November 11, 2020

Animals in Crises

The ongoing climate crisis, in combination with the coronavirus crisis, has made it patently clear that disasters are here to stay, going forward. Whilst we have been able to pay little attention to the regulation of disasters in the past, our future and the future of non-human animals will critically depend on whether, and to what extent, human and animal interests are being considered in disaster regulation. Here, we’re interested in gaining a better understanding of how crises are defined and regulated, and what their relation is to emergency laws, and the regulation of climate.

Building on that, we want to know: How are animals considered in times of crises? What are some of the most advanced / most worrisome examples of crisis regulation? Which animals are protected during disasters and crises? How did regulation for those animals come about? Are some animals doubly exploited in times of crisis (e.g., research on animals to tackle COVID-19)? When and under what conditions have crises operated as entry points to either include or exclude animals in regulation? Under what circumstances are crises an opportunity to create space (literal, political, legal) for animals?

More information can be found here.