[GA] Passed: Prohibiting Animal Abuse [Complete]

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Eluvatar

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Zemnaya Svoboda
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Category: Moral Decency
Strength: Significant
Proposed by: Losthaven
Onsite forum thread

Description: The Member Nations of the World Assembly:

Recognizing that animals are sentient beings capable of experiencing stress, fear, and pain;

Convinced that there is no just cause for intentionally abusing an animal, and that animals should be cared for in ways that support a healthy life free from suffering;

Resolved that animal abuse is utterly unjustifiable and should be universally condemned and prohibited;

Now, therefore, the General Assembly hereby enacts the following provisions, subject to the rules and laws set by earlier WA resolutions that are still in force:

1. Defines an "animal" for the purposes of this resolution as any non-person species of mammal, bird, reptile, amphibian, or fish.

2. Prohibits the intentional abuse of animals, including:
  • causing an animal serious and debilitating bodily disfigurement;
  • inflicting physical trauma or intense pain on an animal;
  • recklessly abandoning an animal or otherwise placing the animal at grave risk of death, injury, disfigurement or disease;
  • torturing an animal;
  • sexually assaulting an animal; and
  • maliciously or cruelly killing an animal;

3. Clarifies that the following acts do not constitute abuse and are not prohibited by this resolution:
  • acts of veterinary medicine - including the acts of a licensed veterinarian taken in the course of caring for an animal, emergency aid provided to an animal in distress, and any other acts based on sound veterinary science;
  • animal research that is conducted for a legitimate scientific purpose and does not needlessly inflict pain or suffering;
  • butchering, slaughtering, or killing an animal for food or other consumption, so long as the methods used are not cruel and the animal is killed as swiftly and painlessly as possible;
  • acts of pest control, including any reasonable method of dealing with pests that is not unnecessarily cruel,
  • the employment of properly trained animals in potentially dangerous situations or occupations - such as law enforcement animals, guard dogs, war horses, and other service animals - so long as the animal is adequately handled for use in such situations and the intent is to avoid harm to the animal,
  • acts based on the science of animal breeding and appropriate care;

4. Outlaws the use of animals in fighting sports, or any other exhibition where the purpose, theme, or substance of the exhibition endangers the long term health and safety of the animal;

5. Requires that any person who keeps an animal - whether commercially, as a pet, or for any other purpose - must provide that animal with reasonable and appropriate care, including:
  • food of appropriate quantity and quality to keep the animal healthy,
  • access to a sufficient quantity of clean water to satisfy the animal's needs,
  • sufficient space for exercise as necessary for the health of the animal,
  • regular maintenance of the animal's space to keep it reasonably free of debris, waste, and disease, if the animal is kept in an enclosure,
  • shelter, refuge, or other appropriate protective barriers that supply reasonable protection from weather and injury, and
  • adequate personal attention and care necessary to keep the animal free from distress, injury, neglect and disease;

6. Further requires that any person who keeps an animal must, to the best of their means and ability, provide the animal with access to professional veterinary care deemed necessary to relieve the animal from distress, injury, neglect or disease.
Click to expand...
 
Ministry Determination
Written by: Separatist Peoples
Vote Recommendation: AGAINST

Proposals that deal with the curtailing of human rights for the moral benefit of society as a whole are always a mixed bag to deal with. This proposal is no exception. While it is, on the face, a solidly written resolution by a talented author, it has no shortage of significant issues.

Not the least of aforementioned issues is the fact that this resolution, by virtue of the protections promised, assures nonsapient creatures rights that the World Assembly has been unable to extend to sapient citizens. While certain resolutions such as Prevention of Torture prevent undue torment of sapient creatures, there is no law against assault or even murder within the World Assembly, where this proposal would outlaw similar gratuitous killings of animals.

Furthermore, it requires that, in the long laundry list of exceptions, that animals be protected from intentional infliction of intense physical pain, failing entirely to consider those instances of self-defense where a predatory creature attacks a sapient individual. No distinction is drawn between shooting a Tarkalian tiger in the process of mauling somebody and stomping on the ears of a bunny for sick giggles.

While the myriad of technical issues and loopholes can probably fill a small book, it would be much easier to point out the key culprit of the errors: the ill-conceived format. Instead of approaching this issue from the position of finding a universal, or nearly universal, application of the term “abuse”, the author has made a point of creating a list of unacceptable actions, and then further complicated an incomplete list with a series of confusing, subjective exceptions.

Several concerns could be raised over the impacts this will have on cultural practices such as bullfighting, whaling, hawking, or even gladiatorial battles, but the argument regarding the imposition of a subjective moral position upon the sovereignty of national governments is ubiquitous in Moral Decency proposals. It is up to the individual voter to decide the merits of that argument for themselves.

In light of the significant issues and controversies surrounding this proposal, it is the determination of the Ministry that it is in the best interests of The North Pacific and her citizens to vote AGAINST this resolution.
 
Based on the proposal having seen a great number of revisions, written in acceptable english, and not being on a subject I strongly oppose, I have approved the proposal. I would be happy to remove my approval if the region doesn't like it of course.

Given that there is no proposal at vote, this proposal could come to a vote as soon as 11 hours from now, so I also will be taking input on how I should vote if it does.
 
3 minutes ago: The General Assembly resolution Prohibiting Animal Abuse was passed 8,882 votes to 3,618, and implemented in all WA member nations.
 
Voting on this resolution has ended.

Thanks to those nations who cast their votes. Your participation is a great help to the region.

This topic has been locked and sent to the Archives for safekeeping. If you would like this topic to be re-opened for further discussion, please contact the WA Delegate, a Global Moderator, or an Administrator for assistance. Thank you.
 
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