Press Release: Transatlantic partnership boosts Oxford Summer School on Animal

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EthicsThe Oxford Centre for Animal Ethics and the Animal Law Program at The George Washington University Law School (GW) are delighted to announce their Animal Ethics and Law Partnership.
 
The partnership aims to spotlight the impressive work being done at GW and the Oxford Centre for Animal Ethics. The first stage of the partnership is GW sending five of its faculty and graduate students to present at the tenth Annual Oxford Animal Ethics Summer School held at Merton College, Oxford, in August 2025.
 
The topic of this year’s Summer School is the Ethics of Captivity with a special focus on the ethics of aquaculture. The Centre is delighted to be showcasing GW’s expertise in this field. Assistant Dean of the Animal Law Program, Professor Kathy Hessler, will be talking on “Aquaculture Hatcheries: The Need to Protect Animals throughout the System” shedding light on a relatively little considered area of research.
 
Dr Lori Marino, a neuroscientist and co-director of the Animal Law and Science Project at GW, will be speaking on “Law, Science and Ethics: The Three Pillars of Protection for Captive Cetaceans.” Amy Wilson, a member of GW’s Aquatic Animal Law Project and co-founder of World Aquatic Animal Day (with Dean Hessler) will also address aquaculture by presenting on “Factory Fins: Cruelty and Harm beneath the Surface.”
 
The partnership also highlights the work of GW law students. Hana Nabulsi will explore “How Captive Animals are Vulnerable to Zoonotic Disease,” and Emma DiGiovanni will focus on “Legal Protections for Plant-Based Foods as a Strategy to Reduce Farmed-Animal Captivity.”
 
Summer School Director, Dr Clair Linzey said “It is really exciting to be collaborating with GW and to highlight this much neglected area of captivity. I hope it is the start of a really fruitful partnership.”
 
The Oxford Annual Summer School has now been running for ten years and has been growing in international significance. Over 150 academics attend each year with delegates from over 20 countries, including India, Australia, Brazil, Canada, Germany, Austria, Taiwan, Ireland, USA, Switzerland, and the Netherlands. It is widely regarded as the premiere summer school on animal ethics in the world.
 
Professor Kathy Hessler commented “I am honored to be collaborating with the Oxford Centre for Animal Ethics on this new initiative.  I have seen firsthand the wonderful engagement the Oxford Annual Summer School promotes and supports, and I believe this new work will further those efforts and benefit our communities.”
 
Registration for the Summer School is now open and a few places are still available to book.
 
The Call for Papers is now closed and there is a waiting list for speakers. The provisional programme will be released shortly.
 
Notes for Editors
Dr Clair Linzey from the Oxford Centre for Animal Ethics, and Professor Kathy Hessler are both available for interview/comment.
 
The following experts are also available for interviews and articles:Professor Kathy Hessler – “Aquaculture Hatcheries: The Need to Protect Animals throughout the System”Dr Lori Marino – “Law, Science and Ethics: The Three Pillars of Protection for Captive Cetaceans.”Amy Wilson – “Factory Fins: Cruelty and Harm beneath the Surface.”Hana Nabulsi – “How Captive Animals are Vulnerable to Zoonotic Disease.”Emma DiGiovanni – “Legal Protections for Plant-Based Foods as a Strategy to Reduce Farmed-Animal Captivity.Summer School images can be accessed here.
Headshots can be accessed here.
 
For media enquiries please contact Sophie at Panpathic Communications, Sophie@panpathic.com  / 07815 860 082
 
The Animal Law program at GW Law provides an exceptionally broad range of educational and practical opportunities for law students while also providing pro bono legal services to the District of Columbia government, animal advocacy organizations, and community groups working to protect animals. A large part of the program is the Animal Legal Education Initiative (ALEI) which is dedicated to developing Animal Law as a stand-alone legal discipline that is fully integrated into the legal academy.
 
The Oxford Centre for Animal Ethics is an independent centre that aims to pioneer ethical perspectives on animals through academic research, teaching, and publication. It comprises an international fellowship of more than 100 scholars. The Centre publishes the Journal of Animal Ethics with the University of Illinois Press, and also the animal ethics book series with Palgrave Macmillan.

Elderly Hunter Sentenced for Killing Endangered Bear in France

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May 6, 2025 by News Desk

Elderly Hunter Sentenced for Killing Endangered Bear in France

Table of Contents

Incident Overview

In a notable case in France, an 81-year-old man has received a four-month suspended prison sentence and a fine for the unlawful killing of a protected brown bear in the Pyrenees mountains. The incident took place during a boar hunt in 2021, when the bear attacked the hunter, who claimed he acted in self-defense.

Court Proceedings and Outcome

The judicial proceedings were held in the Foix Criminal Court, where it was revealed that the hunter, alongside fifteen other individuals, was fined over €60,000 in total as they faced civil claims from environmental groups. The female bear, weighing approximately 150 kg and known as Caramelles, was later preserved and is currently exhibited at the Toulouse Natural History Museum.

Details of the Attack

During the hunt, the group encountered bear cubs, which prompted their mother to charge at them. The hunter described the traumatic encounter, stating, “She grabbed my left thigh, I panicked and fired a shot. She backed away growling, she went around me and bit my right calf.” He recounted that amidst the struggle, he reloaded his weapon and shot the bear.

Legal Violations

The hunting incident occurred in the Mont Valier nature reserve, a region off-limits for such activities, situated 1,300 feet outside the designated hunting area. Prosecutors indicated that the group should not have been in the area at all. The defense argued that inadequate signage contributed to this oversight.

Penalty Imposed

Following the incident, the hunter had his firearm confiscated, incurred a fine of €750, and saw his hunting license revoked. Environmental advocates have expressed satisfaction with the penalties imposed on the hunters, noting that the verdict serves as a reminder to the hunting community about respecting wildlife laws.

Bear Conservation Efforts

The brown bear population in the Pyrenees has significantly diminished over the years, dwindling to around 70 individuals by 1954. Conservation efforts have slowly improved these numbers, with an estimated 96 bears residing in the mountains as of 2024, a recovery partially supported by the reintroduction of bears from Slovenia in the 1990s.

Community Reactions

Sabine Matraire, president of the bear conservation group Pays de l’ours, deemed the court’s decision appropriate, expressing hope that it will raise awareness among hunters about the importance of wildlife protection.