GLOBAL ANIMAL LAW FRIENDLY INDEX

Global Animal Law Friendly Wheel

Each country is at a different point in the legislative, political and also social arena. GALFI aims to record, analyse and compare the animal-friendliness of 193 countries on a jurisprudentially unobjectionable basis.

Only a status quo serves as a basis for a worldwide comparison. Until today, elementary characteristics of how an animal is treated in one country in comparison to another country are still missing. The existing databases on laws concentrate on animal protection law. However, the use of animals should also be examined in particular: Which regulations provide for animal burdens? These include agriculture (e.g. the question of maximum stocks), laboratory animals (e.g. mandatory animal experiments), pets (e.g. banning them from rented accommodation) and wildlife (e.g. shooting of game, exclusion of cruelty to wild animals from animal protection law).

On the basis of accurate data tailor-made proposals for real improvements in animal welfare are thus developed and submitted to the nations. Some of the questions relevant for the data collection are already available. The questions relate to the so-called "Big Five", namely domestic, experimental, wild, farm and sports animals and cover more than 500 subject areas. The questions cover the points of legislation, enforcement and education.

In 2019 we have been working on the questions for the analysis and measurement instrument in addition to establishing contacts.
Substantial resources will be required to ensure that we receive legally sound answers from the respective countries. The answers will be checked and evaluated so that GAL can submit concrete proposals to the opinion leaders in the respective country.

In the coming years we will also collect suggestions from legal experts - also from state authorities - evaluate and analyse individual animal protection laws, test the list of questions with experts in the countries and on this basis we will complete and adapt it.
This new approach to animal law promises a great (global) success in the sustainable improvement of animal welfare through the law in the individual countries.

The main objective of GALFI is the worldwide promotion of animal welfare in the individual countries through concrete measures in the areas of legislation, law enforcement and training, as they result from the evaluation of GALFI per country.

As mentioned above, this project is an important support for the UNCAHP: On the one hand, it motivates nation states to make progress. On the other hand, less active states are encouraged to follow suit, since many UNCAHP contents, such as transparency in animal welfare enforcement or training in animal welfare law, have already been implemented. 

Until today, elementary characteristics of how an animal is treated in one country in comparison to another country are still missing. The existing databases on laws concentrate on animal protection law. However, the use of animals should also be examined in particular: Which regulations provide for animal burdens? These include agriculture (e.g. the question of maximum stocks), laboratory animals (e.g. mandatory animal experiments), pets (e.g. banning them from rented accommodation) and wildlife (e.g. shooting of game, exclusion of cruelty to wild animals from animal protection law).

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