Animal Law and the Constitutional Status of Animals in Finland

Finnish law considers nonhuman animals things that can be owned and regulates their use and treatment through a number of statutes including but not limited to the new Act on Animal Welfare of 2024 as well as the Criminal Code. Animals are not mentioned specifically in the Constitution of Finland, but they are afforded some indirect protection through the protection of biodiversity as well as the right to property and the freedom of religion and conscience. Animal welfare is also considered a prima facie legitimate objective for limiting the fundamental rights of human beings. In February 2023, the Finnish Animal Rights Law Society organized a citizens’ initiative to amend the Constitution of Finland to include a new chapter on the fundamental rights of animals. As of this writing, the initiative has collected the requisite 50,000 statements of support and must now be considered by the Parliament. This chapter provides an overview of the proposed bill as well as some select criticisms regarding its more specific contents.