ANIMAL RIGHTS LAW IN THE UNIVERSITY CURRICULUM
The question of where Animal Right Law fits in the University curriculum of Legal studies has been agitating my mind for a while and I pondered over it, and there from, come up with the following suggestions which I humbly believe will be a guide in this direction.
Animal Rights Law ordinarily should be part of Environmental Law if considered in the light of Conservation and Protection of Flora and Fauna as components of Environment, and, part of Energy and Natural Resources Law being part of forest/land and water resources. However, the concept of right conferred on animal takes it beyond the scope or purview of the said laws particularly when these rights are variously catered for in both the Federal and State statute books and in specific laws of Tort, Trust, Crime are even the Constitution.
The other consideration is in the light or juxtaposition with Human Rights Law. In other words, it may be considered as a distinct course which consideration I subscribe to because of the enormosity of the topics that may be taught under it.
The topics which are derivable from the aforesaid laws include but not limited to Rights in charitable trust, civil and criminal liability of cattle trespass, negligence, rights of the endangered species, rights of laboratory, domestic and wild animals, right to habitat/forestry law, rights in captivity, legal history of Animal Rights, Juristic thoughts on Animal Rights in Nigeria and host of others which the Nigerian Legal order is replete with.
Despite the forgoing, we should not loose the sight of the fact that Declaration of Animal Rights by UNESCO is yet to be part of our Municipal. Law notwithstanding the membership of Nigeria in the United Nations Organisation. The short cut to this is that Animal Rights Law can be accommodated in the University curriculum under International Law of Animal Rights just as International Human Rights Law where all the topics aforementioned will be treated alongside the scope, extent, purport of the Rights contained in the UNESCO Declaration on the Rights of Animal.
It is my respectful opinion that you will find the foregoing suggestions useful in the consideration of this clamour for the inclusion of Animal Rights in the University curriculum as being championed in other Universities of Science and Agriculture. On my part, I assure you of my total support and free services if the need arises.
SIKIRU OLANREWAJU ADEWOYE
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