In Australia, state and territory governments are responsible for animal welfare and well being within their jurisdiction. These governments set and enforce laws to protect animal welfare and prevent cruelty to animals. However, many Australians don’t realise the startling defects in our animal welfare laws – how they exempt most animals from protection, how they permit profound and inexcusable cruelty, and how poorly enforced they are. 

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As previously aforementioned, there are ‘loopholes’ existing in our animal welfare legislation. The Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act mostly governs the treatment of animals in Australia for each State and Territory. However, unlike companion animals (cats, dogs, etc.), the treatment of farm of ‘production’ animals is not governed by this legislation, but by Industry Codes of Practice (LFA, n.d.). As a result of Codes of Practice, mother pigs can be locked up in crates barely bigger than their bodies for most of their pregnancy. Laying hens suffer their entire lives in battery cages where they can’t even stretch their wings. Code of Practice also cover animals used in rodeos, circuses, theme parks or those hunted for sport – allowing them to be treated in a way that would be illegal if those responsible were accountable to actual animal cruelty laws (Animals Australia, n.d).

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Few in the community are aware that animals raised for food are denied the same legal protection from cruelty as dogs or cats – and governments, retailers and cruel animal industries would prefer it remained that way. They know as we do, that since all animals share an ability to suffer we have an ethical responsibility to protect them from harm (Sunstein & Nussbaum, 2004). Maximising profits for cruel industries is the motivation of industry operators and governments. It can never provide a justifiable excuse in any civilised society for permitting abhorrent acts of cruelty to millions of animals each year.

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Sunstein C & Nussbaum M. 2004. Oxford University Press. ‘Animal Rights: Current Debates and New Directions.’ Available here: https://books.google.com.au/books?hl=en&lr=&id=e7FME0btkH0C&oi=fnd&pg=PR9&dq=animal+rights+laws+in+australia&ots=PIxjAPzBi7&sig=TOhPVJ-ueRXDWvQk5ZtDctZxg6I#v=onepage&q=animal%20rights%20laws%20in%20australia&f=false [Accessed: 1/5/17]

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Lawyers for Animals (LFA). n.d. ‘The Law.’ Available here: http://lawyersforanimals.org.au/information/the-law/ [Accessed: 1/5/17]

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Animals Australia. n.d. Legal Protection. How laws are failing animals: Codes of Cruelty.’ Available here: http://www.animalsaustralia.org/issues/codes-of-cruelty.php [Accessed: 1/5/17]

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