12/26/2011 (press release: danielmathers) // Los Angeles, CA, USA // Igor Purlantov
Animal law has recently gained strong recognition both inside the classroom and outside within the general public. This growth is due in large part to high profile donations from respected animal rights activists such as Bob Barker. In January of 2009 Mr. Barker donated $1 million to the University of Virginia School of Law to start its animal law rights program through his DJ&T Foundation. DJ&T has also made donations to animal law programs at Columbia, Duke, Harvard, Northwestern, Stanford, and the University of California in Los Angeles.
These generous donations have allowed animal law programs to grow and gain popularity within law schools which has also coincided with the increased widespread acceptance of animal welfare. Animal law programs are now taught in more than 120 law schools across the United States alone. This growth in animal law curriculum has not surprisingly also driven growth in animal law professions across the country. Animal law now encompasses virtually every area of law including administrative, constitutional, criminal, disability, environmental, international trade, torts, and trusts.
Within the general public, recent outrage over high profile animal abuse cases has helped push much needed state and federal legislation. As the same time, the increasingly complex relationship between people and their pets has also driven many other positive changes within animal law.
The recent positive changes in animal law could not come sooner. As compassion over unnecessary animal suffering continues to grow within the general public, animal law will only continue to gain in popularity and expand as a legal field. This in turn will continue to drive legislation designed to protect animals and ultimately benefit the victims who now finally have a voice to speak up for them.
This article has been brought to you by Igor Purlantov.
Igor Purlantov is an animal rights advocate that follows and writes about animal news and trends to help raise awareness of animal rights and protection. You can read and learn about his work on igor-purlantov.com or follow him on twitter @igorpurlantov
