Property Status and the Limited Impact of Welfare Legislation for Farm Animals

This article examines the extent to which the categorization of animals as property impacts the legal protection of farm animals. As will be demonstrated, the welfare provisions currently in place fail to address the main sources of animal suffering, often serving to entrench established practices, limited as they are by property status, and as such, by economic imperatives. Illustrative examples will be drawn primarily from the English legal system and the parameters established by the Animal Welfare Act 2006, with parallels to the United States and New Zealand drawn in comparative analysis. The aim is to highlight recurring issues concerning customary husbandry practices and the economic motivations that stem from property status, which may serve to expedite or impede effective legislative protection across these jurisdictions.