Animal Laws

Animals have their own rights and laws to protect their welfare. That is why owning animals and most especially pets is never easy. It means huge responsibilities plus expenses on the part of owners. Apart from that, owners need also to be fully knowledgeable about the laws governing animals. Today, courses on animal law are taught in 70 out of 180 law schools in the U.S.

The present animal laws pertain to the rights of people who own animals. There are laws that regulate the keeping of animals in cities and/or farms, laws on travel of animals globally and those that provide for quarantine and inspections. Criminal laws, meanwhile, covers cruelty to animals. These laws are meant to provide animals protection from harm and to regulate the use of animals as food. In addition to animal laws, many legal scholars have also called for the recognition of animal rights.   

The idea of giving animals their rights can actually be traced back to the 6th century B.C. It was then Greek philosopher and mathematician Pythagoras who called on people to respect animals believing in the so-called “transmigration of souls between humans and non-human animals.” He also urged vegetarianism and rejected the use of animals as food or religious sacrifices.