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Online Session 3 Session 3

Unit Summary

Unit type

UG Coursework Unit

Credit points

12

AQF level

7

Level of learning

Intermediate

Former School/College

Former School of Law and Justice

Pre-requisites

LAW10157 - Australian Legal System OR LAW00111 - Legal Process

Unit aim

Considers the legal and philosophical assumptions relating to human-animal interactions, the history and present status of animals as property, and the legal regulatory frameworks governing a variety of human-animal interactions in Australia. Acceptance that the protection of animals from cruelty and other forms of exploitation is important, an understanding of the application of legal frameworks relating to animals is crucial. Predicated on the view that current protections relating to animals are inadequate, there is a strong emphasis on law reform and activism and upon practical ways in which concerned animal advocates may advance the interests of, and legal protections provided to, animals.

Unit content

Topic 1 Legal and philosophical frameworks of animal law

Topic 2 Criminal and cruelty offences

Topic 3 Companion animals

Topic 4 Animals in entertainment and sport

Topic 5 Animals in agriculture and live animal export

Topic 6 Animal experimentation and research

Topic 7 Wild animals and animals in the wild

Topic 8 Animal advocacy and law reform

Learning outcomes

Unit Learning Outcomes express learning achievement in terms of what a student should know, understand and be able to do on completion of a unit. These outcomes are aligned with the graduate attributes. The unit learning outcomes and graduate attributes are also the basis of evaluating prior learning.

GA1: , GA2: , GA3: , GA4: , GA5: , GA6: , GA7:
On completion of this unit, students should be able to: GA1 GA2 GA3 GA4 GA5 GA6 GA7
1 identify and critically analyse the major theoretical approaches to the protection of non-human animals;
2 explain the legal status of animals, including the historical antecedents of this status;
3 identify and explain the operation of the law in NSW with respect to different types of human-animal interactions;
4 apply relevant legal principles to a range of issues and contexts involving human-animal interactions;
5 evaluate the role of law in both the protection and exploitation of animals;
6 identify areas in which the law affecting animals is in need of reform and identify strategies to achieve such reform.

On completion of this unit, students should be able to:

  1. identify and critically analyse the major theoretical approaches to the protection of non-human animals;
    • GA4:
  2. explain the legal status of animals, including the historical antecedents of this status;
    • GA4:
  3. identify and explain the operation of the law in NSW with respect to different types of human-animal interactions;
    • GA4:
  4. apply relevant legal principles to a range of issues and contexts involving human-animal interactions;
    • GA4:
  5. evaluate the role of law in both the protection and exploitation of animals;
    • GA3:
  6. identify areas in which the law affecting animals is in need of reform and identify strategies to achieve such reform.
    • GA2:

Prescribed texts

  • Sankoff, P & White, S, 2013, Animal Law in Australasia: A New Dialogue, 2nd edn, The Federation Press, Sydney. ISBN: 978 186287930 0.
Prescribed texts may change in future teaching periods.