I don't want half a dog ...
"We ride on the back of animals more – far more – than any other developed country. New Zealand depends on animals for our livelihood and on recognition that we all benefit from the highest standards of animal management and welfare.
"Our laws will continue to reflect these demands. I pay tribute to the founders of this [Animal Law] course and to Canterbury University for keeping New Zealand up with global developments."
Jim Anderton, Minister of Agriculture, speaking at the University of Canterbury School of Law, 21 December 2006.
Animal law is more than simply dog bites and animal rights. Animals are present in all areas of our society, and the law underpins all our interactions with them. Issues of animal protection affect wider social, cultural, economic and political considerations, both domestically and internationally.
Animal law issues are particularly significant in an agriculturally dependent economy like New Zealand's, and the Animal Law course provided at the University of Canterbury School of Law mirrors the overseas trend where animal law is emerging as a new legal discipline.
Mr Anderton put things in perspective during his presentation as guest speaker at the Animal Law course held at the University of Canterbury School of Law in December:
"It's no secret that New Zealand's first world economy is dependent on the land- and sea-based agricultural and marine industries," he said. "Animal welfare is one of those issues where respect for animals and humane treatment is going to be used as a measure of whether you're a suitable country of origin for exports.”
Mr Anderton went on to say that New Zealand has to be a world leader. "This is not just a matter of morality, though that should be persuasive enough on its own – it is also a matter of economic necessity. New Zealand's standard of living depends on our ability to increase our earnings overseas. If we want to buy cars and the oil to fuel them; if want to buy cell phones, iPods and music from around the world to listen to on them; if we want to buy electricity turbines and jet engines ... then we need to sell to the world. Our primary industries are the only ones we have with the scale, sophistication and global connections to be genuine global businesses.”
Animal Law course
The University of Canterbury School of Law offered the country's first animal law paper as a summer school option in January 2006. The highly popular class attracted numbers well in excess of the law school's expectations, and has now completed its second successful course.
Dr Ian Robertson, who runs the course, says that because the law classifies animals as property: "animal law could be described as ‘specialist property law', given that law concerning animals is distinctive because of the unique characteristics and interests of the animals themselves”.
The legal discipline of animal law encompasses an enormous range of issues vital to New Zealand, Dr Robertson says. "While legal issues concerning animals have been covered under various headings, the course brings issues of animals and the law into one coherent whole.”
To provide a sound basis on which to discuss how current laws are framed, the course begins by exploring the history and development of animal law, and then focuses on the issues and practical application of contract, tort, criminal, statute and case law to this area. From pets in the home to biosecurity, trade and international treaties on endangered species, the course covers a wide array of issues such as legal status, animal rights, animal welfare and the use of animals in agriculture, sports, entertainment and research.
The course also deals with legal areas such as the sale and purchase of animals, boarding facilities, dog control, veterinary malpractice, and providing for pets in wills.
"Animal custody cases could also be a possibility if New Zealand follows international trends, and the property status of animals shifts as courts continueto recognize differences between animate versus inanimate property. No-one wants half a dog,” Dr Robertson says.
Animal law is arguably where environmental law was l5 years ago, and will continue to develop as the relevance of animal law issues is recognised, he adds.
"Legal responsibilities can apply to people whether they are directly or indirectly involved with animals, so the course is open to undergraduate and postgraduate academics of various disciplines, consultants, animal care providers and all those whose professions involve animals.”
To contact Dr Robertson, visit:
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Page last updated: 30 April 2008