In the United States, some laws categorize both chickens and rabbits as poultry for slaughter inspection purposes. At the federal level, the United States Department of Agriculture regulates chicken slaughter under the Poultry Products Inspection Act (PPIA), but rabbit inspection falls under neither the PPIA nor the Federal Meat Inspection Act (FMIA). Instead, inspection of rabbit slaughter is voluntary under the Agricultural Marketing Act. Furthermore, the Humane Methods of Slaughter Act applies to cows, sheep, pigs, and other livestock, but poultry and rabbits are not considered livestock and, therefore, have even more limited protection at the time of slaughter. Chickens and rabbits are not covered under the 28-Hour Law, which regulates the transportation of animals to slaughterhouses. Rabbits and chickens are sentient beings. Chickens have been found to show empathy towards other chickens, can recognize up to 100 faces, including humans, birds, and others, and chickens dream just like our dogs and cats do. Rabbits are used not only for food production, but also for biomedical experimentation. However, domesticated rabbits bond with their friends, recognize and have relationships with their human caretakers, and have distinct personalities.
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The Animal Law Commission Working Group
The human use and treatment of animals are implicated in almost every critical issue facing the world today. The mission of the Animal Law Commission Working Group is to raise awareness of global animal protection issues, advance animal law internationally, and foster collaboration among diverse lawyers and advocates across the globe to support the legislation and policies needed to meet the many challenges faced by the planet. We comprise a group of experienced lawyers, academics, and advocates from a variety of disciplines who understand how animals fit into the global legal landscape, the obligation to treat them humanely, and their relevance to our future.
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