Animal Rights: Between Idealism and Realism
On 15 January 2026 in Winterthur, the Center for Animal Rights and the Environment (CARE) held its inaugural conference, titled "Animal Rights: Between Idealism and Realism." Renowned speakers shed light on animal rights from a variety of perspectives.
"The protection of animals isn't a new issue," explained Julia Hänni at the beginning of her presentation. Hänni, a judge at the Swiss Federal Supreme Court, explained the philosophical and legal foundations of animal rights in Switzerland. She presented various cases and their rulings in Switzerland, for example, regarding the use of animals for testing. The debate over the regulation of wolf populations and the current controversy surrounding the declaration of plant-based meat substitutes were further examples of the breadth of topics in animal law.
Animal Rights, Animal Suffering, and Global Warming
“Each of these creatures is someone,” said Cass R.Sunstein, Professor at Harvard Law School, during his speech in Winterthur. He argued that animals deserve moral consideration. It's not just about reducing animal suffering, but about giving every animal a good life: "A good life is more than the absence or reduction of suffering." He would like to see a more conscious social and regulatory approach to the issue.
Saskia Stucki concluded the first conference of the Center for Animal Rights and the Environment with her presentation on "Emerging Animal Rights and their Pluralistic Foundations." Prof. Stucki began by explaining that animal rights are currently emerging in legal practice, primarily in the Global South. Referencing specific legal rulings, she also demonstrated how diverse the considerations are that courts cite when recognizing animal rights.
The international conference participants were welcomed by Reto Steiner, Dean of the ZHAW School of Management and Law. "We are proud to have Saskia Stucki with us at the SML as Head of the Center," commented Prof. Steiner. Saskia Stucki was awarded the Latsis Science Prize 2025 for her work in animal law and her outstanding research. With the new Center for Animal Rights and the Environment (CARE), she wants to further advance research in this area.
The Center for Animal Rights and the Environment (CARE) at the ZHAW is a research and teaching center dedicated to animal rights studies. The Center addresses the protection and status of animals in law and society, as well as the manifold interconnections between animal rights, human rights, environmental law, and sustainability. Animal law explores how animals are legally treated, what rights they should have, and how the law may develop in the future. More about CARE.