Recognition of animal sentience in law shapes the protection animals receive. Recent legislative progress in the UK, EU, and beyond represents significant advances.
Legal recognition of animal sentience is a prerequisite for meaningful welfare protection. When animals are legally classified as property rather than sentient beings, their interests can be overridden by economic considerations without legal challenge. The UK Animal Sentience Committee's power to scrutinise government policy for animal welfare impacts is a potentially powerful mechanism. The extension of sentience recognition to invertebrates such as cephalopods and crustaceans represents a significant advance consistent with the scientific evidence.