Students in behind animal rights

Student Animal Legal Defence Fund Otago chapter founder Danielle Duffield at the University of...
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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