The UK Center for Animal Law (A-LAW) is proud to announce a National Animal Welfare Day on 22 July each year to celebrate the anniversary of Britain’s first national animal welfare law. Animal Rights Week takes place every year from July 18th to 22nd, culminating in Animal Rights Day on July 22nd.
A-LAW has a long history of promoting animal welfare law and its accessibility to animal rights activists working to advance animal welfare through law and policy reform. Whether through volunteer support, legal policy work, or legal education programs, A-LAW has strived to “make the law work for animals” for nearly two decades.
The Cruel Treatment of Cattle Act 1822 (also known as Martin’s Act after its sponsor Richard Martin MP) received Royal Assent on 22 July 1822. This was the first national legislation specifically aimed at making animal cruelty a criminal offence.
By establishing the principle that it is part of the government’s job to legislate to regulate the treatment of animals, the Martin’s Act pioneered animal welfare legislation not just in the UK but around the world.
In 2022, A-LAW celebrated this important bicentennial with a week of online conversations, ending as the AnimaLaw: Visions for the Future conference, taking place July 18-22, coinciding with the actual anniversary of Martin’s Act. which became law on July 22, 1822.
Continuing this tradition, we will celebrate the importance of animal rights with a National Animal Rights Week each year from July 18th to 22nd, culminating with Animal Rights Day on July 22nd.
A-LAW will encourage advocates to celebrate animal rights and raise awareness of animal rights through their own events and activities. In addition, the charity will host a number of animal rights-related activities, fundraisers and awareness campaigns throughout the week, with a focus on Animal Rights Day.
A-Law Chair Paula Sparks explains:
“The law has a tremendous impact on animal life.” It can be used both to legitimize animal harm for human-benefit purposes and, conversely, to protect and legislate for animals from unnecessary cruelty welfare of the animals kept. The law can also play a major potential role in bringing about a paradigm shift for animals, halting and reversing biodiversity loss, and achieving policy goals such as sustainability and climate goals that are consistent with animal welfare goals. “We are pleased to announce this initiative to raise awareness of the importance of animal rights and public policy and the need for further discussion on how the law can be effective for animals.”
Professor Jane Holder, Director of Research Studies, Faculty of Law, University College London.
“This initiative draws attention to the growing strength of the animal justice movement and the growing need for legal education to pursue an animal justice agenda.” The next generation of lawyers and legislators will engage critically and creatively with the law and address much-needed legal reforms in all aspects of animal rights. Animal Rights Week contributes significantly to this educational goal and marks both the progress made in the law to date and the need for future legal action.”
Marcia Hyde, Head of the Animal Welfare Law Team at 42 Bedford Row Law Firms explains:
“The law reflects the values of society and protects and promotes what we collectively believe to be the fair and just way of living in the world.” The ideas and sensibilities of what animals mean to humans and how animals are we think should be treated are changing rapidly. “This welcome initiative from A-Law is a real opportunity for attorneys from across legal disciplines to recognize and advance the animal welfare issues that exist in those disciplines.”
Frances Allen, head of the animal rights team at Goldsmith Chambers, explains:
“Future generations will look back on this time in history as a turning point in the struggle for the recognition of legal rights for non-human animals.”
Kevin McKenzie, McKenzie Solicitors explains:
“As every myth about our differences from other animals is gradually debunked by modern scientific research, we can no longer endlessly argue what qualitatively differentiates us as humans.” The question of animal sentience is now firmly in the foreground – under the Lupe, in the UK as a result of the debate on safeguards arising from our departure from the European Union. It’s becoming increasingly relevant to younger generations, and it’s safe to say that animal rights lawyers are on the right page
history.’
If you have any questions or would like a member of the A-Law team to comment, please email info@alaw.org.uk.
Notes for the editor:
- The UK Center for Animal Law (A LAW) is a charity aiming to promote knowledge and education about animal welfare law and more effective enforcement of animal welfare laws.
- We are registered as a charity in England and Wales. We are politically neutral. Not only do we publish legal analysis to inform public debates, but we also provide animal welfare organizations with access to quality legal advice to support them in their work. We also support the teaching of animal welfare law in UK universities.
- We aim to be a source of objective and independent legal analysis on animal welfare law issues. While legal issues are often complex, it is our job to explain them as clearly as possible, work together to increase the effectiveness of UK animal welfare organizations and encourage informed public debate.
- Led predominantly by volunteer lawyers, we work closely with legal scholars and others on a multidisciplinary basis to advance animal welfare goals.
- For more information about us or to access our online resources, visit our website: www.alaw.org.uk.
For more information, please visit http://alaw.org.uk/.
