The Illawarra Mercury
By Alexis Cooper

Her clientele cannot pay her legal fees or even say thank you, but Australia's first full-time practising animal lawyer is content enough with a snort.

Katrina Sharman is the corporate counsel for Voiceless, an organisation that promotes respect and compassion for animals.
Yesterday she spoke at the Law and Society conference at the University of Wollongong.
"Animal law is a cutting edge area of the law, it's at the stage environment law was 20 years ago," she said.
The conference is the first to include a discussion of animal law.
"Many people think because we have animal welfare law it means that animals have meaningful protection - it's not the case," she said.
"Millions of animals are slipping through the legal cracks.
"Pigs are emotionally beautiful - they sing songs to their young - but pregnant sows are left in steel pens they cannot even turn around in."
It is a rare career choice for successful lawyers, but Ms Sherman said the job was incredibly fulfilling.
"This is my true passion, it's work of the heart."
Ms Sherman investigates how the law can be used to reduce animal suffering.
"We're also trying to lift the veil of secrecy that prevents how people understand farming in Australia. The idea of Old MacDonald's farm and roaming animals has been left to the dustbin of history," she said.

Did you like this article? Share it!