Proceedings of the International Conference on Conceptualizing Legal Framework and Policies for Domestic Animal and Wildlife Conservation: Issues and Challenges in Hybrid Mode (ICAR 2026)

International Conference on Conceptualizing Legal Framework and Policies for Domestic Animal and Wildlife Conservation: Issues and Challenges in Hybrid Mode (ICAR 2026)

📍Greater Noida, India🗓️ 16-17 January 2026
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Animals as Environmental Refugees

Authors
Lilla Garayová1, *
1Institute of International Law, Faculty of Law, Pan-European University, Bratislava, Slovakia
*Corresponding author. Email: lilla.garayova@paneurouni.com
Corresponding Author
Lilla Garayová
Available Online 7 July 2026.
DOI
10.2991/978-94-6239-725-5_16How to use a DOI?
Keywords
Animal Rights; Interspecies Families; Environmental Refugees; Asylum Law
Abstract

Climate change has triggered new forms of forced migration. These new forms go beyond the traditional anthropocentric understanding of asylum law. It is important to point out that the term “environmental refugee” is exclusively used for people fleeing floods, droughts, or rising sea levels. However, animals face similar existential threats. This article examines the phenomenon of animals as environmental refugees and analyzes how current law responds to the migration of multispecies families - that is, humans together with their companion animals - in the context of climate change, ecological disasters, and armed conflicts. We will analyse the current domestic and international laws and point out their gaps. The study will also raise the question of extending legal protection beyond the human species. Finally, we propose legal reforms to take into account interspecies connections and create a more humane approach to migration in the age of the global climate crisis.

Copyright
© 2026 The Author(s)
Open Access
Open Access This chapter is licensed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/), which permits any noncommercial use, sharing, adaptation, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, as long as you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons license and indicate if changes were made.

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Volume Title
Proceedings of the International Conference on Conceptualizing Legal Framework and Policies for Domestic Animal and Wildlife Conservation: Issues and Challenges in Hybrid Mode (ICAR 2026)
Series
Atlantis Highlights in Social Sciences, Education and Humanities
Publication Date
7 July 2026
ISBN
978-94-6239-725-5
ISSN
2667-128X
DOI
10.2991/978-94-6239-725-5_16How to use a DOI?
Copyright
© 2026 The Author(s)
Open Access
Open Access This chapter is licensed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/), which permits any noncommercial use, sharing, adaptation, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, as long as you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons license and indicate if changes were made.

Cite this article

risenwbib
TY  - CONF
AU  - Lilla Garayová
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/07/07
TI  - Animals as Environmental Refugees
BT  - Proceedings of the International Conference on Conceptualizing Legal Framework and Policies for Domestic Animal and Wildlife Conservation: Issues and Challenges in Hybrid Mode (ICAR 2026)
PB  - Atlantis Press
SP  - 191
EP  - 203
SN  - 2667-128X
UR  - https://doi.org/10.2991/978-94-6239-725-5_16
DO  - 10.2991/978-94-6239-725-5_16
ID  - Garayová2026
ER  -