Animal Law

Core Materials

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The Case Against Speciesism - Centre for Reducing Suffering (10 mins.)

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The Relevance of Wild Animal Suffering (10 Mins.)

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The fight over cage-free eggs and bacon in California (15 mins.)

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Plant-Based Labelling Battle Heats Up (10 mins.)

Choose one optional reading for a deep dive

Optional reading

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Quantifying Americans' Valuation of Animal Suffering talk by Scott Weathers (30 mins.)

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Why and How to Value Nonhuman Animals in Cost-Benefit Analyses, (3-9; 34-70)

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Blattner, C. (2019). The recognition of animal sentience by the law. Journal of Animal Ethics. (via Slack)

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Standing for Animals (With Notes on Animal Rights), 47 U.C.L.A. Law Review 1333 (2000) (edited version).

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McKiver v. Murphy-Brown, LLC, No. 19-1019, at *67 (4th Cir. Nov. 19, 2020) (Wilkinson's Concurrence only) (via Slack)

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The Animal Welfare Act: Background and Selected Animal Welfare Legislation

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National Meat Association v. Harris, 132 S. Ct. 965 (2012) (addressing pre-emption of California’s non-ambulatory livestock rule) (via Slack)

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Jones v. Butz, 374 F.Supp 1284 (1974) (challenging religious basis for kosher/halal slaughter’s inclusion in the humane slaughter act) (via Slack)

Discussion Questions

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Are “animal rights” a useful concept for legally advancing animals’ interests?

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Are current legal protections for animals inherently tied to human concerns or popular initiatives?

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What have been the main legal obstacles to progress on animal welfare? What accounts for animal advocates' recent legal successes against the meat industry? Is there a limit to what can be defended under the current law?

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Is the cost-benefit analysis (or similar) framework applied to broad legal mandates sensitive to traditional EA concerns? Which ones? What are the easiest ways it could be made more sensitive? Through the courts? Through new regulations?