10 Police Recommendations for Animal Protection
On World Animal Day 4 Oct 2024, a unique event was organized by World Animal Justice led by the animal lawyer Dr Sabine Brels and the French association Les 4 Pattounes, led by police captain Céline Gardel. This event (replay here), brought together police officers from five countries (France, USA, UK, Belgium, Switzerland), deeply committed to animal protection. Together, they made key proposals to advance animal protection and better enforce anti-cruelty laws, here released with these unprecedented 10 Police Recommendations for Animal Protection.
- Céline Gardel, Police Captain and Founder of the association Les 4 Pattounes in France, pioneered alternative sentencing workshops and numerous training programs for police and officials to better prevent, detect, and combat animal abuse.
- Training police officers to strengthen animal law enforcement, collaborating with judges and elected officials, raising awareness among young people, are essential actions to better protect animals.
- Siobhan Chase, Sergeant in the Fairfax Police Department’s Animal Division in the USA. See the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) and its 2022 Resolution to combat violence and protect animal welfare.
- Collaboration between all actors responsible for the criminal response is essential to respond more effectively to animal cruelty offenses and improve not only animal welfare, but also safety and security for all.
- Mark Randell, Senior Investigator and Campaign Manager at NatureWatch Foundation in the UK. See the 9-Point Plan to prevent abuse to animals and people.
- Better protecting animals leads to better protecting humans.
- Julien Neirynck, Border Guard and specialist in security solutions in Switzerland, formerly a customs officer, now specializes in intelligence and combatting document fraud.
- At customs, animals have the legal status of “goods”. Profit is the lifeblood of animal trafficking. As long as the demand remains for new animals, the networks will continue to exist, especially with new means of telecommunications such as social networks.
- Julien Lacave, Police Officer in Brussels, founder of the Belgian Animal Law Enforcement Network (BALEN) in Belgium.
- Given the countless human-animal interactions, their obvious impact on public order and the undeniable links between human and animal conditions, dissociating human respect from respect for animals seems illogical. Protecting society means protecting it as a whole.
10 Police Recommendations for Animal Protection
