SA 4211 - Companion & Domestic Animal Policy

This course is intended to provide students with an introduction to the development of policy and the implications of changes to policies relating to domestic animal species. We will discuss the influence of current events, public perception and social media, animal rights groups, animal welfare and professional organizations on the development of public policy, industry policy and health policy. We will examine how changes to domestic animal policies impact human and animal health, including access to care and services. Students will liam to identify and analyze aspects of domestic animal policy issues that will have deep impacts on human animal relationships, economic and one health concems. Creating domestic animal policy requires negotiating conflicting, often compelling and emotional points of interest. Domestic animal law comprises federal, statutory and case law that relates to nonhuman animals with special attention to companion, service and production species. The interaction of humans and non-human animals as it is regulated in the United States and the impact of policy decisions on human and non-human domestic and companion animal species will be the focus of this course. Regulatory decisions impact areas of: consumer protection, entertainment and sports, housing, family and women’s issues, compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act and the Fair Housing Act and public health and food security. Through examination and discussion of case law studies and the development of state and federal legislation, students will critically evaluate the consequences and ethical implications of policy decisions around non-human animals. Pre-requisite: Junior Status or Above Required.

3 Credits