In this episode we explore Martin's Law, passed by the British Parliament in 1822 and championed by Richard Martin, MP for Galway. Martin's law prohibited cruelty to horses, farm animals, and other cattle. But Richard Martin didn’t stop there.

The episode covers Martin's efforts to enforce the law, including the famous case where he brought an injured donkey to court, and discusses the act's limits—punishing only conduct deemed "wanton or cruel"—and its legacy as a starting point for animal welfare reforms in Britain and beyond.

Animal Rights Tour is written by Sean Butler, hosted by Carly McCann, and fact-checked by Paulina Siemieniec. 

This podcast is produced by the Cambridge Centre for Animal Rights Law, an academic centre of competence dedicated to the study of fundamental rights for non-human animals. Learn more about the Centre at animalrightslaw.org.

This episode traces the earliest animal welfare laws, starting with a 1635 Irish law banning cruel practices like attaching ploughs to horse tails and pulling wool from live sheep, then highlights later English and American measures that criminalised animal cruelty.

It also covers Lord Erskine's 1809 proposal arguing that cruelty harms both animals and human compassion.

Animal Rights Tour is written by Sean Butler, hosted by Carly McCann, and fact-checked by Paulina Siemieniec. 

This podcast is produced by the Cambridge Centre for Animal Rights Law, an academic centre of competence dedicated to the study of fundamental rights for non-human animals. Learn more about the Centre at animalrightslaw.org.

Welcome to the Animal Rights Tour!

What if animals had legal rights? Are animal rights laws possible?

This introductory episode explores how society has changed over time and takes a glimpse into the future to see what animal rights laws could be on the horizon.

Animal Rights Tour is written by Sean Butler, hosted by Carly McCann, and fact-checked by Paulina Siemieniec. 

This podcast is produced by the Cambridge Centre for Animal Rights Law, an academic centre of competence dedicated to the study of fundamental rights for non-human animals. Learn more about the Centre at animalrightslaw.org.