ANIMAL RIGHTS AND THE STRENGTHENING OF BRAZILIAN COOPERATIVE FEDERALISM

Abstract

With the advent of the 1988 Federal Constitution, Animal Law was consolidated in Brazil. Gradually, we see the growth of Animal Law, which has occurred mainly through its normative sources. However, although article 225, §1, item VII of the Federal Constitution prohibits cruel practices against animals, there is still no federal law that considers them to be subjects of law. As a result, state and municipal laws have regulated animal rights. In this context, this research poses the following question: are the normative sources of Animal Law, which are essentially municipal and state, sufficient to achieve the strengthening of cooperative federalism? To this end, the research used the deductive approach method and the comparative method as a procedure. In the end, it was identified that state and municipal animal laws have strengthened cooperative federalism, contributing to the decentralization of legislative power; however, as they are very recent, they are not yet the primary basis for lawsuits dealing with animal rights.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.56238/sevened2025.017-005