This assignment discusses policing farm animal welfare and Australia’s animal laws. Societal oversight of farm animal welfare is more challenging to achieve than providing punishment of individuals abusing of companion animals. The historical policy related to animal agriculture and non-government organization policing of animal cruelty offenses may be entrenched. With changing societal expectations of agriculture production, each level of government may hesitate to take the lead. Financial or ideological beliefs may obstruct the other government level from taking the lead, based on constitutional grounds. In recent European animal welfare statutes, human actions injurious to animals are articulated as new offenses. Policing farm animal welfare and Australia’s animal laws is on the blending of at least four separate moral principles.
For more information on policing farm animal welfare and Australia’s animal laws
AUSTRALIA’S ANIMAL LAWS REGULATION OR ANIMAL WELFARE REGULATION
Policing farm animal welfare and Australia’s animal laws have long been the responsibility of the States and Territories. The Australian constitution does not explicitly address animal welfare matters, and historically, the Commonwealth’s role has not been significant. First, Australia’s animal laws or anti-cruelty legislation got enacted in Van Dieman’s Land in 1837. Institutional demands for increased national and international cooperation on animal welfare matters are forcing the Commonwealth to become active. The Commonwealth has assumed an increasingly influential position in the regulation of animal welfare, especially concerning farmed animals. Initially, anti-cruelty legislation was not separately labeled as ‘animal welfare’ or ‘anti-cruelty’ legislation. Instead, animal cruelty offenses were included in criminal laws.
For more information on Australia’s animal laws regulation or animal welfare regulation, click
WHY AUSTRALIA NEEDS INDEPENDENT OFFICES FOR POLICING FARM ANIMAL WELFARE
Policing farm animal welfare and Australia’s animal laws are lacking adequate government leadership or direction on animal protection matters. In 2013, the Coalition effectively withdrew funding and support for every animal protection initiative. Additionally, the Coalition also withdrew the advisory body that previously existed at a federal level. As a result, structures that supported the development of Australia’s animal laws and animal protection standards got terminated. We also have a situation where responsibility for regulating and governing animal protection laws is consigned to government departments. These departments namely the Department of Agriculture and its state or territory equivalents inadequately represent the interests of animals. Australia’s animal protection framework is critically failing to protect animals judging by animal cruelty offenses.
For more information on why Australia needs independent offices for policing farm animal welfare, click
