On June 5, the first joint US/China Animal Law forum was hosted at the University of Houston- Downtown (UHD), in partnership with the Northwest China University of Politics and Law and the South Texas College of Law. The one-day event was dedicated “to raising awareness about animal cruelty and the need for more stringent legislation to curb inhumane animal treatment in both the U.S. and China.” The forum succeeded in bringing together experts from the two countries (both which happen to be the world’s largest industrialized farming nations), with backgrounds in the areas of animal protection law, legislation, and enforcement. Specific topics of discussion on the agenda included animal laws in China and the U.S., animals used in research, agricultural animal production, and the private practice of animal law, among others. The speakers included a number of animal law scholars, attorneys, and administrators.

Additional Resources on animal law and policy in China and the US

Interested in learning more about the current legal landscape pertaining to animal protection in China and the United States? Here are two helpful resources:

In 2011, World Animal Net sponsored the publication of Changing China: Country Status Report Within the Political and Social Context, published by Act Asia as a part of its efforts to promote animal protection legislation in China. 

The Animal Legal & Historical Center maintains a vast database of including thousands of primary and secondary legal materials, including cases, laws, administrative regulations, municipal codes and scholarly articles. Navigate materials for the U.S. and China using the Animal Legal & Historical Center search tools.

Want to attend or learn about similar events in the future? Keep up to date by visiting World Animal Net’s calendar.