The relationship between humans and animals has changed over time. Prehistoric man respected animals as equal to himself and he felt inseparable from nature. At the time of the ancient civilizations, the transition to agriculture led to greater pressure on nature, but ecocentrism still prevailed. The dividing line between man and animal emerged in The early modern period when anthropocentric view was established, with the main idea that human is superior to nature. In the exact moment when man declared himself as the master of all living beings, the exploitation of nature began. The ever growing needs of the earth's population and the greed of large corporations lead to mass breeding of animals, which has negative effects on the environment, human health and welfare of livestock.
Animal husbandry is one of the largest polluters and causes of climate change. Mainly because of our own risk, we try to limit its negative effects. One of the possible solutions could be the production of meat, grown in the laboratory. Recently, the awareness of the suffering endured by bred animals is becoming increasingly important in the social consciousness. Research has shown that for most Europeans, the protection of animals is an important area that has to be improved in the future. The European Union issues a number of regulations in the field of animal welfare, which are however not always effective due to various reasons. As a member of the European Union, the Republic of Slovenia implements European legislation in its legal order.
The purpose of the master thesis is to review the regulation of animal husbandry at the level of the European Union and the Republic of Slovenia, and to present the contemporary challenges that the agricultural industry faces in terms of stricter regulations intended to reduce the suffering endured by bred animals.
|