動物保護法於1998年10月13日經我國立法院三讀通過,總統於1998年11月4日公布施行,自此,我國成為全世界第五十四個有動物保護法的國家,該法亦是我國第一個將動物個體福利系統性予以法制化的法律。動物有了在法制面受保障之地位,表示我國在人類對待動物的問題上,已從單純道德倫理範疇之論述,推展成為人民普遍法價值觀念形成之共識。 在動物保護法施行歷經八年多的時間裡,立法者有鑑於情節重大之虐殺動物案件層出不窮,於是在2007年6月14日第六次修法時,決議將動物虐待行為加入刑罰規定予以處罰,此為我國對該等行為明文入罪之始。此次修法,雖可肯定社會對於保護動物觀念的重視日漸高漲,惟,刑法之發動首重法益保護,而在立法院相關修法文書中,卻未明確解釋其所欲保護之法益究係為何,因此,確立法益類型,成為虐待動物行為入罪化正當性之依據。 本文首先談論動物道德權利之建構,再自道德倫理學中發掘動物保護法制化之原理原則。其次,從理論基礎概述到入法原則之確定,自現行法於動物的分類上進行適用入法原則之個別探悉;接著,探討人類對動物所為虐待行為入罪之應然,以正當化此種行為有足以發動刑法制裁之必要性後,再進行刑罰實然面之分析,繼而透過比較法,討論外國法制與我國法制之實踐情形;最後,總結各章,在動物福利保障與我國刑事法制適用上,提出建議與省思。
The Animal Protection Act, Taiwan’s first statute pertaining to animal welfare, passed three readings of the Legislative Yuan on October 13th, 1998 and took effect after promulgation by the President of Taiwan on November 11th of the same year. Thus, Taiwan became the world’s 54th nation to enact laws to protect animals. The fact that animals are legally protected in Taiwan suggests that, for Taiwanese people, protecting animals is both an ethical and legal obligation. Eight years after the implementation of the Act, legislators, in response to a spree of animal torture and killing, proposed articles for a 6th amendment to the Act on June 14th, 2007 that stipulates the punishment for animal abuse. Although increased public attention to animal protection culminated in the criminalization of animal abuse in Taiwan, no clear definition of the legal interests of animals is contained in the amendment documents for the Act that were drafted by the Legislative Yuan. The enactment of criminal law focuses on protecting legal interests. Therefore, the different types of legal interests that are vested in animals should be specified to legitimize the criminalization of abusing animals. We first discussed the moral rights of animals and identified the ethics-based principles of animal protection law. We then analyzed applicable principles in current legislation, and discussed the importance of treating animal abuse as a criminal offence and imposing criminal penalties.We analyzed the implementation of penalties and compared the justice system of Taiwan with those of other nations. Lastly, we summarized each chapter and provided recommendations for how the criminal justice system in Taiwan can safeguard animal welfare.