Deborah Rook

Deborah Rook is an Associate Professor in the Law Department at Northumbria University, where she conducts interdisciplinary research at the intersection of law, animal rights, and housing policy. Her work critically examines 'no pet' covenants and the legal status of companion animals within rental agreements, advocating for a more inclusive and compassionate legal framework.

Education:

• PGCUTL, Northumbria University (Awarded: 30 Jun 1998)
• LLM in Law, Northumbria University (Awarded: 30 Sept 1997)
• LPC in Law, Northumbria University (Awarded: 30 Jun 1993)
• LLB (Hons) in Law, Northumbria University (Awarded: 30 Jun 1992)

Her research interests focus on Animal Law, Human-Animal Interactions, Housing Law, and Legal Education. She explores how legal systems can better recognize the emotional and social bonds between humans and animals, particularly in domestic and tenancy contexts. Her work integrates perspectives from human rights, family law, and welfare policy, contributing to the emerging field of 'One Health One Welfare'.

The trends in her recent publications reveal a strong commitment to advancing animal law through scholarly writing, legal education reform, and policy advocacy. Her works span books, peer-reviewed journal articles, and book chapters, with a consistent focus on companion animal rights, legal education in animal law, and the socio-legal implications of pet exclusion in housing. The interdisciplinary nature of her research connects law with sociology, ethics, and public health.

Deborah Rook actively supervises doctoral research, as evidenced by her own completed PhD thesis on multi-species tenancies. While no formal list of her advisees is provided, her engagement in academic mentorship is clear. She has not received any publicly listed scientific awards or major grants in the provided text. Her collaborations extend across the UK and internationally, particularly in anthrozoology and legal education networks.

She is a key contributor to the development of animal law as a scholarly discipline in the UK, co-authoring foundational texts and analyzing the expansion of animal law curricula in higher education. Her work is disseminated through open-access platforms and academic publishers such as Routledge and 5m Books, ensuring broad accessibility and impact.