Ruminations on Twenty-Five Years of Animal Law

In this Article, the author tracks the ‘progress’ of the animal law movement over the past twenty-five years, focusing on the perennial ambiguity in the property status of animals and the kinds of harm to animals the law is, and is not, willing to condone, and the power of the media to shed light on these harms. The author also explains how her own work, concentrating on the question of the ‘value’ of animals, has contributed to the field of animal law. In particular, she highlights her work on the problem of legal valuation of companion animals for damages claims, the struggle to recognize the ‘intrinsic’ value of companion animals in the debate around ‘no kill’ shelters and trap, neuter, release (TNR) programs, and the ‘problem’ of feral cats. Overall, the author concludes that her experience in animal law has been a positive one, reflecting fondly on finding her home among a community of like-minded, passionate individuals who care about sentient beings.