7758. Animal Law
2.00 credits
Prerequisites: None.
Grading Basis: Graded
This course provides an introduction to the law regulating human interaction with animals, an area of growing practical and conceptual interest. Specific issues considered include: the definition of "animal" in anti-cruelty statutes; tort liability for injuries caused by and to animals; veterinary malpractice; trusts and estates issues arising from efforts to direct disposition of animals; the problem of standing in animal-related litigation; constitutional protections for animal owners and animal protection groups; the nuances of various federal laws including the Animal Welfare Act and the Endangered Species Act; and legal issues surrounding animal experimentation, recent efforts at animal cloning and other advances in genomic and neuroscience.