#74 Angela Fernandez - Do Animals Have Legal Rights?

What does the law say about animals, and should it say something different? In this episode, I'm joined by Angela Fernandez, Professor of Law and History at the University of Toronto and Director of the Animal Law Program at the Henry N.R. Jackman Faculty of Law. We explore the fascinating and evolving field of animal law, discussing how the legal system currently views nonhuman animals, how that has changed over time, and some of the biggest legal questions facing animals today. Angela explains concepts like legal personhood, the treatment of animals as property, and why these issues have implications not only for animals, but for society as a whole. In this episode, we discuss: • What animal law is and how the field has evolved • Animals as property and the concept of legal personhood • Emerging legal approaches to protecting nonhuman animals • Why animal law matters for both animals and society About Angela Angela Fernandez is a Professor of Law and History at the University of Toronto where she is the Director of the Animal Law Program at the Henry N.R. Jackman Faculty of Law. Her book, a work of legal history about a famous North American property law case involving a hunted fox, was published by Cambridge University Press in 2018. Since 2019, she has been working on a quasi-property/quasi-person understanding of nonhuman animals and environmental entities. Since 2021, she has been supervising the bi-weekly production of the Brooks Animal Law Digest: Canada Edition.   Learn more about Angela at the Animal Law website jackmanlaw.utoronto.ca/animal-law-program and Instagram @uoftanimallaw. As well as the LinkedIn for both Angela and UofT Animal Law Program. Interested in learning more about plant-based nutrition? Registration is now open for my 15-hour Plant-Based Nutrition course through Pacific Rim College! 📅 Wednesdays, 12–3pm PST 📅 September 2nd - October 7th (no class on September 30th) Although it's an elective within the Holistic Nutrition program, it's open to everyone. If you enjoy diving into the science behind plant-based nutrition, this course is designed like a traditional college class with lectures, quizzes, activities, and plenty of opportunities to deepen your understanding. Register by emailing [email protected] or visit Pacific Rim College to learn more. This episode is sponsored by SupplementV SupplementV is an all-in-one supplement designed to help support a well-planned vegan diet by combining nutrients such as vitamin B12, vitamin D3, DHA/EPA omega-3s, iodine, creatine, choline, vitamin K2, zinc, selenium, taurine, and more into one convenient daily supplement. I take SupplementV myself, and love the convenience of having everything I need in one supplement. Visit SupplementV.com and use the code VEGANBOSS to receive 15% off your first order. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, leave a rating and review, and share it with someone interested in animal law, ethics, or protecting animals. ____________________________________________________________________ Work With Me: If you're ready to go plant-based or already are and want to feel more confident about your nutrition, I offer private consultations with personalized, evidence-based guidance. No overwhelm, just clarity. Book your free 15-minute discovery call at synergynutrition.ca ___________________________________________________________________ Vegan Boss Resources: 🛒 Supplements: 100% vegan, carefully curated and 10% off everything, always. Visit my Online Store. Ships across Canada. 👕 Apparel: Wear the message. Shop Vegan Boss Apparel and follow @veganbossapparel on Instagram. 🎧 Enjoying the show? Subscribe, share this episode with someone who needs it, and leave a review, it genuinely helps more people find the podcast. ____________________________________________________________________ About Your Host: Shawna Barker is a nutritionist with a BSc. in Nutrition and has been vegan since 2002. With over 14 years of experience, she brings evidence-based insights to help you build a plant-based life that actually works for you. 📩 DM me anytime on Instagram @vegan_boss