School of Animal Welfare and Ethics

ongoing

"The ""SAWE: School of Animal Welfare and Ethics"" project aims to increase interest in these fields of study while emphasizing animal welfare as a dimension of sustainability that is a priority for the EU Commission. Students will be prepared to deal with such issues, and interest in these fields will be promoted, as will their visibility at the national and European levels. Courses and curricula on animal law and welfare are currently lacking in the Italian and EU landscapes. Nonetheless, animal law and welfare issues have the potential to greatly impact the professional (especially legal and veterinary) world, which is paying increased attention to these issues, which also carry economic weight. Meanwhile, animal ethics has emerged as a critical tool in research devoted to the investigation of progressive animal thought. All the theoretical and applied aspects of animal law and ethics are of interest to academics as well as professionals working in the field of animal protection and those who work with animals. Similarly, society is increasingly interested in ethical issues concerning animal welfare and protection, as well as in the rules that aim to guarantee them. It can readily be understood that an enhanced delivery of information on animal law and ethics is required. The project seeks to disseminate animal law and ethics education and information initiatives in a European context where these topics are currently covered by rather isolated training options. Teaching and debating activities will be improved, with the ultimate goal of institutionalizing course offerings, increasing their availability and variety, and broadening their visibility, beginning in Italy and expanding to European universities and the wider EU society, while promoting interest and research in these fields."