ABSTRACT

Much has been written about the attitude Christians to animals, chiefly with reference to the Bible. This inquiry focuses on the same question, but through the lens of Canon Law. Whilst not free from ambiguity, Canon Law is by nature prescriptive or proscriptive and so tells us quite bluntly what Christian legislators thought Christians ought to be doing about animals. There are certainly all sorts of rules, but they do not appear to be framed for the benefit of the animals.