The direct effects of climate change may be due primarily to increased temperatures and frequency and

intensity of heat waves. Depending on its intensity and duration, heat stress may affect livestock health
by causing metabolic disruptions, oxidative stress, and immune suppression causing infections and
death.

it was also reported that during the severe and prolonged heat waves which occurred in Europe during
summer 2003, over 35,000 people and thousands of pigs, poultry, and rabbits died in the French regions
of Brittany and Pays-de-la-Loire (http://lists.envirolink.org/pipermail/ar-news/Week-of-Mon-
20030804/004707.html). Vitali et al. (2015) indicated that summer mortality in dairy cows was greater
during days in a heat wave compared with days not in a heat wave.

https://academic.oup.com/af/article/9/1/26/5168813

What has been the legal response so far?

The UK

Section 9 of the UK’s Animal Welfare Act 2006 imposes a positive duty of care on animal owners to
fulfil an animal’s “need for a suitable environment”, but does not establish a duty to frequently adjust
the measures which shield animals from evolving climate problems

In a conference organised by RSCPA (the UK’s largest animal charity), speakers addressed the need for
stronger welfare laws to keep animals cool, such as the prevention of footpad burning on dog walks and
increasing penalties for not protecting livestock from extreme heat.

International

The Glasgow Climate Pact that was signed during the UN Climate Change Conference 2021 (COP26)
vowed to assist vulnerable countries in adapting to our rapidly warming planet through the launch of the
Adaptation Research Alliance; but it failed to include animal welfare on its agenda.

1986

The Case for Animal Rights

Tom Regan

North Carolina State University at Raleigh

Here, very crudely, is the root idea: morality consists of a set of rules that individuals voluntarily agree to
abide by, as we do when we sign a contract (hence the name contractarianism). Those who understand
and accept the terms of the contract are covered directly; they have rights created and recognized by,
and protected in, the contract. And these contractors can also have protection spelled out for others
who, though they lack the ability to understand morality and so cannot sign the contract themselves, are
loved or cherished by those who can. Thus young children, for example, are unable to sign contracts and
lack rights. But they are protected by the contract none the less because of the sentimental interests of
others, most notably their parents. So we have, then, duties involving these children, duties regarding
them, but no duties to them. Our duties in their case are indirect duties to other human beings, usually
their parents. As for animals, since they cannot understand contracts, they obviously cannot sign; and
since they cannot sign, they have no rights. Like children, however, some animals are the object of the
sentimental interest of others.

https://www.wellbeingintlstudiesrepository.org/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1003&context=acwp_awap