Council for animal ethics meeting attended in Oslo

Today I have attended Council for animal ethics´ meeting in Oslo (at Næringslivets hus). This is one of four meetings this year, two of which are now physical (and two digital, due to an insufficient budget).

Council for animal ethics meeting attended

Today I have attended a meeting of Norway´s Council for animal ethics, at Næringslivets hus in Oslo. Among other things, we discussed the consultative statement we are in the process of writing on climate change and animal ethics, and recent developments in the ethical work that is done in relation to Norway´s Government Pension Fund Global.

Panel discussion chaired at Animal Ethics Conference 2025 on animals´ death

Today I have attended Norway´s Animal Ethics Conference (Dyreetikkonferansen) 2025, which had the theme "Når dyr dør. Perspektiver på livets slutt" (When animals die. Perspectives on the end of life) and was held at Litteraturhuset in Oslo. I chaired the panel discussion which took place at the end of the day. The panel included all the presenters, namely Espen Gamlund (UIB), Elisiv Tolo (Animalia), Helen Øvregaard (Vet-Talk), Steffen Tretvoll (Norsk Vegansamfunn), Jon M. Arnemo (Universitetet i Innlandet), Åsa Maria O. Espmark. More than 150 people were registered for the conference, which is organised by Norway´s Council for animal ethics.

Scheduled to speak on love and knowledge at the Norwegian Animal Ethics Conference 2023, December 12th

The program for Dyreetikkonferansen 2023, the Norwegian Animal Ethics Conference 2023, has now been released. The theme is "Er kjærlighet nok? Når omsorgen for dyr går galt" (literally: Is love enough? When care for animals goes wrong). The event is held at Litteraturhuset in Oslo on December 12th.

I am scheduled to speak about the topic "Kjærlighet og kunnskap – henger det sammen?" (Love and knowledge - is there any connection?), and take part in the panel discussion, with the theme "Hvordan best forebygge vanskjøtsel og mishandling av dyr" (How best to prevent neglect and mistreatment of animals).

Council for animal ethics consultative statement on pest animals published; co-written by me

A couple of days ago Norway´s Council for animal ethics issued a consultative statement titled "Skadedyr" (pest animals) which has been written by Knut Bøe and me. The statement, which is 16 pages long, is available here.

Council for animal ethics issues consultative statement on ethics of zoos; my role

Norway´s Council for animal ethics has issues the consultative statement "Etiske grenseoppganger for hold av dyr i dyrepark" (loosely: Ethical limitations for the keeping of animals in zoos). I have been main responsible for composing the text, along with Guri Larsen (though such texts are always ultimately consensus products).

Norwegian animal ethics conference 2021 held in Alta

On November 11th I was in Alta, attending Dyreetikkonferansen 2021, which had the theme "Dyrevelferd i reindriften: Utfordringer og løsninger" (Animal welfare in reindeer husbandry: Challenges and solutions). The conference was held at Scandic hotel Alta, and attended by some 30 people physically. It was also followed by some 100 people nationally via live streaming.

This year I have only been involved on par with the other members of Norway´s Council for animal ethics, which organizes the Norwegian animal ethics conference.

The conference has been mentioned in the Saami newspapers Avvir and Sagat.

Chronicle on isolation of animals published in VG online

The chronicle "Velferd i isolasjonens tid" (Welfare in the time of isolation), written by Kristian Ellingsen-Dalskau, Knut Bøe and me, was published online today in the Norwegian national daily VG.

 

 

Participation at ministries input meeting on revision of wildlife law on behalf of Council for animal ethics

Today I have represented Norway´s Council for animal ethics in an online input meeting (innspillsmøte) held by Ministry of Agriculture and Food and Ministry of Climate and Environment in relation to the ministries´ planned revision on hunting and capture of wildlife (Viltloven - the wildlife law). I had 5 minutes to present my input on behalf on the council. I will also prepare written feedback to the ministries (to be discussed in Council for animal ethics before it is sent).

Some 50 people attended the input meeting.

To give two talks at Swedish zoo association conference "The zoos of the future"

I am scheduled to speak twice at the Swedish zoo association conference "Fremtidens dyreparker" (The zoos of the future), which takes place at Bjørneparken (Flå, Norway) September 25-27th 2019. On November 26th I will give the two talks detailed below. I am presented as professor of philosophy (University of Stavanger) and member of Norway´s Council for animal ethics.

— 12.15-13.15 «Dyreparker i fremtiden – om å møte samfunnets holdninger og forventninger»  

— 13.30-13.50 «Gjestemøter»

Norwegian animal ethics conference to be held November 21st

Dyreetikkonferansen 2019 (Norwegian animal ethics conference 2019) will take place on Litteraturhuset (Oslo) Thursday November 21st. The planning group consists of Kristian Ellingsen, Knut Bøe, Guri Larsen and me.

After Minding Animals Norway decided to shut down last autumn, the conference is now run solely by Norway´s Council for animal ethics.

Appointed as member of Norway´s Council for animal ethics 2019-2023

Today I have been notified by Norway´s Ministry of Agriculture and Food that I have been appointed as a member of Council for Animal Ethics for the period July 1st 2019 to June 30th 2023 as the representative for animal protection NGOs, with Guri Larsen as deputy member. I served in the same position 2017-2018.

Facebook event for Norwegian Animal Ethics Conference 2018

Here´s the Facebook event for Dyreetikkonferansen 2018, "Hvor like er mennesker og dyr?" (the Norwegian Animal Ethics Conference 2018, "How similar are humans and animals?"). For the seventh year, I am one of the organizers, now representing both Council for animal ethics and Minding Animals Norway.

Not able to attend first Council for animal ethics meeting

I have given notice that I cannot attend the excursion and meeting of Norway´s Council for animal ethics, which I have just joined as a regular member representing animal protection NGOs. This is due to teaching obligations at University of Stavanger.

Not appointed deputy member of Norway´s Council for animal ethics

Today the new members, for the period 2015-2018, of the government-appointed Norway´s Council for Animal Ethics (Rådet for dyreetikk) was announced. I was a candidate for deputy representative for animal rights organizations, but was not appointed.