Sustainability and Animal Welfare: Legal and Scientific Perspectives

In recent years, animal welfare has gained unprecedented relevance in global public debate. The COVID-19 pandemic has underscored the profound interconnection between human and non-human lives, challenging the entrenched anthropocentric paradigm that regards animals as mere commodities at humans’ disposal. This volume critically examines the socio-economic structures that perpetuate the systemic exploitation and unjustified suffering of animals, while exploring innovative, multidisciplinary approaches to fostering a more harmonious coexistence among species. Constitutionalism and law -cornerstones of societal organization- play a pivotal role in shaping a non-anthropocentric legal framework. Adopting a multi-level and comparative perspective, this work argues for the recognition of animal rights, ensuring that sentient beings are safeguarded from unnecessary suffering. The abolition of animals’ status as mere properties and the establishment of a minimal habeas corpus for non-human beings emerge as key legal instruments to uphold their dignity and well-being—principles that should be universally acknowledged. Some legal systems worldwide have already taken groundbreaking steps in this direction, recognizing that humans and animals form a shared community of destiny, bound by deep interdependence. By granting legal personhood to animals, these jurisdictions have shattered a long-standing taboo that positioned humans as morally superior.