The Protection of Animals in Wartime

doi:10.1017/9781009057301.005

4 - The Protection of Animals in Wartime

Rationale and Challenges

from Part I - The Need for Protecting Animals in Wartime

Published online by Cambridge University Press: 06 October 2022

Heike Krieger and

José Martínez Soria

Edited by

Anne Peters ,

Jérôme de Hemptinne and

Robert Kolb

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Anne Peters: Affiliation:
Max Planck Institute for Comparative Public Law and International Law, Heidelberg
Jérôme de Hemptinne: Affiliation:
Geneva Academy of International Humanitarian Law and Human Rights
Robert Kolb: Affiliation:
Université de Genève

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Summary

An inquiry into the rationale for the protection of animals in wartime confronts a key challenge: tThe progressive philosophical reflection on the improvement of the position of animals in (human) societies is at odds with the human-centred nature of international humanitarian law. Against this background, the chapter critically engages with possible reasons for animal protection in wartime: anthropocentric approaches, speciesism, anthropomorphism and a rights-based approach. It analyses to what extent these paradigms are reflected both in lex lata and in claims de lege ferenda. The chapter also examines to what extent these approaches can be brought in line with the overall objectives of international humanitarian law and reflects upon the challenges that arise from such an alignment. It favours a straightforward reform approach which aims at a specific convention for the protection of animal rights in wartimes.

Keywords

animals in war protection rationale anthropocentrism speciesism anthropomorphism animal rights moral rights legal rights legal change military necessity

Type: Chapter
Information: Animals in the International Law of Armed Conflict , pp. 54 - 70

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/9781009057301.005 [Opens in a new window]

Publisher: Cambridge University Press

Print publication year: 2022

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