Animal Law in Chile: Overview and Current Challenges

One of the leading countries in the development of Animal Law in Latin America is Chile. However, no studies are reported on the current state of the discipline and the challenges it faces. Therefore, this chapter aims to present an overview of Animal Law in Chile and to suggest some useful guidelines to address the current challenges faced by the discipline. Thus, qualitative research is carried out using documentary analysis of normative, jurisprudential and academic texts. It is concluded that it is possible to note a gradual development of the discipline in the country, although several challenges are still pending. In the normative sphere, animal protection laws have been passed, although with a limited and, to a certain extent, speciesist scope; here, the challenges are given by animal dereification and the constitutionalisation of animal protection. In the field of jurisprudence, rulings refer to non-human animals with which we usually coexist, although with an anthropocentric bias; here, the challenge is the need to strengthen strategic litigation and the training of judicial officials. In the academic sphere, there have been meetings in universities, growing scientific production and progressive incorporation into the curriculum; here, the challenge is to consolidate the study and approach to Animal Law and, thus, promote the massive incorporation of this discipline into legal training.