Animal Welfare
Animal law encompasses all traditional legal practice areas including torts, contracts, criminal law, trusts & estates, family, and property law to name but a few. Although many disputes may involve an animal, a case will involve animal welfare specifically if for example, increased protection for the animal is a component of the case or, if challenging the property status of the animal is sought. Although the roots of animal welfare law are ancient, this type of practice area is still a relatively new subject in today’s court houses. However, this developing area is growing at a rapid pace and becoming more widespread every day perhaps, in part, due to media coverage of animal cruelty incidents or generous gifts made to benefit animal causes. Increasingly, law schools offer animal law courses and legal practitioners are venturing into this field of practice possibly due to the exciting challenge it presents or out of sensitivity toward animals and their plight.