The Animal Law Society at Vermont Law School will present "Captive Wildlife and the Law," a series of lectures and panel discussions, from 1 to 5 p.m. Thursday, March 30, in Chase Community Center at VLS. The event, partially sponsored by the Animal Legal Defense Fund, is free and open to the public and press.
Guest speakers will highlight legal and ethical issues related to captive wildlife. Mary Lee Jensvold of the Fauna Foundation will talk about the implications of chimpanzee sign language; Rob Laidlaw of Zoocheck Canada will share issues affecting zoo animal welfare; and Kate Dylewsky of Born Free USA will discuss the exotic pet trade and related laws.
"While the plight of companion animals, and even farmed animals, tends to receive more exposure, the suffering of captive wildlife in our society is significant," said Will Lowrey JD’17, co-chair of the Animal Law Society at VLS. "Our symposium hopes to shine a much-needed light on this topic. All stories and signs point to a serious issue. The illegal, global wildlife trade responsible for bringing many animals to the United States is said to be a $10- to $23-billion-a-year industry. Other statistics tell us that in the U.S. alone, there are up to 20,000 privately owned, captive big cats, including more tigers than exist in the wild. And an organization that tracks incidents involving captive wildlife, including escapes, injuries, attacks and abuse, has recorded more than 2,000 separate incidents in the U.S. alone since 1990."
"While the public often doesn’t hear about captive wildlife issues until the release of big stories or films like ‘Blackfish,’ or the closure of a notorious roadside zoo, there are tigers, bears, elephants, snakes, wolves and many other animals living around us—and many of them are suffering," Lowrey said. "We want to help shine a light on them."
Refreshments to include vegan options will be served during "Captive Wildlife and the Law." For more information about the event, email WilliamLowrey@vermontlaw.edu. For more information about the Animal Law Society and other student groups at Vermont Law School, visit vermontlaw.edu/community/student-groups.
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Vermont Law School, a private, independent institution, is home to the nation’s largest and deepest environmental law program. VLS offers a Juris Doctor curriculum that emphasizes public service; three Master’s Degrees—Master of Environmental Law and Policy, Master of Energy Regulation and Law, and Master of Food and Agriculture Law and Policy; and four post-JD degrees —LLM in American Legal Studies (for foreign-trained lawyers), LLM in Energy Law, LLM in Environmental Law, and LLM in Food and Agriculture Law. The school features innovative experiential programs and is home to the Environmental Law Center, South Royalton Legal Clinic, Environmental and Natural Resources Law Clinic, Energy Clinic, Food and Agriculture Clinic, and Center for Applied Human Rights. For more information, visit vermontlaw.edu, find us on Facebook, and follow us on Twitter and Instagram.