UAlberta Faculty of Law is pleased to announce that Professor Peter Sankoff's book, Animal Law in Australasia: Continuing the Dialogue,was recently launched in Sydney, Australia

Katherine Thompson - 17 July 2013

(l-r) Professor Peter Sankoff, UofA Faculty of Law; Brian Sherman, AM, book launcher and co-founder of Voiceless, animal protection institute; Celeste Black, book co-editor

UAlberta Faculty of Law is pleased to announce that Professor Peter Sankoff's book, Animal Law in Australasia: Continuing the Dialogue,was recently launched in Sydney, Australia

In 2009, in conjunction with Steven White of Griffith Law School, Professor Peter Sankoff produced Animal Law in Australasia: A New Dialogue(Federation Press) the first book ever written in the Southern Hemisphere to focus exclusively on the relationship between human and non-human animals. The book highlighted shortcomings in the existing legal framework and suggested ways in which the law governing human-animal relationships could be improved. It was well-received, with critics calling it "a book to be applauded" (Laura Donellan, Journal of Animal Ethics), "a must for anyone … interested in animal rights and animal welfare" (Susan Briggs, Release Magazine) and even "a book that changed my life" (The Honourable Michael Kirby, former Justice of the Australian High Court).

This past week, a "sequel" to the original, entitled Animal Law in Australasia: Continuing the Dialogue,was launched in Sydney, Australia. Sankoff and White were joined as editors by Celeste Black of the University of Sydney for this edition and produced a book that builds upon the significant developments in animal law that have occurred since 2009 and also addresses emerging areas of concern, with 11 completely new chapters.

Contributions from Australian, New Zealand and international academics and practitioners cover topics ranging from the explanation of basic concepts of animal protection and theoretical underpinnings of animal law to specific matters of interest including:

  • the regulation of companion animals
  • the use of animals in research
  • dog control legislation
  • animals in entertainment
  • the use of codes of welfare
  • the application of welfare standards to fish
  • the impact of WTO regulation on domestic efforts to control cruelty, and
  • Australia's new regulatory regime for live exports.
(l-r) Professor Peter Sankoff, UofA Faculty of Law and Celeste Black, book co-editor


Professor Sankoff was lucky to be in Sydney for the launch, which occurred as part of the Australian Animal Studies Group conference, Life in the Anthropocene. The launch address was given by Brian Sherman, AM, chairperson and co-founder of Voiceless, the animal protection institute,an Australian think-tank and funding agency that works to reform the laws in Australia surrounding factory farming and the kangaroo trade.

Peter Sankoffis a Professor of Law at the University of Alberta, teaching in the areas of criminal law, evidence, and animal law.

Professor Peter Sankoff's full faculty profile and list of publications are available here


To learn more about the book, visit the Federation Press website