Litigation Program
In our litigation work, ALDF staff attorneys may bring suit themselves, or ALDF may retain outside counsel to represent it; we may also file either as a named plaintiff, or as the attorneys for other organizations or individuals. Our civil actions on behalf of animals often include filing amicus curiae briefs arguing the case for recognition of the bonds between humans and nonhuman animals and formal complaints against government agencies charged with enforcing laws meant to protect animals.
The Animal Legal Defense Fund also awards monetary grants to assist attorneys with worthy animal-related cases, and makes available model laws and provides expert testimony to facilitate the enactment of state statutes that allow for non-economic damages (that is, damages for pain and suffering, loss of companionship, etc.) in cases involving wrongful death or injury of a companion animal.
Chronological Timeline of Landmarks & Victories
