Studying animal law

Course at Ca’ Foscari University of Venice, run in partnership with Animal Law Italia and coordinated by Sara De Vido, associate professor of international law in the Department of Economics.

Harvard Law School programme devoted to analysing and improving the treatment of animals through the legal system. For students it offers animal law courses (including Animal Law, Wildlife Law and Farmed Animal Law & Policy), the Animal Law & Policy Clinic, active since 2019, which represents animal protection organisations in litigation, regulatory proceedings and policy initiatives, as well as placements, research positions and an annual writing prize. It holds Animal Law Week every year.

Elective course in the LLB degree of the Faculty of Law of the University of Hong Kong, taught by Amanda Whitfort. It examines the law relating to nonhuman animals: moral and ethical theories on animal interests and rights, and a critical analysis of the welfarist model in legislation and case law, with particular attention to the Asian context and international developments. In the 2026-2027 academic year it runs in the first semester (1 September – 30 November 2026), with a weekly three-hour seminar on Wednesday mornings; it is worth 6 credits and assessment is based on a class presentation (30%) and a research paper (70%). It is not open to students of other degree programmes.

Certificate in animal law for JD students at the University of San Francisco, offered since autumn 2025. It requires at least 9 units of approved courses, including two required ones (Animal Law and Animals & Justice Seminar), an animal law externship with a public interest organisation, law firm or public body, and a research paper on an animal law topic. Students apply during the second-to-last semester of the JD.

The world’s first postgraduate degree in animal law, for US and international law graduates (no LSAT or GRE required). The on-campus programme requires 26 credits, at least 18 of them in the animal law curriculum, and is completed in two semesters; the asynchronous online version requires 26 or 27 credits and lets students graduate in three or four terms. Admission to the on-campus programme (autumn 2027 only): 1 April 2027 deadline for international applicants and for priority consideration for full scholarships; 1 June 2027 regular deadline for US applicants. The online programme also admits students in spring (the window for January 2027 closed on 2 November 2026). Tuition 2026/27: $2,359 per credit, plus a $42.50 registration fee per term for the online programme. Full and partial scholarships are available, awarded automatically to those who apply by the deadline.

LLM in Animal Law of the Animal Law and Policy Institute, available on campus, online or in hybrid form. It requires 30 credits: three required courses (LLM Graduate Seminar, Administrative Law, Animals and the Law), at least six credits of animal law courses and a project (thesis, research, externship, teaching practicum or the Farmed Animal Advocacy Clinic, the only legal clinic on farmed animals in the country). Full-time students usually finish in 12 months, with a maximum of five years. For the on-campus programme starting in autumn 2027 the deadlines are 15 November 2026 (early decision) and 15 April 2027 (regular decision, then assessment as places allow). The online programme admits students on a rolling basis in six windows a year. Tuition: $1,508 per credit, plus the fees charged for online study.

The first Master of Studies in animal law in the United States, designed for non-lawyers: professionals in advocacy, public policy, veterinary medicine and related fields. Requirement: a bachelor’s degree; no LSAT or GRE required. The first term includes Introduction to US Legal Studies and Animal Law Fundamentals. The on-campus programme requires 26 credits and admits students in autumn only; the deadlines for autumn 2027 have not yet been published (November 2026), while those of the last cycle were 1 April and 1 June. The asynchronous online version requires 27 credits and also admits students in spring (the window for January 2027 closed on 2 November 2026). Tuition: $2,359 per credit (online, 2026/27), plus a $42.50 registration fee per term. Full and partial scholarships are available.

The animal law programme of the University of Toronto Faculty of Law, home to one of the first animal law courses in Canada. For JD students it offers the course Animals and the Law (LAW253H1F) taught by Angela Fernandez, with an optional one-credit practicum with the lawyers of AEL Advocacy, and an animal law seminar. It also includes academic writing opportunities, fellowships, volunteer projects with Pro Bono Students Canada, the Animal Law Digest Canada and the Working Group on Animals in the Law and Humanities.

GW Law’s animal law programme: a foundation course (Animal Law Foundations) and courses on crimes against animals, legislation, seminars and reading groups, plus the Access to Justice Clinic – Animal Law Division (2 credits), which works on legislation and policy with the Council of the District of Columbia. It includes the Animal Legal Education Initiative, field placements with animal protection organisations, the Animal Welfare Project, scholarships and a student chapter of the Animal Legal Defense Fund. Its Washington location puts it close to federal agencies and legislative work.

The only animal law programme in the Rocky Mountain region, formally launched in 2021. JD students can earn the Certificate in Animal Law; the programme also offers the Animals Forward Executive Certificate. It covers the legal issues raised by the use of animals in food, entertainment, research and fashion, with practical experience in the Environmental Law Clinic. Each year two $4,000 Summer Fellowships support animal law students working in public interest positions over the summer.

The world’s first and only doctorate in animal law (SJD), for scholars pursuing advanced research in animal law and policy. Note (November 2026): the official programme page says that no new applications are being accepted at the moment.

Dual-credit online course organised by the Society for the Advancement of Animal and Environmental Welfare (SAAEW) of National Law University Odisha. It examines the development, foundations and enforcement of animal protection laws, with particular attention to India’s Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act 1960 and comparative perspectives from Sri Lanka, Pakistan and other countries of the Global South. It is designed as an advanced level for those who have taken the “Foundation of Animal Law” course, but is open to all interested students. The last edition ran from 12 to 31 January 2026, with evening classes (18:30–20:30 IST); a new edition has not yet been announced.

Interdisciplinary master’s degree studying nonhuman animals and human-animal relations through the humanities, social sciences and natural sciences. It includes three required courses (Animals, Culture, and Society; Animals, Philosophy, and Science; Capstone), five electives and a final project (research paper, policy proposal or artistic project). Classes are held on campus, mostly in the evening; there are no online courses. Applications are assessed on a rolling basis: those received by 15 February are guaranteed full consideration for autumn admission; later ones are considered while places remain. For autumn 2026 GSAS offered a Dean’s Fellowship covering 100% of tuition and fees. Graduate School of Arts and Science tuition 2026/27: $2,426 per credit, plus registration and services fees.

Optional level-4 undergraduate module worth 25 credits (12.5 ECTS) at the University of Aberdeen School of Law, coordinated by Michael J. Radford, one of the leading animal welfare law scholars in the UK. It examines the legal regulation of the treatment of animals in Great Britain: the legal and moral status of animals, the legal and policy framework (including the impact of the WTO, EU law and Brexit), the legal concept of unnecessary suffering and the scientific notion of animal welfare. Assessment: poster presentation (20%) and exam (80%). Places are limited; the module is open only to students enrolled at the university (part of the curriculum, not a single course).

One-year MSc of the School of Biodiversity, One Health and Veterinary Medicine covering animal welfare science, ethics, legislation on the use of animals, conservation biology, epidemiology and quantitative methods. It includes field research at Cochno Farm, the Loch Lomond field station or the Isle of Cumbrae. For the September 2027 intake the deadline for UK applicants is 24 August 2027; international and EU applicants apply in six successive rounds, the last of which closes on 8 July 2027. The fees shown are for 2027-28.

Third-year course (6 units) of the School of Animal and Veterinary Sciences at Adelaide University, coordinated by Alexandra Whittaker. It covers the ethics and jurisprudence of how humans regard and treat animals, the history and current status of animals as property, and the Australian legislation and case law that concern them, with visits to animal-using enterprises to assess how the rules are applied in practice. In 2027 it runs in intensive form during the winter period, from 28 June to 9 July, at the Roseworthy campus, with 30 places and priority for students of the B.Sc. in Animal Science. It is a university-wide elective that can also be taken as a single course and by exchange students; assessment includes tests, an argumentative essay, a case study and an exam. The cost depends on the student’s status.

The twelfth Annual Summer School of the Oxford Centre for Animal Ethics, taking place from 2 to 5 August 2027 at Merton College, University of Oxford. The theme is the ethics of using animals in sport and entertainment: hunting, fighting, racing, bullfighting, circuses, rodeos, angling and animals in film. It is open to academics from every discipline (lawyers included) and to animal protection professionals. Paper proposals (abstracts of up to 150 words) must be sent to the Director, Dr Clair Linzey, by 15 February 2027. The fee and the opening of registration for the 2027 edition have not yet been published.

Live online course of the International Centre for Animal Rights and Ethics (ICARE) in eight modules, combining theory with practical advocacy skills: philosophy of animal rights, transnational developments, legal theory and the legal subjecthood of animals, comparative case law, enforcement, political representation of animals, and animal rights as a social justice movement. It includes an online moot court on the rights of aquatic animals and oral research presentations assessed by a panel. The workload is about 7 hours a week (about 80 hours in total), with Saturday classes on Zoom and materials on Google Classroom. Registration for the 2nd edition is closed and the dates of the next one have not yet been set; you can join a waiting list. In the meantime the modules are available free of charge in the on-demand version.

Free recorded version of the CIARL course of the International Centre for Animal Rights and Ethics (ICARE): eight modules taught by scholars and practitioners on legal, philosophical, comparative and political approaches to animal rights. Each module includes one or two hours of recorded lectures in English, assigned readings, a short quiz and an optional self-assessed practical exercise, on Google Classroom. There are no live classes: the full course, with quizzes and a final test, takes about 50 hours of study. You enrol through the application form on the course page.

Scientific committee: Prof. G.A. Parini (Director), Prof. A. Cordiano, Prof. S. De Vido, Prof. S. Patuzzo Manzati Organising office: Dr G. Castellani (giulia.castellani@univr.it)
For: self-employed professionals; staff of non-profit organisations; graduates in law, medicine, veterinary science or the humanities; secondary-school graduates.
Aims: the course gives participants knowledge and a critical approach to the topics covered, which are highly relevant, not least because of the recent reform of the Italian Constitution. Although Italian law does not recognise animals as legal subjects, they are undoubtedly sentient beings whose welfare deserves protection. The central question is therefore where that protection ends and how it is balanced against the interests of human beings.
Final assessment: the course credits (6 CFU) and the final certificate are awarded to those who attend 70% of the lessons and pass the final test.
The Verona Bar Association grants 10 multidisciplinary training credits to those who attend 80% of the lessons.
Veterinarians can add the course to their training portfolio, as accepted by the Verona Order of Veterinarians.

A 90-hour online diplomado of the Departamento de Derecho Civil of the Universidad Externado de Colombia (Bogotá) on the legal regulation of animals in Colombia, covering legislation and national and international case law. Six modules: foundations, animals between property and legal personhood, companion animals, civil and criminal liability, institutions, public policy and strategic litigation, and new challenges and debates. It is aimed at lawyers, judges, public officials, civil society organisations, veterinarians, biologists, environmental and social science professionals and students; no specialist legal knowledge is needed. The current edition runs from 5 October to 2 December 2026 (registration closed on 28 September); discounts are available for early payment, for students and alumni of the university and for public employees.

Diplôme d’Université of Université Toulouse Capitole, in partnership with the École Nationale Vétérinaire de Toulouse (ENVT), led by Romy Sutra. The 130-hour programme over four months combines ethics, ethology and animal welfare with the legal status of animals in criminal, civil and administrative law, taking a category-based approach (wildlife, farmed animals, animals used in research, animals used in entertainment), with meetings with practitioners and visits to partner facilities. The course is hybrid: about 80% of classes require attendance in Toulouse, the rest are remote. It is open to holders of a bac+2, veterinary students and professionals in law or the animal sector. For the 2027 edition (March–June) applications are open from 16 November 2026 to 1 February 2027.

Diplôme d’Université of Université Côte d’Azur (Nice) devoted to animal law, led by Marie-Cécile Lasserre. The 68-hour programme covers the legal status of animals, environmental law, animal ethics, veterinary law, public, civil and criminal law, and careers in animal law. Classes run from February to May, on campus or remotely, three evenings every two weeks (5 pm to 8 pm); attendance is compulsory and exams are held in person. It is open to holders of a bac+2, veterinary students and professionals in the field (lawyers, judges, law enforcement, veterinarians, public officials); 20 places. Applications on eCandidat from 2 November 2026 to 31 January 2027.

Diplôme d’Université of the University of Toulon, taught entirely remotely, led by Caroline Regad and Cédric Riot. The 78-hour programme, on Saturdays, covers the status of animals, civil and criminal law (theory and litigation), international and European law, comparative constitutional law, rural law, the history and anthropology of animal law, and the law of living beings. It is aimed at public officials, lawyers, judges, veterinarians, associations, journalists, researchers and students holding at least a bac+2 (or with five years’ experience in an animal-related organisation); maximum 25 participants. Applications on eCandidat from 4 January to 5 February 2027; final oral exam, held remotely, on 20 November 2027.

The course “Diritto degli esseri animali” (Law of Animal Beings, 9 CFU), taught by Prof. Margherita Pittalis, is given in the second semester of the single-cycle master’s degree in Law at the University of Bologna – Alma Mater Studiorum, Bologna campus.

The course offers a coherent and critical overview of the main legal questions in land-use planning and environmental protection, giving students the conceptual and legal tools to understand how the field is developing and what it means in practice. A 9-CFU (72-hour) elective in the second semester of the master’s degree in Economics, Institutions and Sustainability, taught by Giacomo Vivoli.

Executive multidisciplinary advanced course in law and animal welfare (animal law), taught by university lecturers, lawyers and experts. Open to graduates in any subject (25 places). Coordinator: Diana Valentina Cerini.

Advanced course (120 hours, 18 CFU) on EU and Italian veterinary legislation, the civil, criminal and administrative liability of veterinarians, animal welfare, forensic veterinary medicine and the ‘One Health’ concept. Open only to graduates in Veterinary Medicine (LM-42); coordinator Giancarlo Ruffo, ECM-accredited. The 2026/27 edition runs from 22 January to 2 July 2027; the call for admission, with its deadlines, has not yet been published.

A Diplôme d’Université devoted entirely to animal law, run by the Faculty of Law and Economics of the University of Limoges at its Brive-la-Gaillarde campus, now in its fifteenth edition. The course runs for 54 hours over 9 days in the first two weeks of September, with a possible extra session in January. It is open to law students (from the second year), lawyers and veterinarians; members of associations may be admitted at the discretion of the teaching committee. Course leaders: Séverine Nadaud and Émilie Chevalier. Applications are made through the E-Candidat platform; as of November 2026 the course page still shows the 2025 timetable and the dates of the next edition have not been published.

Postgraduate certificate in animal protection policy for early- and mid-career professionals and for JD students of VLGS or other law schools. It requires 9 credits: the required course Animal Protection Policy (3 credits) and at least 6 elective credits from courses such as Animals and the Law, International Animal Law, Wildlife Law and Policy, Animal Ethics and Science of Animal Law and Policy. It can be taken online, on campus or in hybrid form. With the directors’ approval, the credits can count towards VLGS’s MCEP, EMEP or MPP master’s degrees. Tuition: $650 per credit; online programmes admit students on a rolling basis, with six start dates a year.

Course taught by Prof. Gianfranco Mormino in the first semester of the Philosophy programme. It can also be taken as a single course.

Online postgraduate programme of the Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies covering animal welfare science, behaviour, welfare assessment, ethics, policy and legislation, with an international perspective on farm, companion and captive wild animals. For the September 2027 intake (starting 13 September) the application deadline is 20 August 2027; there is no application fee. The PgProfDev also admits students in January and April.

Workshop for law lecturers taught by Dr Sean Butler and Dr Raffael Fasel (University of Cambridge). Participants receive all the materials of the University of Cambridge Animal Rights Law course and discuss how to build a syllabus, which readings to include and how to engage students beyond classroom participation. 2026 edition in Cambridge (UK). Applications (CV and cover letter, max 500 words, to eva@animalrightslaw.org) are assessed on a rolling basis, with no fixed deadline. The £350 fee covers materials, lunches and two dinners; travel and accommodation are not included. The dates of the 2027 workshops have not yet been published.

A 6-CFU course (56 hours: 40 of lectures and 16 of practical sessions, SSD VET/08) taught by Prof. Giancarlo Ruffo in the first semester of the L-38 degree in Companion Animal Breeding and Welfare at the University of Milan. The programme is legal in focus: sources of law, the sale of animals, owner liability, offences against animals, Regulation (EU) 2016/429, animal transport and veterinary medicines. For the 2026/27 academic year the course page states that it can be taken as a single course.

Two-year Master of Arts in Animal Protection Laws, run by the Directorate of Distance Education of NALSAR University of Law, Hyderabad, in blended mode: distance learning with contact sessions (Personal Contact Programmes) held partly online and partly in person, and exams in person in Hyderabad. The curriculum is mainly legal: constitutional law, anti-cruelty legislation, wildlife laws, criminal and civil law and the legal personhood of animals, alongside animal ethics and “Animals and Society”, with a final dissertation. Any degree gives access; after the first year students may exit with the Advanced Diploma in Animal Protection Laws. Admissions open each year between February and June; there is a 5% discount for the SC/ST/PWD categories.

One-year, on-campus master’s degree on human-animal relationships and their implications for public policy, advocacy and community action, with a One Health approach. It is linked to the Tufts Center for Animals and Public Policy. Students choose between a research track (a capstone project with a faculty member) and an applied track (a three-month summer externship with policy organisations). Applications are due by 1 February or 1 April; after 1 May, if places remain, they are assessed on a rolling basis. The $70 application fee is waived for applications submitted by 1 February. Estimated tuition 2026/27: $55,588.

A 40-credit Master of Public Policy with an Animal Protection Policy Track. It comprises eight required courses (22 credits) on policy design, research, legislation and regulation, lobbying and advocacy, 12 credits of track courses and practical experience, and a 6-credit capstone. It can be taken entirely online or in hybrid form, with the summer session on campus in Vermont; it normally takes 18–24 months. Requirement: a bachelor’s degree. The online programme admits students on a rolling basis, with six start dates a year. Tuition: $1,508 per credit, plus the fees charged for online study.

Online postgraduate degree (MSc, Postgraduate Diploma or Postgraduate Certificate) devoted to the challenges of animal welfare in the UK legal system. Modules include Advanced Principles of Animal Welfare, The UK Legal System for Biologists, Regulating Agriculture and Food Production, Captive Exotics and Wildlife Policy and Law, Companion and Working Animal Regulations and Controls on the Use of Animals in Science, plus a research dissertation for the MSc. Students receive free student membership of the UK Centre for Animal Law (A-Law).

Summer school of the University of Milan on animal welfare, ethics and animal law, taking an interdisciplinary approach that includes ethical review processes. The official language is English; participants can speak Italian with the native-speaker staff. The 2026 edition was held in Milan from 18 to 22 May. Participation is free; travel, accommodation and meals are at the participants’ expense. Applications require a CV and a cover letter (one page each at most).

An intensive five-day programme giving a thorough introduction to animal law as a legal discipline: theories of animal rights, legal personhood and the representation of animals in court, with a moot court exercise before a panel of practitioners. The 2026 edition ran from 17 to 21 August; the dates of the 2027 edition have not yet been published (applications are closed).