On 20 April 2015, for the first time in history a judge in New York granted an order to show cause and writ of habeas corpus on behalf of a nonhuman animal. In a case brought by the Nonhuman Rights Project (NhRP), Manhattan Supreme Court Justice Barbara Jaffe issued an order to show cause and…
Izzy’s appeal to the High Court of Australia is to be heard in Canberra tomorrow, 14 April 2015. It will be recalled from previous posts that Izzy’s owner was unsuccessful at first instance in the Supreme Court of Victoria on complaints of procedural fairness about the City of Knox Panel hearing convened to determine whether Izzy…
Last Friday the Panel dispatched lengthy and detailed letters opposing Senator Chris Back’s Criminal Code Amendment (Animal Protection) Bill 2015 to all Federal Labor MPs and relevant Senate cross-benchers. A copy of the panel’s submission to the Senate Standing Committee on Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport may be found here (submission 240): http://www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Committees/Senate/Rural_and_Regional_Affairs_and_Transport/Animal_Protection_Bill/Submissions. The…
On Friday the Panel again publicly called for the greyhound industry to be shut down following the discovery of 55 greyhounds in a mass grave near Bundaberg, Queensland . A 71-year-old man and 64-year-old woman have now been charged with unlawfully possessing a firearm after a police search found a rifle and ammunition in a…
Earlier this week brought good news from the Australian Senate for animals involved in cosmetics testing. On 27 November 2014, the Senate has passed a cross-party motion in support of ending animal testing for cosmetics: http://www.humaneresearch.org.au/interview/australian-senate-motion-against-cosmetics-animal-testing-welcomed-by-becrueltyfree-campaigners Earlier this year, the Panel made verbal and written submissions to the national ALP Cosmetics & Animal Testing Policy Consultation,…
Further to our post of 29 August 2014, yesterday death row dog “Sadie” was released into the care of Brightside Farm Sanctuary in Tasmania. Sadie is a Council declared dangerous dog subject to a destruction order. Since August, the Panel has been working to appeal the declaration, stay her destruction, and have Sadie released from…
Earlier this month in Wodonga, Victoria American Staffordshire Sonny was impounded by Wodonga City Council and declared a restricted breed. The Panel has intervened to appeal the declaration, which is due to be filed in VCAT by 16 October. The Panel extends it’s grateful thanks to Daniel Beecher of Phoenix Legal Solutions and barrister Simone Bailey for their assistance in preparing the VCAT appeal application.
On 11 August 2014 the Panel intervened on behalf of the Australian Society for Kangaroos to prepare and file on its behalf an application in the Supreme Court of Queensland to review decisions by the Department of Environment and Heritage Protection to grant damage mitigation permits for the taking of Agile Wallabies in the Mission Beach area…
Founder and inaugural Chair (2006 to 2014), Graeme McEwen, has stepped down as Panel Chair so that he may focus on Counsel for Animals International, a new group with lawyer support in 17 countries. A CAI website is under construction: counselforanimalsinternational.org. Graeme remains as a director of the Panel board and will still act as…
Earlier this year, Bonnie was surrendered by her owner to an outer-Eastern Sydney pound. Bonnie was then administered a temperament test. She failed. Hearing of her plight, the Panel approached the relevant Council and asked if it would agree to a program of rehabilitation / retraining for Bonnie with an appropriate animal behaviourist arranged by…
The Panel yesterday filed a submission to the Federal Labor parliamentary party sub-committee examining ways to implement a legislative ban on animal testing for cosmetics. Our chair, Graeme McEwen, today appeared before the sub-committee at a meeting in Melbourne on how such a legislative ban may be implemented and took questions from committee.
Jumps racing is to end at Morphettville racecourse in Adelaide, with the South Australian Jockey Club citing a public backlash which is costing it revenue. Chief executive of the jockey club Brenton Wilkinson said some people had boycotted the club because they believed jumps events were cruel to horses. “We as a board and as…
Today VCAT President, Garde J, granted leave to the owner of Mylo to file a fresh application out of time challenging the City of Brimbank’s declaration on 17 May 2012 that he is a restricted breed dog. The fresh application was directed to be filed by 29 July: it was in fact filed today soon…
ALL Coles brand fresh chicken will be RSPCA approved from today, in a move the supermarket giant says is a win for consumers and animal welfare. Read the full story at The Land, 3 January 2014.
The Panel is delighted to announce that former High Court of Australia justice, Michael Kirby AC CMG, has been appointed as the Panel’s Patron. His advocacy on behalf of animals is well-known, and illustrates the gathering weight and momentum of the animal cause. A separate page on our website has been created for him as…