CAI objects

CAI Objects

Counsel for Animals International comprises lawyers from around the world and is established:

to promote the welfare of animals universally and to foster legal and other advocacy in their support, and to this end, to serve as an international voice on behalf of members of the legal profession for the development and enforcement of proper animal protection laws and welfare ;
to enable litigants in public interest litigation or prosecutions about animal welfare to be represented on a pro bono or reduced fee basis in whichever country or jurisdiction they may be located, and to encourage and facilitate more adequate enforcement of local animal protection laws;
to challenge publicly or otherwise animal welfare deficiencies in the practices or laws of any country or international body, or in practices or laws which may be international in character;
for this purpose, to formulate and prosecute proposals for law reform (including where appropriate the drafting of specific legislation for the assistance of lawmakers);
for this purpose, to facilitate legal advice and representation in any legal suit undertaken or proposed by any person, body or government in any legal forum, whether local or international;
to further universal animal welfare objects by liaison with international bodies, including the European Union or the OIE;
to develop a recognition of animal welfare within the United Nations, including with the eventual object of an international treaty and protocol aimed at achieving proper animal protection globally (of a kind and extent akin to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights) ;
to pursue the development of an international treaty or treaties creating protections for the lives and interests of animals;
to encourage and foster where required legal representation or advocacy of law reform within a nation state of a kind which can improve animal welfare;
to promote the adoption by law schools of ‘Animal Law’ as a subject; the creation of law society or bar committees or sections which focus on animal law; continuing legal educational programs in animal law for members of the legal profession or others; and educational opportunities about animal law and welfare in countries where such opportunities are insufficient or do not exist, including at an advanced level;
to sponsor international or national conferences, workshops and seminars on animal law and welfare issues, and publish scholarly articles and books on animal law and welfare issues at the international or a national level;
to encourage the participation by other legal professionals, law students, or persons with non-legal skills in our programs, cases and general work, especially by membership of the Secretariat;
to liaise and collaborate with other organisations or individuals where such liaison or collaboration may stand to benefit animal welfare, including international bodies; and
to do all other things which may be incidental or ancillary to the attainment of these objects.