Animal Justice

Episode 91 of the Paw & Order episode doubles as our annual holiday special, as well as the bittersweet wrap up of the Paw & Order podcast, after four incredible years. In this episode, hosts Camille, Peter, and Jessica take part in their super fun annual 12 holiday “gifts” giveaway to deserving recipients, & reflect on their time hosting the podcast, including some of their favourite moments.

In Episode 90 of the Paw & Order podcast, hosts Camille Labchuk and Peter Sankoff discuss the groundbreaking Alberta Court of Appeal decision in R v Chen, in which Animal Justice was an intervenor. The appeal involves the appropriate approach to sentencing in criminal animal cruelty cases. The Court held that because animals are sentient beings that experience pain and suffering, crimes against them are crimes of violence and should be treated differently from property offences.

In this episode, Camille and Peter also announce that the Paw & Order podcast is wrapping up at the end of 2021, after four wonderful years. The hosts give a heartfelt thanks to the incredible listeners, and everyone who came together to make the show possible, and reflect on some of the show's big accomplishments.

In episode 89 of the Paw & Order podcast, Jessica Scott-Reid interviews Jane Dalton, a UK journalist who writes about animal issues at the Independent. Jessica and Jane discuss how Jane was able work with a major publication and report on animal welfare, giving animals a much-needed voice in the media.

November 2, 2021 In episode 88 of Paw & Order, hosts Camille Labchuk and Jessica Scott-Reid dive into the concept of legal personhood for animals. Animals are primarily viewed as […]

October 19, 2021 In Episode 87 of the Paw & Order podcast, hosts Camille Labchuk and Jessica Scott-Reid dive into (mostly) good news stories for animals that are making major […]

This episode of the Paw & Order podcast is brought to you LIVE from the 2021 Canadian Animal Law Conference, which was held virtually from October 1-3, 2021! Just like last year's conference, hosts Camille Labchuk, Peter Sankoff, and Jessica Scott-Reid took this special opportunity to come together to host an exciting show.

Episode 85 of the Paw & Order podcast features an interview with lawyer Chris Rudnicki. Chris is representing Animal Justice in an important case about appropriate sentencing principles that apply in animal cruelty cases. The case is R v Chen, involving a man who pleaded guilty to violently beat his dog, in which Animal Justice is an intervenor at the Alberta Court of Appeal.

Episode 84 of the Paw & Order podcast features an interview with Edie Bowles, a solicitor and the co-founder of Advocates for Animals, the UK’s first-ever law firm dedicated to animal protection. Edie is currently representing the non-profit organization The Humane League in a groundbreaking case challenging the use of fast-growing chicken breeds in UK farms.

The group has filed a judicial review over the government’s failure to prevent the use of commercial chicken breeds that are designed to grow unnaturally large and unnaturally fast. These fast-growing chickens experience a multitude of health problems, and their use may be unlawful under the UK’s animal protection legislation. The outcome of this case could have significant implications for how chickens are raised for meat in the UK.

Episode 83 of the Paw & Order podcast features ALL three hosts: Camille Labchuk, Peter Sankoff, and Jessica Scott-Reid—who are back from their summer break! The show deep dives into an interesting dog custody case, Duboff v. Simpson, including some important comments made by the judge that could help influence future pet custody cases. The case involves two Toronto lawyers who fought for custody over a boxer named Layla. Under the law, pets are seen as merely property—making pet custody cases complex and often unpredictable.

In Episode 82 of the Paw & Order podcast, Camille Labchuk interviews Thompson Rivers University Associate Professor of Law Katie Sykes about her new book, Animal Welfare and International Trade Law: The Impact of the WTO Seal Case. Katie discusses the history of the World Trade Organization and its trade agreements in relation to animal welfare, and gives an in-depth analysis of the EU ban on the sale of seal products, and why this ban was an important shift demonstrating that animal welfare issues have their place in trade exemptions that address public morals and changing, progressive attitudes.