Nonhuman animals (animals) need all the help they can get in an increasingly human-dominated world. The Anthropocene, often called "the age of humanity," has anthropocentrically morphed into what I call "the rage of inhumanity," but the rapidly developing field of animal law promises to bring positive change for animals.1 This is among the many reasons why I am pleased to have Kimberly Moore, an expert in animal law, answer a few questions about her forward-looking and important book titled The Case for the Legal Protection of Animals: Humanity’s Shared Destiny With the Animal Kingdom in which she carefully presents the case for the legal protection for animals based on humanity’s shared interests and destinies with the animal kingdom—what harms "them" (other animals) also harms us.
Kimberly also writes about the link between human rights and animal rights and explores the development of animal law and the trajectory of current laws, with analysis of developing "rights of nature" laws and "legal personhood" status for animals. Furthermore, Kimberly also discusses major developments for animals across the globe, the objective being to demonstrate how the United States is out of step with other major countries in its legal treatment of animals. The importance of media as a driver of change is also considered.
Marc Bekoff: Why did you write The Case for the Legal Protection of Animals: Humanity’s Shared Destiny With the Animal Kingdom?
Kimberly Moore: There is a perception, albeit a false one, that animals are adequately protected under U.S. law. This is not the case. In fact, the United States lags behind its major trading partners when it comes to the legal protection of animals. In recent decades, the legal landscape has changed for animals around the world and new international norms are emerging. Countries are overhauling their laws, judges are recognizing the legal rights of animals in their opinions, and the public is demanding greater protection for animals. At the same time, humanity continues to inflict indescribable suffering and misery on sentient animals. The book documents humanity’s treatment of animals and answers the questions of “why” and “how” to legally protect animals.
I wrote the book to build the case for more meaningful legal protection for animals in the United States—specifically, the recognition of animals as holders of certain legal rights.
MB: How does your book relate to your background and general areas of interest?
KM: I am a corporate tax attorney by trade but my interest in the area of fundamental rights spans decades. I learned early on that the rights of humans are inextricably linked to how we treat the natural world. In the past decade, I have developed an expertise in animal law. This field has exploded in the past two decades. Law schools now have animal law courses, and there are law journals that focus exclusively on animal legal protection.
My book brings a new perspective as to why the legal protection of animals is critically important for both people and animals.
MB: Who do you hope to reach in your interesting and important book?
KM: The book is marketed by the publisher, Palgrave Macmillan, as a textbook for law schools, universities, and other academic settings, but it is written in layman’s terms, so it will also appeal to the general public. My hope is that it will reach lawyers, policy analysts, lawmakers, and anyone who is in a position to effectuate positive legal change for animals.
MB: What are some of the major topics you consider?
KM: The case for more meaningful legal protection of animals is built on research that tells us that fundamental human rights are inextricably linked to the rights of animals. The book describes this research and explains how our treatment of animals has profound consequences for humanity. Global crises, including climate change, deforestation, loss of biodiversity, and zoonotic diseases, are the direct result of humanity’s exploitation and destruction of animals and their habitats. The world is still reeling from the COVID-19 pandemic. Unless we change our exploitation of, and intrusion into, the natural world, the future will bring more suffering and uncertainty. The book also explores how the world’s food systems contribute to hunger and water scarcity, and how violence against animals fuels violence in society. Many readers will be surprised to learn that our treatment of animals and their habitats also has implications for national security. Challenges to legal reform, including the secrecy of politically favored industries and political corruption, are also discussed.
MB: How does your book differ from others that are concerned with some of the same general topics?
KM: The book is the first of its kind to make the case for meaningful legal protection for animals in the United States. Internationally, legal standards are evolving. New laws are being enacted by nations around the globe in response to humanity’s growing understanding of the interconnectedness of our world and the animal kingdom. A growing number of countries are recognizing animals as intelligent and sentient beings. These reforms are building the foundation for more promising legal changes in the United States.
MB: Are you hopeful that as people learn more about legal efforts to protect nonhumans they will come to understand how important it is to have lawyers like you work on their behalf?
KM: I am most certainly hopeful for the future of legal rights for animals. The past two decades have been a watershed moment for the legal status of animals. As the public becomes aware of the suffering and misery that we impose on animals, it is demanding more compassionate and just treatment of animals. There is also growing recognition that legal rights are needed for animals. In 2022, the United Nations passed a resolution recognizing that the health and welfare of humans are connected to the health and well-being of animals. This awareness of “oneness” is driving legal changes around the world, and it is why the question is not “if” but “when” laws will change in the United States. Of that I am certain.
References
In conversation with Kimberly Moore, a senior tax attorney at Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP in Washington, D.C., where she represents large institutional investors. She is an expert on animal law and has represented and advised animal protection organizations both in the United States and abroad. Kimberly has also worked on state legislation to ban the manufacture and sale of animal fur and is a fellow at the Oxford Centre for Animal Ethics in Oxford, England.
1. The State of Australian Animal Law and What Needs Improving; Human Imprisonment, Animal Captivity, Social Justice, and Law; How Animal Law Applies to Many Areas of Mainstream Practice; Are Animals "Things?" The Evolution of Animal Law; Saving Animals, Saving Ourselves: What Harms Them Harms Us.
How Legal Protection for Animals Offers Many Benefits for Humans
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28.12.2023
Nonhuman animals (animals) need all the help they can get in an increasingly human-dominated world. The Anthropocene, often called "the age of humanity," has anthropocentrically morphed into what I call "the rage of inhumanity," but the rapidly developing field of animal law promises to bring positive change for animals.1 This is among the many reasons why I am pleased to have Kimberly Moore, an expert in animal law, answer a few questions about her forward-looking and important book titled The Case for the Legal Protection of Animals: Humanity’s Shared Destiny With the Animal Kingdom in which she carefully presents the case for the legal protection for animals based on humanity’s shared interests and destinies with the animal kingdom—what harms "them" (other animals) also harms us.
Kimberly also writes about the link between human rights and animal rights and explores the development of animal law and the trajectory of current laws, with analysis of developing "rights of nature" laws and "legal personhood" status for animals. Furthermore, Kimberly also discusses major developments for animals across the globe, the objective being to demonstrate how the United States is out of step with other major countries in its legal treatment of animals. The importance of media as a driver of change is also considered.
Marc Bekoff: Why did you write The Case for the Legal Protection of Animals: Humanity’s Shared Destiny With the Animal Kingdom?
Kimberly Moore: There is a perception, albeit a false one, that animals are adequately protected under U.S. law. This is not the case. In fact, the United States lags behind its major trading partners when it comes to the legal protection of animals. In recent........
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