As the clock ticks down to 2021, its time for another arbitrary top 10 of the year! This time for animal law moments. Happy New Year to all legal advocates fighting to make the world a better place for animals! THREAD

10. UK Employment tribunal rules that ethical veganism is a protected belief under the Equality Act. This means that vegans are protected against discrimination, harassment and victimisation under the law. See: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5e3419ece5274a08dc828fdd/Mr_J_Casamitjana_Costa_v_The_League_Against_Cruel_Sports_-_3331129-18_-_Open_Preliminary_Hearing_Judgment___Reasons.pdf

9. Bronx Supreme Court recognises that 'the arguments advanced by @NonhumanRights' to transfer Bronx Zoo inmate Happy the Elephant to a sanctuary 'are extremely persuasive'. Here's hoping 2021 will be the year the NY Court of Appeals grant Happy a remedy https://www.nonhumanrights.org/content/uploads/HappyFeb182020.pdf

8. U.S. District Court for the District of Kansas struck down nearly all of Kansas’s “Ag-Gag” law for violating the First Amendment, stating 'The law plainly targets negative views about animal facilities and therefore discriminates based on viewpoint.' https://www.animallaw.info/case/animal-legal-defense-fund-center-food-safety-shy-38-inc-hope-sanctuary-plaintiffs-v-laura-kelly

7. US: Ben and Jerry's drop humane washing 'happy cows' labelling in response to a federal consumer fraud lawsuit. See https://www.vpr.org/post/how-now-unhappy-cow-ben-jerrys-drops-claims-contented-bovines?fbclid=IwAR2XjzVWKdwRk2WVxI7KE6iHE4nrEiLQmgZxTLShjrE0HG47yP-H3_3FG_A#stream/0

6. Italy's Supreme Court for Administrative Law orders an end to macaque blinding experiments because the Ministry of Health had not been able to prove that there were no scientific research alternatives available. https://www.lav.it/en/news/victory-for-lav-state-councll-suspends-macaques-exp

5. Goldsmith chambers launch the first animal rights team in a UK Barristers' Chambers. They aim to undertake proactive strategic litigation, private prosecutions, and anti-discrimination services. @GoldsmithAnimal https://www.goldsmithchambers.com/practice-areas/animal-rights/#:~:text=The%20Animal%20Rights%20Team%20at,animal%20protection%20groups%20and%20individuals.

4. Canada: Sen. Murray Sinclair introduces the 'Jane Goodall Act' which proposes banning captivity and exploitation of great apes and elephants, imports of ivory and hunting trophies and establishing legal standing for great apes, elephants and cetaceans. https://parl.ca/DocumentViewer/en/43-2/bill/S-218/first-reading

3. Swiss Federal Court affirms the legality of a referendum on the Fundamental Rights for Primates in Basel-Stadt. This will allow voters in the canton the chance to extend rights to life and bodily and mental integrity to other primates. https://sentience-politics.org/de/initiative-ist-zulaessig-basel-stadt-darf-ueber-grundrechte-fuer-primaten-abstimmen/

2. The NZ High Court ruled the Minister of Agriculture and the National Animal Welfare Advisory Committee acted illegally when they failed to phase out the farming practice farrowing crates for mother pigs. Great work @SAFEnewzealand & @NZAnimalLaw https://www.courtsofnz.govt.nz/cases/the-new-zealand-animal-law-association-v-the-attorney-general

1. Islamabad High Court orders a local zoo be shut and its inmates transferred to sanctuaries. In a powerful ruling Minallah J urges humanity to reimagine its relation to the other animals, pointing to the threats of zoonotic diseases and climate change. https://www.nonhumanrights.org/content/uploads/Islamabad-High-Court-decision-in-Kaavan-case.pdf

(nb, obviously this list is not definitive, and has a very strong anglophone bias)

Bonus! Should've included the US 4th Circuit ruling affirming a jury verdict that a Smithfield-owned torture farm was liable for damages to its neighbours. Includes a powerful concurring judgement from Wilkinson J on interlinked human and animal suffering https://cases.justia.com/federal/appellate-courts/ca4/19-1019/19-1019-2020-11-19.pdf?ts=1605817849