Animal Law Documentary Series
6 Episodes
How are animals treated by our society and in our legal systems? This open-access, scholarly documentary film series on Animal Law surveys the current field of animal law and policy through the eyes of four youth active in animal advocacy. Interviews with leading global animal law scholars (at Harvard Law School, Yale Law School, Lewis & Clark Law School and more), practitioners and legislators explore shortcomings in current laws and how they can be improved.
Produced for global viewers and particularly audiences in secondary- and post-secondary education, these films reveal the inadequate status of animals under the law and those working to improve more ethical legal and policy outcomes. The six series episodes are accompanied by Educators’ Guides to maximize viewers’ experiences and curriculum outcomes.
TRAILER:
What people are saying:
Animal Law & Youth Activism series brings forth an urgent message: Animals are sentient beings entitled to flourishing lives, and their exploitation and abuse by humans must end. A major shift is ahead of us: Society needs to abolish the commodity status of animals, make a transition to multispecies justice and to a world that affords animals the respect that they deserve. The multiple voices featuring in this educative series point out the directions. Sharing their professional knowledge and personal experiences of animal advocacy, they invite us to learn with them and work together for animal protection and liberation. Don’t miss these six episodes! Watch them, reflect on them, include them in your teaching, discuss them – and get engaged!
– Helena Pedersen, PhD
Associate Prof. in Education, University of Gothenburg
Author of Animals in Schools and Schizoanalysis and Animal Science Education
VIEW THE 6 EPISODES:
Companion Animals
Animals in Research
Farmed Animals
Wild Animals
Animal Sanctuaries
Careers in Animal Protection
What people are saying:
What if we didn’t see animals as property but as sentient sovereign beings with whom we share the world? This paradigm shift, driven by an updated mindset, changing policies, and creative, strategic young people, is beautifully and comprehensively explored in the Animal Law & Youth Activism video series. Each video is accompanied by a short user-friendly education guide that can be used in classrooms and communities to extend the conversation, help sharpen critical thinking skills, and engender deeper engagement with the issues. The combination of the videos and the educational guides makes this project a slam-dunk for anyone who wants to raise awareness about human-animal relationships, the laws the govern them, and how education can widen the circle of compassion in our hearts and in society. What a gift!
– Mary Pat Champeau
Director of Graduate Programs, Institute for Humane Education
Humane Education program director and Senior Lecturer, Antioch University
Animal Law & Youth Activism is a crucial resource for educators and anyone interested in humane education or animal advocacy more broadly. Each of the six episodes covers a critical topic in animal protection and is accompanied by detailed educator’s guides, including suggested learning outcomes, discussion questions, and external resources. The information in this educational toolkit will inspire and empower the next generation of animal advocates.
– Becca Franks, PhD
Assistant Professor of Environmental Studies
Co-Director of the Wild Animal Welfare Program
NYU Animal Studies
New York University
Animal Law & Youth Activism is an engaging documentary series with rich material, allowing anyone to learn more and engage critically with how we humans interact with animals. The six episodes combined with the educator’s guides are excellent learning opportunities for studying on one’s own, in study groups together, or to use as teaching materials in class. The series provides insights into critical animal concerns and discusses both present and future legal and ethical challenges for animals.
– Matilda Arvidsson, LLD
Associate Professor of International Law, University of Gothenburg
Animal Law & Youth Activism is an excellent documentary series about some of the most important issues that humans, animals, and the environment face. Each episode examines a particular area of animal ethics and law in a clear, focused, and informative way, and by examining these issues from the perspective of youth advocates, the episodes serve as a reminder both of how unnatural our interactions with animals are and of how much potential for changing these interactions we have. I strongly recommend this series to anyone interested in learning about animal ethics and law, particularly in classrooms.
– Jeff Sebo, PhD
Associate Professor of Environmental Studies
Affiliated Professor of Bioethics, Medical Ethics, Philosophy, and Law, New York University
The series pilot, released October 2022, summarizes highlights of the six episodes:
For more information contact the researchers at aasri@uvic.ca:
- Maneesha Deckha, Lansdowne Chair in Law, University of Victoria
- Holly Cecil, Project Coordinator, Animals & Society Research Initiative, University of Victoria
This film series was produced under the Human Research Ethics Standard #21-0079, and in accordance with COVID-19 Protocols at the University of Victoria.