The Protection of Animal Welfare vis-à-vis Recreational Fishing: The Judgment C-148/22 of the Colombian Constitutional Court

Abstract

This analysis considers the recent ruling of the Colombian Constitutional Court, C-148/22, in which the Court banned recreational fishing in the country citing the prohibition of animal cruelty under the Colombian constitution and the precautionary principle. This unprecedented decision by a constitutional tribunal illustrates the growing importance of animal welfare as a justiciable standard of adjudication. It also underscores the complex role of judges when reconciling the extant human-centric concerns in constitutional thinking with the growing constitutional significance awarded to the lived experiences of animals. This analysis discusses the Court’s reasoning and highlights issues inviting further consideration.