Robb and Goldberg: Livestock Producers and Lines Between Animal Welfare and Animal Rights
Laws that categorize animals as property are being tested, with a substantial fault line dividing animal welfare from animal rights. Shook Associate Caitlin Robb and Public Policy Practice Co-Chair Phil Goldberg have authored an article in AGDAILY on the evolving regulatory and legislative landscape surrounding animal rights.
In “Livestock Producers and Lines Between Animal Welfare and Animal Rights,” Robb and Goldberg say that animal welfare accepts that people own animals and sets standards for their care, while animal rights asks whether animals should have their own legal standing, liberty rights, or, even further, legal personhood.
“In looking at the broad legal landscape, courts and legislatures tend to reject pure animal rights reforms, but those campaigns are often cast as welfare reforms and shape public attitudes, legislation, and public initiatives,” they say. “Producers, therefore, must do more than merely comply with current regulations. They should assess how their practices could be (mis)construed by the public, document their animal welfare efforts, and get involved in animal law debates — on all topics.”
Read the article in AGDAILY >>
In “Livestock Producers and Lines Between Animal Welfare and Animal Rights,” Robb and Goldberg say that animal welfare accepts that people own animals and sets standards for their care, while animal rights asks whether animals should have their own legal standing, liberty rights, or, even further, legal personhood.
“In looking at the broad legal landscape, courts and legislatures tend to reject pure animal rights reforms, but those campaigns are often cast as welfare reforms and shape public attitudes, legislation, and public initiatives,” they say. “Producers, therefore, must do more than merely comply with current regulations. They should assess how their practices could be (mis)construed by the public, document their animal welfare efforts, and get involved in animal law debates — on all topics.”
Read the article in AGDAILY >>
