Litigating & Legislating for Animal Rights: Vegan Rights Litigation in Workplaces & Public Institutions

Vegan rights litigation often starts with something very concrete: a person who cannot access food they can eat in a public institution, or who is treated differently at work because they refuse to participate in animal exploitation. But these disputes quickly become movement questions.​In this seminar, we will examine how vegan rights arguments are handled in court and draw lessons for advocates and lawyers from the Danish and Canadian cases about litigation strategy. In Denmark, Rune-Christoffer Dragsdahl (Vegetarian Society of Denmark) will discuss two court cases on the right to vegan food in public institutions: a daycare case won in February 2024, and a hospital case that was lost and is now on appeal, with a High Court hearing scheduled for September 2026. In Canada, Camille Labchuk (Animal Justice) will reflect on Ontario human rights litigation: how ethical veganism was argued as a protected belief, and how procedure can shape whether claims are heard at all. This event forms part of ICARE’s Litigating & Legislating for Animal Rights seminar series, convened bi-monthly to mobilise cutting-edge thinking and strengthen work at the intersection of litigation, law reform, and animal protection.