Animal Law Review
First Page
67
Abstract
New York passed its compulsory humane education law in 1917, which obligates school districts to provide weekly instruction in the “humane treatment and protection of animals” to all elementary school students. Though this mandate is clear, New York school districts routinely ignore it and deprive students of the humane education that they are statutorily entitled to. To make matters worse, the New York Commissioner of Education has abdicated their responsibility to enforce this minimum educational standard. Over the years, the laudable efforts of advocacy groups, educators, and legislators have brought about some instances of district compliance. Nevertheless, widespread district noncompliance persists.
To prevent New York’s remarkable mandate from becoming dead-letter law—especially given the urgent need for humane education in today’s crisis-ridden world—this Comment presents a novel, low-barrier legal method that empowers parents to advocate for the mandate’s enforcement. The proposed legal strategy relies on a unique provision of New York administrative law that enables parents to complain to the Commissioner of Education about unlawful district (in)action. With both the lawyer and layperson in mind, this Comment offers a blueprint for parents and advocacy groups to breathe new life into New York’s long-neglected compulsory humane education statute and encourages a desperately needed paradigm shift toward prioritizing compassion over profits.
Recommended Citation
Mei Brunson,
A Mandate with Teeth: Biting Back at the Neglect of New York's Humane Education Law,
32
Animal L. Rev.
67
(2026).
Available at:
https://lawcommons.lclark.edu/alr/vol32/iss1/4
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