Mission Statement

The International Research Group in Animal Law (GRIDA) was established in January 2007 as a research unit within the Department of Juridical Sciences at the University of Quebec at Montréal (UQAM). Founded by professor Martine Lachance, GRIDA’s mission is to create research opportunities in animal law. Although virtually ignored among Canadian researchers, this is a field of great interest in other countries, including the United States.

GRIDA’s goal is to define a modern, legal approach to issues of animal security and welfare that combines its purpose and the appropriate juridical instruments To that end, it is crucial to begin by emphasizing how important it is for human beings to cultivate their moral imagination in order to consider animal species with goodwill and equity. In our society, where animals are primarily deemed objects of consumption, the development of a policy for their protection, as well as its integration into the collective social perspective, has become a necessity.

Our objectives

GRIDA’s objectives are:

to advance the interests of animals through the legal systems of Canada and Quebec
to promote and facilitate reflection and discussion regarding the legal status and welfare of animals;
to encourage, raise, sustain, and disseminate research exchanges and initiatives, in various related fields that engage one or more scientific disciplines dealing with the legal status and welfare of animals; and
to develop the field of animal law in Canada and Quebec.