Do animals have legal rights? This pioneering book tells readers everything they need to know about animal rights law.



Using straightforward examples from over 30 legal systems from both the civil and common law traditions, and based on popular courses run by the authors at the Cambridge Centre for Animal Rights, the book takes the reader from the earliest anti-cruelty laws to modern animal welfare laws, to recent attempts to grant basic rights and personhood to animals. To help readers understand this legal evolution, it explains the ethics, legal theory, and social issues behind animal rights and connected topics such as property, subjecthood, dignity, and human rights.



The book's companion website (bloomsbury.pub/animal-rights-law) provides access to briefs on the latest developments in this fast-changing area, and gives readers the tools to investigate their own legal systems with a list of key references to the latest cases, legislation, and jurisdiction-specific bibliographic references.



Rich in exercises and study aids, this easy-to-use introduction is a prime resource for students from all disciplines and for anyone else who wants to understand how animals are protected by the law.

Introduction

1. The Current Legal Status of Animals

I. Introduction

II. The Property Status of Animals

III. Legislation Protecting Animals

IV. Constitutional Law

V. International Law

VI. Animal Protection Laws in Practice

VII. Conclusion



2. Welfarism vs Abolitionism, a Dichotomy?

I. Introduction

II. Classic Welfarism

III. Abolitionism

IV. New Welfarism

V. Beyond the Dichotomy

VI. Conclusion



3. Philosophical Foundations of Animal Rights

I. Introduction

II. Peter Singer's Utilitarianism

III. Tom Regan's Deontological Approach

IV. Martha Nussbaum's Capabilities Approach

V. Sue Donaldson and Will Kymlicka's Political Theory

VI. Critical Approaches to Animal Rights

VII. Conclusion



4. The Legal Theory of Animal Rights

I. Introduction

II. Are Animals Fit to have Legal Rights?

III. Do Animals Already have Legal Rights?

IV. Would Animals Need to Become Legal Persons?

V. Conclusion



5. Animal Rights and Human Rights

I. Introduction

II. Should Only Humans have Human Rights?

III. Should Animals have Similar Rights to Humans?

IV. How Could Human and Animal Rights be Reconciled Legally?

V. Conclusion



6. Animal Rights in Litigation

I. Introduction

II. Animals and the Issue of Legal Standing to Bring an Action

III. Animals as Subjects of Habeas Corpus

IV. Fundamental Rights and Personhood Litigation Beyond Habeas Corpus

V. Conclusion



7. Animal Rights in Legislation

I. Introduction

II. Domestic Proposals for Animal Rights Laws

III. International Proposals for Animal Rights Laws

IV. Drafting Animal Rights Laws

V. Conclusion



8. Animal Rights as a Social Justice Movement

I. Introduction

II. The Animal Rights Movement as Abolitionist

III. Animal Rights and Connections with Other Rights Movements

IV. Learning Lessons

V. Conclusion

Conclusion