2007 Jonathan Newman Memorial Conference: Codes and Commands: Emerging Law and Religious Traditions in the Treatment of Animals

featuring Wayne Pacelle
President and Ceo,
The Humane Society of the United States

View Seminar Brochure and Registration Form
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Friday, May 4, 2007
Jury Assembly Room, Mark O. Hatfield Federal Courthouse
1000 SW Third Avenue
Portland, Oregon
5.5 G MCLE Credits

ABOUT THE PROGRAM

This program examines the intersection of law and religion at a juncture where moral and ethical concerns are brought into sharpest relief—issues about the treatment of animals. The problems that people today hope to solve through legislating or litigating about animal injuries, deaths, bites, escapes, captivity, and personal attachments, are all problems bounded by our status as animals, by our relationships with animals, and by our spiritual beliefs. The goal of this program is to help address a few of those legal problems within the broader perspective of our cultural and religious history.

In addition, attendees may elect to spend their lunch break listening to an up-to-the-minute report by a veterinarian and a lawyer on the fallout from the ongoing pet food contamination scandal. They will address concerns and questions raised by the incident, recent legal actions involving owners, and consequences to pet health conditions across the nation.

SCHEDULE

8:40 - Welcome and Introduction

8:45 - 10:15 - Cultural Treatment: The Use of Animals as Personal Companions
• Historical backdrop to directives or prohibitions about animals as captives or companions
• The ethics of individual, religious, and symbolic uses of animals in the home or in captivity
• Directives or prohibitions about exploiting animals for entertainment purposes
• Religious rituals and observances that demean/respect animals in relation to humans; dealing with animal deaths
• Criminal laws and differential treatment of domestic animals as opposed to others; reflections in the tort law
• Statutory protections regarding the use of animals
• First Amendment concerns about free expression of beliefs re animal use as part of religious tradition; constitutional concerns
- Geordie Duckler, The Animal Law Practice, Portland, Oregon
- Pamela D. Frasch, Vice President, Legal Affairs, Animal Legal Defense Fund, Portland, Oregon
- Enid S. Traisman, Director of Pet Loss Support Services, DoveLewis Animal Hospital, Portland, Oregon

10:15 - 10:30 - Break

10:30 - 12:00 - Commercial Treatment: The Use of Animals in Food and Clothing
• Dietary laws and humane slaughtering methods and industries; world markets
• Idolatry concerns; politically/religiously correct views on farming, raising, and eating animals
• Vegetarianism as a doctrine; religious rules and ethics of wearing animal skins or pelts
• Raising, transport, and slaughter of farmed animals; state and federal humane slaughter acts
• Activism against businesses; emerging legal theories to protect farmed animals; voter initiatives and other avenues for change
• Customary farming practices; farming and agricultural practices protected
- The Rev. Stephen V. Schneider, Rector, Grace Memorial Episcopal Church, Portland Oregon
- Rabbi Joshua Stampfer, Institute for Judaic Studies of the Pacific Northwest, Portland, Oregon
- Julie Ahmed, Teacher, Muslim Educational Trust, Portland, Oregon
- Sharon M. Harmon, Executive Director, Oregon Humane Society, Portland, Oregon

12:00 - 1:30 - Lunch

12:30 Special Lunchtime Presentation: “The Current Pet Food Crisis – The Absolute Latest Information About What Lawyers, Pet Owners, and Consumers Should Know – And Can Do”

1:30 - 3:00 - Scientific and Political Treatment: The Use of Animals in Education
• Balancing the value of human life vs. the value of “other” life; saving and sacrificing animals
• Sacrificing individuals for greater good; “Right to life” concerns involving animals compared to humans; stem cell issues
• Abuse and neglect statutes and exemptions for research
• “Prisoner” vs. “caretaker” models of research on zoo animals; zoo animal regulations
• Applying “informed consent” rules to animals; euthanization and privacy concerns with vets
• Animal “rights” to life or liberty and legal problems created by a rights paradigm
• Justification, choice-of-evils, defense-of-others as defenses to crimes involving animal deaths
- Wayne Pacelle, President and CEO, Humane Society of the United States, Washington, DC
- Geordie Duckler, The Animal Law Practice, Portland, Oregon
- Dr. Jacqueline C. Neilson, Animal Behavior Clinic, Portland, Oregon

3:00 - Adjourn

Tuition

(Tuition includes refreshments, box lunch and course materials, and applies to both live and video replay.)