Litigating & Legislating for Animal Rights: Right to Rescue & Voluntary Prosecution in Animal Advocacy

​Anchored to Human and Animal Rights Day, this seminar explores the bold frontiers of movement-lawyering in animal rights: the 'right to rescue' and 'voluntary prosecution'. We will examine how these strategies are emerging in real-world litigation and advocacy, the opportunities they present for systemic change, and the legal, philosophical, and practical risks they entail. At the heart of this discussion lies an urgent question: what does it mean, legally and ethically, to rescue a suffering or dying animal from a place of exploitation and cruelty, and what risks do animal activists take when acts of compassion are criminalised? From the prosecution of open rescues to the use of the necessity defence and voluntary prosecution as strategic tools, the seminar invites a critical reflection on how recent case studies and advocacy experiences are shaping the evolving landscape of animal rights law. ​How can the right to rescue and voluntary prosecution reshape accountability frameworks for animal exploitation? And how might these approaches recalibrate our understanding of rights, responsibility, and standing in the animal law field? Featuring Professor Matthew Liebman, Professor Justin Marceau, and animal rights lawyer Wayne Hsiung, this conversation — moderated by Dr Anna Caramuru P. Aubert — will combine legal analysis and reflective dialogue on strategic litigation and advocacy, followed by an open Q&A with the audience. As part of ICARE’s Litigating & Legislating for Animal Rights seminar series — convened bi-monthly to mobilise cutting-edge scholarship and practice at the intersection of litigation, law reform, and animal protection — this virtual event aims to educate, inspire, and connect legal professionals, scholars, and animal advocates worldwide.