Australia passes Animal Sentience Bill

​worldanimalnews.com/breaking-yesterdays-passing-of-historic-legislation-recognizes-animals-as-sentient-beings-in-australia/

Australia has passed a landmark bill finally recognizing animal sentience. The bill, passed on the 26th will recognize the sentience of animals for the first time in Australia's history. This recognition implies Australia's acknowledgement that animals feel pain and emotions and should be held to a certain standard when it comes to their treatment. This recognition will also allow for penalties, fines, and imprisonments pertaining to poor animal treatment.

“Modern animal welfare is about considering how an animal is coping both mentally and physically with the conditions in which it lives.”  
Minister for City Service Chris Steel

Recognizing animal sentience is the first step to properly tackling animal cruelty and cracking down on those who commit cruelty to animals in various manners. Sentience is something that is still being recognized across the globe despite years and years of evidence suggesting its validity. Arguing whether an animal feels pain, emotion, or mental instability is comical to me at this point. Animals have brains correct? Much like we do, these brains are capable of many of the same pain receptors, mental turmoils, bonds, and emotions that we experience. Perhaps one could argue to what degree they experience these similarities, but to deny the validity of sentience is ridiculous in this day and age.

With this new laws passed and coming into effect in 6 months, law enforcement can enforce penalties for animal cruelty they were unable to properly enforce before. In the instance of recognized animal cruelty, law enforcement can impose bans on animal ownership of 6 months, seize, retain, sell, or rehome animals when applicable. Not providing animals adequate food, shelter, or water will come with a $4, 000 penalty. This fine will also be imposed on those who keep pets enclosed for long periods of time or restrict their movement. Those who engage in violence involving animals such as dog fighting face a possible $48, 000 fine along with a potential 3 year prison sentence.

​Unfortunately, despite livestock being mentioned by Chris Steel, these new laws pertain mostly to domestic animals leaving farm animals in continued danger of abuse. One cannot deny the importance of this bill coming into effect to better protect animals but it's super unfortunate that livestock will continue to be overlooked. A considerable amount of abuse to animals occurs to farm animals because they are viewed more as products and less as living beings.

It's not only Australia that is failing livestock however. Across the globe we are still struggling to figure out how to properly protect farm animals in the factory farming industry. The fact is, these animals often live in squalor, are regularly subjected to beatings and cruelty at the hands of handlers, and suffer immeasurable emotional and mental stress during their very short lives. We must continue to move forward globally in advancing animal rights for farm animals the same way we are moving forward in protecting exotic and domestic animals to truly demonstrate a commitment to animal welfare.

Congratulations Australia on recognizing sentience and here's to a more compassionate future!

HAPPY VEG