Student Animal Legal Defence Fund Otago chapter founder
Danielle Duffield at the University of Otago yesterday with
some of the new group's members (from left), Donald
Matthews, Sarah Baillie, Madeline Seeley, Catherine Jones,
Christina Billing, Rachel Dickson, Louise Mouton, Ginny
Howden, Lucie Greenwood, Isabella Doak, Elle Cochrane,
Sarah Tomlinson, Grace Holgate and Jane McManamon. Photo by
Jane Dawber.
Animal rights will be given a major boost in Otago with
the establishment of a Student Animal Legal Defence Fund
chapter at the University of Otago.
It was formed by the university's Faculty of Law and is the
first to be established outside the United States and Canada.
About 20 students have joined the non-profit organisation.
They held their first official meeting last night.
They are among many law students and attorneys in North
America who are looking to use their degrees to protect and
advance the interests of animals, and to recognise that
despite animals' legal categorisation as property, there are
special relationships between humans and animals that the law
should account for.
The Otago organisation's founder, Danielle Duffield, said its
mission was to advocate for changing laws to better protect
animals - not only pets, but farmed animals.
The organisation did not condone midnight raids on farms and
freeing animals.
Rather, it was about using their legal skills, she said.
With the Animal Legal Defence Fund's support, students in the
new chapter will take on projects such as advocating for the
addition of animal law courses to university curriculums;
host speakers, debates, panels and conferences; write law
review articles for journals dedicated to animal law; raise
awareness about animal issues; and volunteer to do legal
research and writing for local law firms.
The Otago chapter is the 151st in the world.
There are others at law schools, including Yale, Harvard, and
Stanford, throughout the US and Canada.
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