About CAALL
What is the Comparative Asean Animal Law Library?
CAALL is a volunteer-based project with a global reach focused on creating a modern, interactive and comprehensive database of animal law in the ASEAN region. Currently, we comprise of more than 20 volunteer legal researchers, lawyers and professionals who give their time to fill the database.
The COVID-19 pandemic has shone new light on the trade of wildlife, particularly between China and the ASEAN region. However, access to legal sources that might aid research and development in animal trade practices is severely limited. Government and policy workers are currently trying to develop sustainable systems but find it increasingly difficult to understand and compare legislation or enforcement mechanisms between ASEAN countries.
The lack of accessible animal law resources represents a significant gap that CAALL will address. Access to these resources will provide for more holistic and better informed legal and policy change in relation to sustainable practices, species protection and the overall reduction of animal suffering.
Beyond COVID-19, ASEAN comprises one of the world’s most biodiverse regions. The demand for animal products, tourism and deforestation places unique burdens on agriculture, conservation and welfare. The project was founded in 2019 following the first ASEAN Conference on Animal Law. There, stakeholders discussed the difficulty of developing sustainable policies in a region where animal law sources, commentary and monitoring is disparate, isolated and often difficult to locate or understand. CAALL’s goal is to provide a directory of these resources to assist in such development.
Mission
We are developing a database of animal law materials in the ASEAN region, including materials from each jurisdiction and bilateral, multilateral and regional legal materials.
Vision
Our vision is to inform and improve animal law education and practice in the ASEAN region, and to contribute to the advancement of animal welfare.
Why We Are Unique
There is no comparable database to CAALL — all other animal law repositories are focused either purely on primary sources and not on secondary sources essential to understanding, monitoring and enforcement of animal law, or fail to adequately represent the ASEAN region or the full scope of animal protections.
Our volunteers have the legal and technical skills necessary for CAALL’s development. Our team has expertise in legal research, linguistic and cultural knowledge of ASEAN nations, and a passion for animal law and welfare. We are led by a committee with extensive experience in animal law and international and comparative law.
CAALL’s organisational structure will enable the database’s development to be timely and cost effective. CAALL’s volunteers work as project teams responsible for a single jurisdiction. Project teams supervise and support each other with oversight from the Committee, which is responsible for finalising team findings and developing and promoting the database.
Our CAALL Team
Eliah Castiello
President and Co-Founder
Britta Maunder
Vice-President and Co-Founder
Matthew Clare
Secretary and Co-Founder
Ji Yong Teo
Treasurer
Anna Wotherspoon
Project Leads, Brunei
Morgaan Blazina
Project Leads, Cambodia
Morgan Prosser
Project Leads, Cambodia
Tayla Harrison
Project Leads, Indonesia
Mikayla Hutchins
Project Leads, Indonesia
Jia Hui Guo
Project Leads, Malaysia
Stephanie D’Amelio
Project Leads, Malaysia
My Ky Du
Project Leads, Myanmar
TheNoe San
Project Leads, Myanmar
Raneisha Legah
Project Leads, Thailand
Alana Ticchi
Project Leads, Thailand
Charlene Ong
Project Leads, Singapore
Ji Yong Teo
Project Leads, Singapore
Renee Bowker
Project Leads, Vietnam
Jenny Nguyen
Project Leads, Vietnam