Animal Protection Laws in Serbia: Inefficient Implementation and Suggestions for Improvement (original) (raw)
This chapter deals with the issue of inefficient implementation of animal protection laws in Serbia, which is seen as the main reason for unsatisfactory animal protection. I analyse the Animal Welfare Law and the Criminal Code, identifying main problems that relate to their ineffectiveness. I suggest improvements in the above laws and law enforcement procedures, which include consistent definitions of the key concepts in the national legislation and recognition of animals as sentient beings, including animals in the category of ‘fundamental social values’ in the Criminal Code, amending the Animal Welfare Law to focus on animals’ positive experiences, and establishing Animal Police. I argue that these modifications could lead to more efficient implementation of animal protection laws, and consequently to better protection of animal welfare and a significant improvement of the legal situation of animals in Serbia. Finally, I discuss the possibility of reconceptualising legal protections from animal welfare laws in Serbia and beyond as legal rights, and conclude that the recognition of animals’ legal rights would ensure the protection of their basic interests.
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