New book by Dr. Neil Dullaghan
The Compassion Mandate
Remaking The European Union's Leadership on Farmed Animal Welfare
About the Author
Dr. Neil Dullaghan is a political scientist with a PhD in Political and Social Science from the European University Institute and an MPhil in European Politics and Society from the University of Oxford. He has led research projects on farmed-animal protection policy in the European Union as a senior research manager at the nonprofit, nonpartisan think tank Rethink Priorities.
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Preview: Chapter Outline
Chapter 1
An Introduction
Europe’s pastoral self-image masks widespread industrial farming, creating an urgent need for renewed EU leadership as shown by the End the Cage Age movement.
Chapter 2
The Birth of Farmed Animal Protection in the EU
Modern EU animal welfare began with Animal Machines and the Brambell Report, which catalyzed the first framework of animal protections.
Chapter 3
When the EU Led the World
Between the 1980s and 2000s, the EU established groundbreaking species-specific laws that set global precedents for farmed-animal protection.
Chapter 4
Making Progress Stick
EU welfare laws frequently falter in practice due to vague drafting, long transition periods, weak enforcement, and poor consumer signaling.
Chapter 5
A European Love Affair with Cage Free
Europe’s long shift from free-range to battery cages and back toward cage-free systems illustrates both public demand and political backsliding.
Chapter 6
A Second Chance at Progress
The EU can still revive stalled reforms by reframing animal welfare as a societal benefit and aligning standards with trade and consumer expectations.
Chapter 7
Farmed Fish Welfare: The Next Frontier
Farmed fish remain the EU’s most neglected animals despite their numbers, representing the clearest opportunity for new leadership.
Chapter 8
Overcoming the Barriers to Progress
Political inertia, structural hurdles, and competing crises impede reform, but targeted updates could restore the EU’s leadership on animal welfare.
