Animal rights by country or territory

Last updated

Animal rights vary greatly among countries and territories. Such laws range from the legal recognition of non-human animal sentience to the absolute lack of any anti-cruelty laws, with no regard for animal welfare.

Contents

Overview

As of November 2019, 32 countries have formally recognized non-human animal sentience. These are: Austria, Australia, Belgium, Bulgaria, Chile, Croatia, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, New Zealand, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Spain, Slovakia, Slovenia, Sweden, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom.[ citation needed ]

The Universal Declaration on Animal Welfare (UDAW) is a proposed global initiative designed to acknowledge animal sentience, prevent cruelty, minimize suffering, and establish welfare standards for animals. It applies to various categories, including farm animals, pets, animals used in scientific research, working animals, wildlife, and those involved in recreational activities. [1]

The Great Ape Project is currently campaigning to have the United Nations endorse a World Declaration on Great Apes, which would extend to non-human great apes the protection of three basic interests: the right to life, the protection of individual liberty, and the prohibition of torture.[ citation needed ] Six countries currently ban the use of great apes for scientific research, and Austria is the only country in the world to ban experiments on lesser apes.[ citation needed ]

In 2009, Bolivia became the first country to banish animal abuse and harm in circuses. [2] The United States of America is the only country in the world that has banned killing horses for consumption,[ citation needed ] and India have banned killing cows for consumption in some of its states.[ citation needed ]

Cow is the national animal of Nepal and cow slaughter is a punishable offense as per the prevailing law.

In 2014, the Jain pilgrimage destination of Palitana City in Indian state of Gujarat became the first city in the world to be legally vegetarian. It has banned buying and selling meat, fish, and eggs, as well as related jobs, such as fishing and animal farming. [3] [4] [5] [6]

Global animal rights maps

Food production
Clothing and cosmetics
Entertainment

Council of Europe convention maps

Principal laws on animal rights

General Legislation
CountryRecognition of animal sentienceRecognition of animal sufferingAnti-cruelty laws meet OIE standards [11] Any laws against animal cruelty Support at the

United Nations [a]

Flag of Algeria.svg  Algeria [12] [13] NoNoNoYes -unenforcedNo
Flag of Angola.svg  Angola [14] NoNoNoNoNo
Flag of Argentina.svg  Argentina [15] YesYesYesYesNo
Flag of Australia (converted).svg  Australia [16] YesYesPartial - varies internallyYesNo
Flag of Austria.svg  Austria [17] YesYesYesYesPartial - support from various internal departments
Flag of Azerbaijan.svg  Azerbaijan [18] NoNoNoNoNo
Flag of Belarus.svg  Belarus [19] NoNoNoNoNo
Flag of Belgium (civil).svg  Belgium [20] [21] YesYesUnknownYesPartial - support from the Minister for Agriculture
Flag of Bosnia and Herzegovina.svg  Bosnia and Herzegovina [22] NoYesNoYesNo
Flag of Botswana.svg  Botswana [14] NoNoNoYesNo
Flag of Brazil.svg  Brazil [23] YesYesYesYesYes
Flag of Bulgaria.svg  Bulgaria [20] [21] YesYesUnknownYesPartial - support from the Minister for Agriculture
Flag of Cambodia.svg  Cambodia [24] [25] NoNoNoNoYes
Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg  Canada [26] YesYesNoYesYes
Flag of Chile.svg  Chile [27] YesYesNoYesYes
Flag of the People's Republic of China.svg  China [28] NoNoNoNoNo
Flag of Colombia.svg  Colombia [29] YesYesYesYesNo
Flag of Costa Rica.svg  Costa Rica [30] [31] NoYesUnknownYesYes
Flag of Croatia.svg  Croatia [21] YesYesUnknownYesNo
Flag of Cyprus.svg  Cyprus [20] [21] YesYesUnknownYesPartial - support from the Minister for Agriculture
Flag of the Czech Republic.svg  Czech Republic [20] [21] YesYesUnknownYesPartial - support from the Minister for Agriculture
Flag of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.svg  Democratic Republic of Congo [14] NoNoNoNoNo
Flag of Denmark.svg  Denmark [32] YesYesYesYesPartial - support from the Minister for Food
Flag of Egypt.svg  Egypt [33] [34] [35] NoYesNoYes -unenforcedNo
Flag of Eritrea.svg  Eritrea [36] NoNoNoNoNo
Flag of Estonia.svg  Estonia [20] [21] YesYesUnknownYesPartial - support from the Minister for Agriculture
Flag of Ethiopia.svg  Ethiopia [37] NoNoNoYesNo
Flag of Fiji.svg  Fiji [38] [39] NoYesNoYesYes
Flag of Finland.svg  Finland [20] [21] YesYesUnknownYesPartial - support from the Minister for Agriculture
Flag of France.svg  France [40] YesYesYesYesPartial - support from the Minister for Agriculture
Flag of Germany.svg  Germany [41] YesYesYesYesPartial - support from the Minister for Agriculture
Flag of Greece.svg  Greece [20] [21] YesYesUnknownYesPartial - support from the Minister for Food
Flag of Hong Kong.svg  Hong Kong [42] [43] NoYesNoYes— (China responsible for foreign affairs)
Flag of Hungary.svg  Hungary [20] [21] YesYesUnknownYesPartial - support from the Minister for Agriculture
Flag of India.svg  India [44] NoYesNoYesPartial - support from the Animal Welfare Board
Flag of Indonesia.svg  Indonesia [45] Partial - mental health recognizedYesNoYesPartial - support from the Minister for Agriculture
Flag of Iran.svg  Iran [46] NoNoNoNoNo
Flag of Ireland.svg  Ireland [20] [21] YesYesUnknownYesPartial - support from the Minister for Agriculture
Flag of Italy.svg  Italy [47] YesYesNoYesPartial - support from the Minister for Agriculture
Flag of Japan.svg  Japan [48] NoYesNoYesNo
Flag of Kazakhstan.svg  Kazakhstan [49] NoNoNoYesNo
Flag of Kenya.svg  Kenya [50] NoYesNoYesNo
Flag of Latvia.svg  Latvia [20] [21] YesYesUnknownYesPartial - support from the Minister for Agriculture
Flag of Lebanon.svg  Lebanon [51] [52] PartialYesYesYesNo
Flag of Lesotho.svg  Lesotho [14] NoNoNoYes -unenforcedNo
Flag of Lithuania.svg  Lithuania [20] [21] YesYesUnknownYesPartial - support from the Minister for Agriculture
Flag of Luxembourg.svg  Luxembourg [20] [21] YesYesUnknownYesPartial - support from the Minister for Agriculture
Flag of Madagascar.svg  Madagascar [14] NoNoNoNoNo
Flag of Malawi.svg  Malawi [14] NoYesNoYes - unenforcedNo
Flag of Malaysia.svg  Malaysia [53] NoYesNoYesYes
Flag of Mali.svg  Mali [54] NoNoNoYesNo
Flag of Malta.svg  Malta [20] [21] YesYesUnknownYesPartial - support from the Minister for Resources
Flag of Mauritius.svg  Mauritius [14] [55] NoNoNoYesNo
Flag of Mexico.svg  Mexico [56] Partial - varies internallyYesNoYesNo
Flag of Mongolia.svg  Mongolia [57] NoNoNoNoNo
Flag of Morocco.svg  Morocco [58] [59] NoYesNoYes -unenforcedNo
Flag of Mozambique.svg  Mozambique [14] NoNoNoNoNo
Flag of Myanmar.svg  Myanmar [60] NoYesNoYesNo
Flag of Namibia.svg  Namibia [14] NoYesNoYesNo
Flag of New Zealand.svg  New Zealand [61] YesYesYesYesYes
Flag of the Netherlands.svg  Netherlands [62] YesYesYesYesYes
Flag of Niger.svg  Niger [63] NoPartial - domesticated animals onlyNoYesNo
Flag of North Korea.svg  North Korea [64] NoNoNoYesNo
Flag of Norway.svg  Norway [65] Partial - mental health recognizedYesNoYesNo
Flag of Pakistan.svg  Pakistan [66] NoYesNoYesNo
Flag of Paraguay.svg  Paraguay [67] NoYesNoYesNo
Flag of Peru.svg  Peru [68] NoYesNoYesYes
Flag of the Philippines.svg  Philippines [69] [70] Partial - mental health recognizedYesNoYesPartial - support from various internal departments
Flag of Poland.svg  Poland [71] YesYesNoYesPartial - support from the Minister for Agriculture
Flag of Portugal.svg  Portugal [20] [21] YesYesNoYesPartial - support from the Minister for Agriculture
Flag of Romania.svg  Romania [72] YesYesNoYesPartial - support from the Minister for Agriculture
Flag of Russia.svg  Russia [73] NoNoNoYesNo
Flag of Saudi Arabia.svg  Saudi Arabia [74] NoYesNoYesNo
Flag of Seychelles.svg  Seychelles [14] [75] NoNoNoYesYes
Flag of Singapore.svg  Singapore [20] [21] NoYesUnknownYesUnknown
Flag of Slovakia.svg  Slovakia [20] [21] YesYesUnknownYesPartial - support from the Minister for Agriculture
Flag of Slovenia.svg  Slovenia [20] [21] YesYesUnknownYesPartial - support from the Minister for Agriculture
Flag of South Africa.svg  South Africa [76] NoYesNoYesNo
Flag of South Korea.svg  South Korea [77] NoYesNoYesNo
Flag of Spain.svg  Spain [78] YesYesNoYesPartial - support from the Minister for Agriculture
Flag of Eswatini.svg  Swaziland [14] NoYesNoYes -unenforcedNo
Flag of Sweden.svg  Sweden [79] YesYesYesYesYes
Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg  Switzerland [80] YesYesYesYesYes
Flag of Tanzania.svg  Tanzania [81] Partial - some animals excludedYesNoYesYes
Flag of Thailand.svg  Thailand [82] NoYesNoYesPartial - support from various internal departments
Flag of Turkey.svg  Turkey [83] Partial - mental health recognizedYesNoYesNo
Flag of Ukraine.svg  Ukraine [84] NoYesNoYesNo
Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom [85] YesYesYesYesPartial - support from various internal departments
Flag of the United States.svg  United States [86] Partial - varies internallyYesPartial - varies internallyYesPartial - support from various internal departments
Flag of Uruguay.svg  Uruguay [87] NoYesNoYesNo
Flag of Venezuela.svg  Venezuela [88] NoYesNoYesNo
Flag of Vietnam.svg  Vietnam [89] NoNoNoNoNo
Flag of Zambia.svg  Zambia [14] NoYesNoYesNo
Flag of Zimbabwe.svg  Zimbabwe [14] NoYesNoYesNo

See also

Notes

  1. These countries have pledged to support the Universal Declaration on Animal Welfare

References

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