Perspectives on Animal Law: A Panel of Experts from Switzerland, Canada, and the U.S.
The Student Animal Legal Defense Fund at McGill presents a panel discussion exploring the current state of animal welfare law in Canada and abroad, as well as perspectives for future development, with speakers hailing from three different countries: David Wolfson (Columbia Law School and NYU Law School), Antoine Goetschel (Swiss public animal welfare lawyer), and Alanna Devine (founder of the McGill chapter SALDF).
About the speakers
David Wolfson teaches animal law at Columbia Law School and NYU Law School. He has written extensively on animal law issues and has represented several prominent animal protection organizations, such as the Animal Legal Defense Fund, Farm Sanctuary and the Humane Society of the United States. Mr. Wolfson will be discussing the state of farm animal welfare law in North America.
Dr. Antoine Goetschel is the world's first and only public animal welfare attorney. He represents the interests of animals in criminal cases as a public official in the canton of Zurich in Switzerland. Specializing in the field of human-animal relationships in the law since 1984, he has played a crucial role in the development of animal welfare legislation in Switzerland, as well as in Switzerland's constitutional amendment to include protection for animals. Dr. Goetschel will be speaking on the recent developments in animal welfare legislation in Europe and Switzerland.
Alanna Devine is a graduate of McGill University's Faculty of Law and the founder of the McGill chapter of the Student Animal Legal Defense Fund (SALDF). She is currently the Director of Animal Welfare at the Montreal branch of the Canadian Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (CSPCA) and has been particularly active in the fight against Quebec's infamous puppy mills. Ms. Devine also serves on a provincial government committee that is considering amendments to Quebec's animal welfare legislation. She will be discussing the state of companion animal law in Canada and Quebec.
This lecture is part of a larger event entitled "WE ANIMALS: McGill Symposium & Exhibit on Animal Law".
For more information please visit www.saldf.ca