Newsletter
LEGISLATION AND POLICY
Working for the animals
The South African government is going through a process of reviewing legislation that was passed during the Apartheid era. Consequently the Animals Protection Act 71 of 1962 and the Performing Animals Act will be coming up for review in 2009 or early 2010. Animal Rights Africa in conjunction with top South African law firm Bowman Gilfillan, and a number of other specialist attorneys, has undertaken the task of coordinating and facilitating a review process of the current legislation affecting animals in South Africa. This will include a drafting of more thorough and comprehensive animal welfare and protection legislation. The outcome will be a document that is reflective of animal NGO stakeholder input and will be used to lobby government.
In order to draft new proposed legislation which would best serve the interests of the animals in our country, the strengths and weaknesses of current legislation that affects animals needs to be investigated; this includes existing legislation and other relevant policies and regulations. The most thorough and effective outcome requires input from as many animal NGOs and charities working with and for domestic, wild and farmed animals in South Africa. Input and cooperation between all animal rights and animal welfare groups is essential so that this process can lead to a positive outcome for animals across South Africa.
There are three phases to this process:
- A questionnaire to stakeholder organizations. All information gathered through the questionnaire process will feed directly into the draft process.
- A stakeholder workshop which will be held at the Chalsty Conference Centre at the Law School at the University of the Witwatersrand on 13 August 2009.
- Drafting of the proposed new legislation.
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