Animal Law Symposium: COVID-19 2021

On April 23 – 24, 2021 the Animal Legal Defense Fund hosted the two-day online event, featuring panels on zoonotic diseases and COVID-19, factory farming and the realities of our food system, our problematic relationship with animals in captivity, and COVID-19 policy recommendations.

The Animal Legal Defense Fund developed a series of papers outlining policy strategies designed to reduce specific zoonotic risks. Read the first three papers in the series here.

Sessions

Rethinking Our Relationship with Animals to Reduce the Likelihood of the Next Global Pandemic

Dr. Aysha Akhtar, President and CEO, Center for Contemporary Sciences
Welcome remarks: Stephen Wells, Executive Director, Animal Legal Defense Fund
Moderator: Stephanie Harris, Senior Legislative Affairs Manager, Animal Legal Defense Fund

Join public health expert Dr. Aysha Akhtar for a conversation about COVID-19 and how our troubled relationship with non-human animals increases the risk of zoonotic disease outbreaks.

Resources

• COVID-19 and Animals: Rethinking our relationship with animals to reduce the likelihood of the next global pandemic (PDF)
• Center for Contemporary Sciences
• AyshaAkhtar.com

Zoonotic Diseases and Factory Farming

Delcianna Winders, Assistant Clinical Professor of Law and Animal Law Litigation Clinic Director, Center for Animal Law Studies at Lewis & Clark Law School
Christine Ball-Blakely, Staff Attorney, Animal Legal Defense Fund
Galina Hale, Professor of Economics, University of California at Santa Cruz
Moderator: Cristina Stella, Managing Attorney, Animal Legal Defense Fund

COVID-19 has shone new light on the issues surrounding the treatment of animals in factory farms. This panel will discuss three similar, yet distinct, issues within factory farming during the pandemic: conditions within factory farms and industrial slaughterhouses, “depopulation” methods, and government subsidies.

Resources

• COVID-19 and Factory Farming: Rethinking our relationship with farmed animals to reduce the likelihood of the next pandemic and reform the food system (PDF)

• Emergency Rulemaking Petition to USDA – Animal “Depopulation” (PDF)

• Food & Environment Reporting Network: Mapping Covid-19 outbreaks in the food system
• AVMA Guidelines for the Depopulation of Animals
• AVMA Guidelines for the Euthanasia of Animals
• Learn more about farmed animals
• Farm Systems Reform Act
• Oregon Mega-Dairy Moratorium
• Lawsuit Challenges New NEPA Regulations that Shield CAFOs from Environmental Review
• Protecting Pigs from Cruel High-Speed Slaughter
• Christine Ball-Blakely PowerPoint Presentation (PDF) – Zoonotic Diseases & Factory Farming
• Galina Hale PowerPoint Presentation (PDF) – Zoonotic Diseases & Factory Farming

Zoonotic Diseases and Captive Wildlife

Daniel Waltz, Senior Staff Attorney, Animal Legal Defense Fund
Claire Tonry, Partner, Smith & Lowney PLLC
Catherine Doyle, M.S., Director of Science, Research and Advocacy, Performing Animal Welfare Society
Welcome remarks: Stephen Wells, Executive Director, Animal Legal Defense Fund
Moderator: Alicia Prygoski, Legislative Affairs Manager, Animal Legal Defense Fund

Human interaction with captive animals – both wild-caught and captive-bred – can increase the likelihood of global pandemics, which makes their captivity all the more dangerous. Join legal and rescue experts as they discuss captive animals, with an emphasis on those used for entertainment.

Resources

• Laws that Protect Animals (Federal, State, & Local)
• Justice the Horse Sues Abuser (Justice v. Vercher)
• Lawsuit to Protect the Endangered Species Act (Animal Legal Defense Fund v. Bernhardt)
• Zoonotic Spillover Through Intermediate Host (C4ADS)
• Origin & Evolution of Pathogenic Coronaviruses (NCBI, NIH)
• Performing Animal Welfare Society (PAWS)
• COVID-19 and Animals in Captivity: Rethinking Our Interactions with Animals in Captivity to reduce the likelihood of the next pandemic
• Learn more about captive wildlife
• Endangered Species Act
• Endangered Species Act Fact Sheet
• Animal Welfare Act and Animal Welfare Regulations
• Daniel Waltz PowerPoint Presentation (PDF) – Zoonotic Diseases & Captive Wildlife
• Claire Tonry PowerPoint Presentation (PDF) – Zoonotic Diseases & Captive Wildlife
• Catherine Doyle PowerPoint Presentation (PDF) – Zoonotic Diseases & Captive Wildlife

U.S. Laws and the Ongoing Risk of Zoonotic Diseases: A Conversation

Vanessa Shakib, Co-Founder and Co-Director, Advancing Law for Animals
David Rosengard, Senior Staff Attorney, Animal Legal Defense Fund
Moderator: Kim Kelly, Legislative Affairs Program Director, Animal Legal Defense Fund

Join us for a round-table conversation to explore the ongoing risks as well as challenges and opportunities to preventing the next pandemic.

Resources

• Farm Systems Reform Act
• Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)
• COVID-19 Policy Recommendations
• Animal Legal Defense Fund’s Legislative Affairs Program
• Find your Elected Officials
• How to Start your Urban Garden this Spring (One Green Planet) 
• The Benefits of Bulk Buying (Plant Plate) 
• Animals Used in Research