Abstract
Currently there is no international agreement that ensures the welfare and protection of animals. Nor is there any international standard that regulates and defines the acceptable treatment of animals. This lack of international consensus leads to the current disparate treatment of animals around the world, echoing the need for an international framework addressing the issue. This Article discusses a proposed umbrella treaty, the International Convention for the Protection of Animals (ICPA). This umbrella treaty would enable animal welfare issues to gain international recognition and protection by setting the general guidelines and polices regarding the treatment and use of animals. This Article argues that this is the best way to successfully pursue international protection by reconciling the conflicting goals of making a treaty enticing to as many countries as possible, without eliminating enforcement mechanisms. This Article also suggests four companion protocols that would further delineate specific animal welfare standards and requirements. With the present economic climate, it may be difficult to convince countries to pass such a treaty. However, the ICPA could make it possible to begin the process of enacting groundbreaking international animal protection.
© David Favre 2012. This article is an updated version of an article of the same name published in a law review of Lewis and Clark Law School in 2012 (18 Animal Law 237 (2012)). The initial article had considerable additional footnoting and references not found in this chapter. A full copy of the proposed treaty is available https://www.animallaw.info/treaty/international-convention-protection-animals.
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Notes
- 1.
Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties pt. I, art. 2(a) (23 May 1969).
- 2.
Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and their Disposal art. 4 (5 May 1992), 28 I.L.M. 649.
- 3.
Kyoto Protocol to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (11 December 1997).
- 4.
Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (3 March 1973), 27 U.S.T. 1087, 993 U.N.T.S. 243.
- 5.
16 U.S.C. §§ 1531–1544 (2010); 50 C.F.R. § 23.1.
- 6.
See Universal Declaration on Animal Welfare (Declaration), http://s3.amazonaws.com/media.animalsmatter.org/files/resource_files/original/Latest%20draft%20UDAW%20Text%20-%202011.pdf?1314177486 (accessed 8 April 2012) (copy of proposed Declaration, amended in 2011).
- 7.
See e.g. Mich. Comp. Laws § 750.50b(7) (2001); Mo. Rev. Stat. Ann § 578.007(8) (West 2009); Wash. Rev. Code Ann § 16.52.185 (West 2009).
- 8.
N.J. Stat. Ann. § 4:22–16.1 (West 1998).
- 9.
N.J. Socy. for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals v. N.J. Dept. of Agric., 955 A.2d 886, 907–16 (N.J. 2008).
- 10.
7 U.S.C. §§ 2131–2159.
- 11.
International Convention for the Regulation of Whaling art. IV (2 December 1946).
- 12.
Transport of Live Specimens, CITES Resolution Conf. 10.21, (1997) (rev. CoP14) (available at https://cites.org/eng/res/all/10/E10-21R14.pdf, accessed 24 August 2015).
- 13.
Convention on Biological Diversity art. 8 (21 May 1992), http://www.cbd.int/convention/articles/?a=cbd-08
- 14.
See World Trade Org., W.T.O. … Why it Matters: A Guide for Officials, Legislators, Civil Society and All those Interested in International Trade and Global Governance 17–18, http://www.wto.org/english/thewto_e/minist_e/min01_e/wto_matters_e.pdf, accessed 24 August 2015.
- 15.
All the documents can be located at: http://www.wto.org/english/tratop_e/dispu_e/cases_e/ds400_e.htm
- 16.
See World Org. for Animal Health, The O.I.E.’s Achievements in Animal Welfare, http://www.oie.int/animal-welfare/animal-welfare-key-themes/ (stating that animal welfare was identified as an O.I.E. priority in O.I.E. Strategic Plan 2001–2005).
- 17.
Full draft available at https://www.animallaw.info/treaty/international-convention-protection-animals
- 18.
The Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety to the Convention on Biological Diversity (29 January 2000), http://bch.cbd.int/protocol/ (accessed 8 April 2012) (international agreement which aims to ensure the safe handling, transport and use of living modified organisms (LMOs)); see generally The Nagoya Protocol on Access and Benefit-sharing to the Convention on Biological Diversity (29 October 2010), http://www.cbd.int/abs/ (accessed 24 August 2015) (international agreement which aims at sharing the benefits arising from the utilization of genetic resources in a fair and equitable way).
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Kelch, Thomas G. 2011. Globalization and animal law: Comparative law, international law, and international trade. Alphen aan den Rijn: Wolters Kluwer.
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Favre, D. (2016). An International Treaty for Animal Welfare. In: Cao, D., White, S. (eds) Animal Law and Welfare - International Perspectives. Ius Gentium: Comparative Perspectives on Law and Justice, vol 53. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-26818-7_5
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