Most Canadian law schools now offer an animal law course, although it may not be available every year—sometimes animal law is offered in alternate years. Here’s a list of schools with an animal law course. For more information, we suggest contacting the institution.
University of Victoria Faculty of Law
Professor Maneesha Deckha teaches Animals, Culture and the Law. The school is also home to the Animals & Society Research Initiative, a research forum and working group founded by Professor Deckha that offers talks, workshops, and film screenings that touch on animal law.
University of British Columbia, Peter A. Allard School of Law
Animals and the Law is regularly taught by practitioners Victoria Shroff and Amber Prince.
Thompson Rivers University Faculty of Law
Professor Katie Sykes teaches Animals and the Law. The Thompson Rivers University Journal of Comparative and Contemporary Law also recently published Canada’s first-ever entire journal issue devoted to animal law.
University of Alberta Faculty of Law
University of Alberta is an animal law hotspot. Professor Peter Sankoff teaches Animal Law, while professor Jessica Eisen writes and publishes extensively on animal law topics. Professor Cameron Jefferies also writes about and teaches marine mammal protection and wildlife conservation.
Robson Hall, Faculty of Law at the University of Manitoba
Professor Mary Shariff teaches Animals and the Law.
Bora Laskin Faculty of Law at Lakehead University
Professor Daniel Dylan teaches Animal Law.
University of Windsor Faculty of Law
The University of Windsor has offered an animal law course in past years, but it is not currently available in the 2023-24 academic year.
University of Toronto Faculty of Law
Introduction to Animals and the Law is taught by professor Angela Fernandez. Professor Fernandez also runs an animal law-focused working group that meets regularly throughout the academic year.
Osgoode Hall Law School
Professor Andrée Boiselle is teaching Animals in the Law in the 2023-24 academic year. In years in which the course has not been offered, Osgoode has allowed students to enroll in the University of Toronto course for credit.
Queen’s Faculty of Law
Professor Will Kymlicka teaches Animals, Politics and the Law. Professor Kymlicka and Sue Donaldson also convene Animals in Philosophy, Politics, Law, and Ethics (APPLE)—an interdisciplinary group focused on the ethical, legal, and political dimensions of human-animal relationships.
University of Ottawa Faculty of Law
Professor Daphne Gilbert teaches a course on Animals and the Law through the common law program. The school also offers a seminar animal law course through its civil law program.
McGill University Faculty of Law
McGill’s Animal Law course is being taught in the 2023-24 academic year by professor Daphnée Menard. In previous years it has been co-taught by Alanna Devine and Sophie Gaillard, both lawyers with extensive experience in animal law and advocacy.
Université de Sherbrooke
The Université de Sherbrooke is offering Animal Law in 2023-24, taught by professor Stéphanie Roy.
Université de Montreal Faculté de droit
The French-language law school offers a course entitled Éthique et droit de l’animal.
University of New Brunswick Faculty of Law
The school has offered a course called Animals, Values and Laws, but it is not currently available in the 2023-24 academic year.
Schulich School of Law at Dalhousie University
Professor Jodi Lazare regularly teaches Animals and the Law.
Western University Faculty of Law
Animal lawyer Jennifer Friedman taught an intensive Animal Law and Advocacy course during the 2023-24 academic year.
