Red squirrels are native to Europe. However, due to the increasing presence of grey squirrels that are brought here from the US, red squirrels are now almost getting extinct. 

The international (and European) legal framework requires states to eradicate such 'invasive species'. But how do we legitimize killing individual beings to save an abstract concept as 'species'? Are red squirrels better than grey squirrels, just because they were here first?

This leads us to the more general question: do animals have legal rights? And if so, who can represent them in court? 

We will discuss these and other questions during the Summer School in Animal Law, Rights and Representation at the University of Antwerp. You will get a comprehensive overview of animal law as a legal discipline, familiarize yourself with the different theories of animal rights law, and think about ways to represent animals in court. You will also get the chance to defend animals yourself in a moot court setting, before a professional jury (in collaboration with the World Moot on International Law and Animal Rights).

The Summer School is organized by Dr Eva Bernet Kempers, (postdoctoral researcher in Animal Law at the University of Antwerp and Junior Research Associate at the Cambridge Centre for Animal Rights Law), who teaches the sessions together with several international guest lecturers, such as Dr Verniers (Ghent University), Alice Di Concetto (European Institute for Animal Law & Policy), Dr Butler (University of Cambridge) and others. 

Find out more!​