Global Animal Law - GAL

Global Animal Law - GAL GAL is an independent and worldwide pioneering authority for the health and protection of animals.

The global approach of GAL includes the idea of "One Health" for a healthy planet where healthy humans and animals can live along in harmony together. The health of the animals is understood as a state of complete physical, mental and social welfare. GAL focuses on realistic, sustainable and far-reaching steps to move forward and is concerned to act in a practical and useful way. In cooperation wi

th national and international institutions, GAL helps the respective legislators to take the next steps for the development of key measures that help improve the legal protection and welfare of all categories of animals, i.e.: companion, farm, lab, sport or wild animals. The work of GAL is based on 4 pillars: Prevention, Legislation, Enforcement and Education.

New research shows that 72% of people in the UK would stop eating at restaurants that utilise eggs from lower welfare sy...
28/04/2026

New research shows that 72% of people in the UK would stop eating at restaurants that utilise eggs from lower welfare systems banned in UK, such as conventional battery cages. Despite this, restaurants can still legally utilise imported eggs from systems that fall below UK welfare standards- and most diners have no idea this loophole exists.

The findings accentuate a major gap in transparency and underline the public’s strong support for higher animal welfare standards across the food sector. This is a clear reminder that egal reform on food labelling and sourcing isn’t just an animal welfare issue- it is a public consumer issue too.



Reference: FarmingUK Team (2026). Seven in 10 Brits would avoid restaurants serving lower-welfare eggs. [online] Available at: https://www.farminguk.com/news/seven-in-10-brits-would-avoid-restaurants-serving-lower-welfare-eggs_68257.html

Colombia has authorised the culling of up to 80 hippos descended from animals illegally imported by drug lord Pablo Esco...
24/04/2026

Colombia has authorised the culling of up to 80 hippos descended from animals illegally imported by drug lord Pablo Escobar in the 1980s. The population — all descended from just four individuals — could exceed 1,000 by 2035 if left unchecked, according to authorities.

Environment minister Irene Vélez-Torres says sterilisation efforts over the past decade have been too costly and too limited to make a dent, and that relocating the animals is not viable due to their limited genetic diversity and disease risk. Each hippo consumes around 70 kg of vegetation daily, trampling farmland and displacing native species like the river manatee.

Senator and animal rights activist Andrea Padilla has condemned the cull as cruel, arguing these animals are victims of state negligence, not criminals. Locals who built livelihoods around hippo tourism are also pushing back. Decades of inaction created this crisis and now 80 healthy animals are expected to pay for it with their lives. At GAL, we stand with those fighting for non-lethal solutions, because the lives of animals should never be the easy way out.

Today is Earth Day, and there's something we often overlook: animals aren't just victims of the climate crisis, they're ...
22/04/2026

Today is Earth Day, and there's something we often overlook: animals aren't just victims of the climate crisis, they're guardians of the planet.

Caring for the Earth and caring for animals aren't separate causes — they're the same cause. This Earth Day, remember: a more just world for animals is a healthier world for all of us. 🌏 🐝 🐟 🐔 🦊 🐹 🐍 🐙

Chile is set to establish the Cape Froward National Park at the southernmost tip of the Americas — a move that would com...
16/04/2026

Chile is set to establish the Cape Froward National Park at the southernmost tip of the Americas — a move that would complete an 8-million-hectare conservation corridor stretching 2,800 kilometres through Patagonia. The park would protect around 150,000 hectares of subantarctic forests, peatlands, glaciers and coastline.

In November 2025, conservation organisation Fundación Rewilding Chile donated 127,000 hectares of land to the Chilean government, on the condition that the national park be officially created within two years.

On 1 January 2026, South Korea's bear bile farming industry officially came to an end, after more than 30 years of advoc...
14/04/2026

On 1 January 2026, South Korea's bear bile farming industry officially came to an end, after more than 30 years of advocacy by animal welfare organisations. rom that date, the ownership, breeding, and trade of bears and bear bile is prohibited, with violations carrying prison sentences of up to five years.

Bear farming began in South Korea in the early 1980s, with farmers importing Asiatic black bears — known as moon bears — from Malaysia and Southeast Asia, keeping them in small, barren cages their entire lives for use in traditional medicine and luxury products.

But the ban doesn't mean all bears are safe yet. Around 199 bears remain on 11 farms across the country, while disputes over compensation to farmers have delayed their transfer to sanctuaries. The government's existing sanctuary can only hold up to 49 bears, and a second facility planned for 2024 has been pushed back to 2027 due to flooding. Animal welfare groups are calling for bigger, better-funded sanctuaries and urging the government to act faster.

Tunnel-shaped shelters made from durable plastic and insulating materials have been installed in parks, under bridges, a...
10/04/2026

Tunnel-shaped shelters made from durable plastic and insulating materials have been installed in parks, under bridges, and other spots where strays seek refuge across Hungarian cities

These shelters absorb and store solar energy during the day, then release it overnight — keeping the inside up to 15°C warmer than the freezing outdoors, with no electricity or fuel needed.

In just the first weeks of deployment, over 50 tunnels attracted hundreds of strays, leading to a noticeable drop in hypothermia cases and emergency interventions.

What started as rural pilots in 2023 has now grown into a full urban rollout backed by EU grants — and neighbouring Eastern European countries are already exploring their own versions.

Guatemala has decided not to renew its lease on a 7,000-acre oil field inside the Laguna del Tigre Biosphere Reserve — o...
07/04/2026

Guatemala has decided not to renew its lease on a 7,000-acre oil field inside the Laguna del Tigre Biosphere Reserve — one of the most biodiverse areas in the Americas, where Mesoamerican wildlife roams freely across Guatemala, Belize, and Mexico as part of the greater Mayan Biosphere Reserve.

A combination of pollution from oil operations, sustained low oil prices, and illegal activity inside the reserve led the government to conclude extraction was no longer viable. The land will now be handed over for conservation and security purposes.

The Ministry of National Defense and the National Civil Police will occupy the former oil field — known as Campo Xan — to crack down on illegal cattle ranching, farming, and logging, while also establishing a cross-border policing programme with Mexico and Belize.

President Arévalo, who ran on a platform of ecological protection and indigenous rights, framed it as a reclaiming of national territory. Environment Minister Patricia Orantes was direct: "We must conserve the Maya Forest for the good of Guatemalans and for the world."

Reptiles are widely used in global trade, yet their welfare is often neglected. Chapter 7.14 of the World Organisation f...
04/04/2026

Reptiles are widely used in global trade, yet their welfare is often neglected. Chapter 7.14 of the World Organisation for Animal Health Code brings attention to the need for species-specific, science-based approaches when killing reptiles for commercial use. Ensuring proper handling, trained personnel, and effective stunning methods is essential to reduce suffering in these industries.

Wales has voted to ban greyhound racing, becoming the first UK nation to take decisive action against an industry long l...
02/04/2026

Wales has voted to ban greyhound racing, becoming the first UK nation to take decisive action against an industry long linked to animal suffering.

The Senedd approved the ban on 17 March 2026, following years of public pressure, campaigning, and a petition with over 35,000 signatures. Evidence of persistent injuries, fatalities, and poor outcomes for dogs after racing played a central role in the decision.

The ban will not take effect immediately: a transition period will allow the industry to gradually close and ensure dogs are rehomed. The prohibition is expected to come into force between April 2027 and April 2030.

This is a clear recognition that the harms inherent to greyhound racing can no longer be justified and a strong precedent for other countries to follow.

The 2026 U.S. Farm Bill has advanced and the implications for animals are significant. The bill must now pass the full H...
25/03/2026

The 2026 U.S. Farm Bill has advanced and the implications for animals are significant. The bill must now pass the full House before moving to the Senate. We will continue to monitor developments.

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