The 3-Word Law Reform Advocated by SAL
Law reform begins with recognising that existing anti-cruelty law fails to fit with today's science or public expectations and needs.
Providing shade is an example of positive animal welfare where the animal can make a CHOICE about what it finds more comfortable, interesting or pleasurable. With positive animal welfare law, the provision of shade would foreseeably be one of a suite of changes that make a pragmatic beneficial difference to the daily life experience of animals.
"It's the law."
The problem we are focused on is today’s outdated animal-law rulebook, which affects you, your family and our community; and underpins every practice, every standard, and every use of animals.
​
The reality is that the animal-law rulebook shapes our attitudes about animals, decides what people’s treatment of animals are legally permissible or not, and it’s the rulebook that permits-and-perpetuates unsustainable animal practices to the dismay, disappointment and frustration of those people and organisations that recognise the need for better standards of animal welfare.
​
The Foundation advocates for a grassroots law reform because law is unique as a change management tool. ​
It applies to all citizens within a jurisdiction and, when properly resourced, is the only tool that can deliver nationwide change in human behaviours within the critical timeframes.​
The 3-word law reform is implementing a ‘modern’ legal tool to resolve ‘modern-day’ problems. Applying a legal responsibility for an animal’s opportunity to enjoy comfort, pleasure and interest (‘positive states’) is consistent with the modern science of the Five Domains, the modern concept of animal welfare, and the modern social license in societies where better animal welfare in practice, is expected.
Legal reform that applies a responsibility for an animal's pain AND its pleasure
Existing anti-cruelty law asserts:
​
-
"animals are capable of feeling and experiencing ("sentient") negative states ("suffering"); so
-
people in charge of animals have a responsibility ("duty of care") to
-
refrain from acts or omissions that cause an animal to suffer unnecessarily
​
The 3-word law reform would update the law so that it asserts:
​
-
"animals are capable of feeling and experiencing ("sentient") negative states ("suffering") AND POSITIVE STATES; so
-
people in charge of animals have a responsibility ("duty of care") to
-
refrain from acts or omissions that cause an animal to suffer unnecessarily AND provide animals with access to comforts, interests and pleasure.
The science of the Five Domains validates what most people inherently know – animals experience pain AND pleasure.
Image credit: Zoo and Aquarium Association Australasia
