Animal Sentience, Science, and Legislation

Professor Joan Schaffner participated in an online discussion about the link between animal welfare legislation and our current scientific knowledge of animal sentience. Along with fellow participant Antoine F. Goetschel, a Swiss animal rights lawyer, Professor Schaffner responded to questions about the current legal landscape and her hopes for the future. "Legislation is the only means by which we as a society may officially enforce our moral codes of conduct when we use animals," she wrote. "Sentient beings feel pain and joy and have intrinsic worth, and thus when we allow their use, we must set standards to protect their interests."