DEEP DIVE I LE DOSSIER I EL INFORME
Reducing Animal Suffering through Global Legislation Antoine F. Goetschel Paul Tweddell La protection de la santé et du bien-être des animaux
est un problème mondial nécessitant une action mondiale, comme l’a mis en évidence la Covid-19. Les progrès nécessaires dans le domaine du droit de la protection des animaux ne peuvent être réalisés que si une législation mondiale et nationale rigoureuse est appliquée. Les instruments contraignants peuvent rendre justice aux animaux en tant qu’individus et comme êtres sensibles, en allégeant leur souffrance et en promouvant leur bien-être. Il est donc nécessaire que l’ONU adopte une convention globale sur la protection animale, qui pourra ensuite être ratifiée dans le droit de ses États membres. L’Association Global Animal Law (GAL) présente une telle convention, à laquelle se réfère aussi l’American Bar Association (ABA).
Introduction Animal welfare is a global concern.1 To date, there is a lack of ways to address the issue comprehensively. To close this gap and better protect animals worldwide, a global mindset on the issue is essential. This requires that the concern for animal welfare be universal, exhaustive and holistic. All countries, species and relevant issues concerning animals, must be considered. An all-inclusive protection of animals means that, in addition to the preservation of wild animals, the law focuses on the care and welfare of all animals by securing them from all unnecessary suffering. Applying a multidisciplinary approach considers not only animal welfare law but also aspects of the sciences related to animals, such as veterinary medicine, ethology, biology and ethics. Animals are sentient, emotional and intelligent beings, which should encourage humans to respect and care for them. Legislation can be used to enforce laws, such as those that exist at the national and regional level. However, to achieve true 1. The article is based on a publication by co-author Sabine Brels, “Globally Protecting Animals at the UN: Why and how”, Claire Portier (Ed.), L’observateur des Nations Unies, Aix-en-Provence 2019. The author bases her position on her detailed legal dissertation “Le droit du bien-être animal dans le monde”, Paris 2017, the first analysis of the animal in global law.
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La protección de los animales, incluida la salud y el bie-
nestar de los animales, es un problema global que requiere una acción global, como lo destaca el Covid-19. Los intentos anteriores de mejorar la protección animal en todo el mundo han fracasado. Se puede deducir, a partir de la lógica y la experiencia, que el progreso necesario en la ley de protección animal solo se puede lograr si se aplica una ley global y nacional estricta. Los instrumentos vinculantes pueden hacer justicia a los animales como individuos y seres sensibles, aliviando el sufrimiento y promoviendo el bienestar. Por lo tanto, se recomienda que la ONU adopte una convención sobre protección animal, que luego puede ser ratificada en la legislación nacional de los estados miembros. La Association Global Animal Law (GAL) presenta dicha convención, a la cual se refiere la American bar Association (ABA).
global progress, animal protection should be anchored at the international level via the United Nations (UN). The American Bar Association (ABA) has recently adopted a resolution that “urges all nations to negotiate an international convention for the protection of animals that establishes standards for the proper care and treatment of all animals to protect public health, the environment, and animal wellbeing” and “encourages the U.S. State Department to initiate and take a leadership role in such negotiations”2. In its resolution, the ABA references the United Nations Convention on Animal Health and Protection (UNCAHP) drafted and proposed by Global Animal Law GAL Association. The resolution is detailed below on page 91.
Arguments for Global Animal Protection The concept of global animal welfare is currently absent in international law. In addition to the needs of humans and their interests in a healthy world for human offspring, the alleviation of suffering in respect of animals, is also elementary. Since animal suffering is widespread across the world and does not stop at country borders, a universal system for its alleviation is required. Farm animals globally 2. Resolution 101C, approved at the ABA 2021 Mid-Year Meeting.
