Comment
Print
The UK’s first animal protection law firm will launch next month.
Advocates for Animals consists of a team of animal protection law experts that have worked with most of the main animal protection organizations in the UK.
Together the experts want to ensure that the protection given to animals by legislation is honored in practice.
The time is right
According to Advocates for Animals, the ‘time is right’ for this type of organization to launch in the UK, with the ‘ever-growing interest (not least in the context of Brexit) in animal protection and the way we as a society use and consume’ animals.
“Animal law practices already exist in other jurisdictions, for example the Animal Legal Defence Fund in the US and in Canada Animal Justice,” the organization said in a statement sent to Plant Based News. “As the UK is often perceived as the global leader in animal protection it is only right that Advocates for Animals is added to this list.
“Roughly every year in the UK we farm and slaughter 1 billion, 4 million in research, not to mention the 60,000 kept in zoos and the millions of wild animals traded across the seas and hunted. This is on top of worrying levels of domestic cruelty.
“Animal protection law is now a serious discipline, taught in universities and with a huge and increasing cadre of international and domestic legislation and agreements. It is, however, often underused by animal protection NGOs.”
Taking animals seriously
“I am honored to be part of movement, both nationally and internationally, that works towards giving animals the protection they deserve in law. It is crucial that the interests of animals are taken seriously,” Edie Bowles, Co-Founder and Solicitor, said.
“It is a salutary thought that, because of technological developments allied to commercial secrecy and huge international trade, humankind undoubtedly causes far more suffering to animals than 200 years ago when a man could beat his horse to death simply because it was his.
“Lawyers can help redress the balance,” added David Thomas, Co-Founder and Solicitor.
