Animal Law

Description:

This course will introduce students to those principles, rules, and regulations - as developed by common law and from statute - that affect animals. Starting with a summary of historical origins, the course will examine such laws in their philosophical and practical underpinnings, and from a variety of differing perspectives. We will explore how the law has treated animals in the past and may treat them in the future, locally, nationally and internationally. From the foundational (How are animals defined? Can animals have standing? Are animals property?) to the pragmatic (What procedural obstacles might confront claims made on behalf of animals? What subjective constraints might prosecuting an animal cruelty case entail?) the course will address diverse question and answers in a wide variety of substantive law. We will focus on criminal law, torts, contracts, wills and trusts, domestic relation, constitutional law and more. Because of the recent explosion in the development of animal law internationally, this is an important segment of the course. All perspectives are both welcome and open to critique.

Students will receive 3 credits and will be graded by a combination of final examination, class participation, class debate and a field research project.