which was the first of its kind in introducing laws to regulate the treatment of animals. Animal Law Week will run from 18-22 July each year, culminating in Animal Law Day, on 22 July.
A-LAW Chairperson, Paula Sparks said: “The law has a huge impact on the lives of animals. It can both serve to legitimise harms to animals for purposes that benefit humans and conversely, protect animals from gratuitous cruelty and legislate for their welfare as kept animals. Law also has a huge potential role in achieving a paradigm shift for animals, to halt and reverse species loss and to achieve policy objectives such as sustainability and climate goals, that align with animal welfare objectives. We are pleased to announce this initiative to raise awareness about the importance of animal law and public policy and the need to continue discussion about how to make the law work for animals.”
Professor Jane Holder, Director of Research Studies, University College London Faculty of Laws, commented: “This initiative draws attention to the growing strength of the animal justice movement and the growing need for legal education to pursue an animal justice agenda. The next generation of lawyers and law makers will need to approach law critically and creatively and push for much needed legal reform in all aspects of law relating to animals. Animal Law week contributes greatly to this educational aim, marking both progress in the law to date, but also the need for future legal action.”
A-LAW are asking lawyers to celebrate and raise awareness of animal law with their own events and activities, while the charity will also be hosting a series of animal law focused activities, fundraising and educational outreach over the course of the week, with special emphasis placed on Animal Law Day.
Kevin McKenzie, from McKenzie Solicitors, said: “As each myth regarding our differences from other animals is successively exploded by modern scientific research, we can no longer go on endlessly stating what makes us, as humans, qualitatively different. The issue of animal sentience is now firmly in the fore – under the microscope, in the UK as a consequence of debate concerning protections resulting from our departure from the European Union. It is taking on increasing importance for younger generations, and Animal Lawyers can surely be said to be on the right side of history.”
The UK Centre for Animal Law (A-LAW) is proud to announce the launch of a national Animal Law Day
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