Animals as clients?

Challenging Speciesism, state-sanctioned cruelty and corporate greed

Disclaimer

This presentation is provided for the purposes of general information and education, and is not intended as specific legal advice on any matter. If you or your client’s have a legal problem you should consult a lawyer.

To the extent permissible by law, the Northern Rivers Community Legal Centre disclaims all liability for any detriment arising from reliance upon this publication.

Animals are commodities, not clients

• Animals are property • They have no legal

capacity and no standing as legal persons

• Animals suffer from speciesism

• human interests are prioritised above animal welfare.

Source: http://wigglypups.typepad.com/wiggly_pups/2008/03/animals-are-jus.html

Intensive farming systems

Source: http://maggieblanck.com/Land/WE.html

75 cent chicken bred to live for no more than 7 weeks, allotted less than an A4 paper sized space by slaughter, standing in excrement, with cardio-vascular and skeletal strain caused by breeding for quick maturing large breasts and thighs rather than the ability to walk

Government Sanctioned Animal Exploitation and Cruelty

• Animal welfare laws are state-based• Australian Animal Welfare Strategy:“the ethics of animal welfare come from recognising that

animals are sentient—that is, they have feelings and are able to experience suffering and pleasure”

v“Australia’s approach to developing and promoting sound

animal welfare standards is to ensure that proper consideration is given to factors such as science, practicability, culture, economics, community values and ethics.”

The Australian Animal Welfare Strategy explained. Sort of…

The NSW Framework

• Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act 1979 NSW

• “Stock animal" as an animal which belongs to the class of animals comprising cattle, horses, sheep, goats, deer, pigs and poultry.

• All factory-farmed “stock” are excluded from protections that mandate periodic release from confinement, allowing for exercise

Animal Welfare Codes of Practice• Model Code of Practice for the Welfare of Animals: Animals at Saleyards• Model Code of Practice for the Welfare of Animals: Cattle• Model Code of Practice for the Welfare of Animals: Domestic Poultry• Model Code of Practice for the Welfare of Animals: Farmed Buffalo• Model Code of Practice for the Welfare of Animals: Farming of Ostriches• Model Code of Practice for the Welfare of Animals: Feral Livestock Animals• Model Code of Practice for the Welfare of Animals: Husbandry of Captive-Bred Emus• Model Code of Practice for the Welfare of Animals: Intensive Husbandry of Rabbits• Model Code of Practice for the Welfare of Animals: Land Transport of Cattle• Model Code of Practice for the Welfare of Animals: Land Transport of Horses• Model Code of Practice for the Welfare of Animals: Land Transport of Pigs• Model Code of Practice for the Welfare of Animals: Land Transport of Poultry• Model Code of Practice for the Welfare of Animals: Livestock at Slaughtering Establishment• Model Code of Practice for the Welfare of Animals: Pigs• Model Code of Practice for the Welfare of Animals: The Camel• Model Code of Practice for the Welfare of Animals: The Farming of Deer• Model Code of Practice for the Welfare of Animals: The Goat• Model Code of Practice for the Welfare of Animals: The Sheep

Broiler Chickens; A case study in lawful cruelty and corporate greed

Source: www.animalsaustralia.org/media/photos.php?photo=Broiler+Chickens

• Over 50 years ago it took 98 days for a chicken to grow to 1.6kg

• By 1986, due to selective breeding, it took only 37 days

• This unnatural growth rate puts enormous pressure on the heart and immature skeleton and is the cause of many health problems.

• cruel but apparently not in breach of PoCtAA s.8

The Model Code of Practice for Domestic Poultry

• Industry is given significant input into the guidelines.

• Poultry other than newly hatched birds must have access to food at least once in each 24 hour period. The complete withholding of food for longer periods is not acceptable except in the case of broiler breeder birds or layer pullets, where skip-a-day feeding is an acceptable industry practice for maintaining bird health and productivity

The Broiler (Meat) Chicken

Industry

Challenging Speciesism- Grass roots activism against animal cruelty

Source:https://www.facebook.com/#!/photo.php?fbid=448203018768&set=a.448202208768.216445.101225828768&type=3&theater