THE LAW OF THE JUNGLE : ADVOCATING FOR ANIMALS IN AUSTRALIA

Abstract

A movement of activist ‘animal lawyers’ has arrived in Australia. This article contends that Australian lawyers have a significant role to play in advancing the animal protection cause. Part I discusses the philosophical foundation of the modern animal protection movement and describes the important theoretical divide that splits it into animal ‘welfare’ and animal ‘rights’. Part II explains the Australian legal regime governing animal protection to show how the law acts as a site of exploitation. Part III explores the role of lawyers within the movement. It does this by appraising the obstacles in the way of animal protectionism and exploring what makes an effective lawyer advocate. It then uses a case study of battery hens to demonstrate the valuable role lawyers can play to support the animal cause. The views expressed in this article are the author's own.