Geoff Fleck is a contract attorney for the Animal Legal Defense Fund's Criminal Justice Program. Geoff has most recently been employed as an Assistant State Attorney for the State Attorney's Office, 8th Judicial Circuit, Gainesville, Florida.

Diane Balkin is a contract attorney for the Animal Legal Defense Fund's Criminal Justice Program. She began her career as a prosecutor in the Denver District Attorney's Office in 1979, where she worked for 32 years.

The move is a response to growing public awareness of the cruelty of puppy mills.

As a prosecutor for the past 15 years specializing in animal cruelty cases, I've come to realize that education, i.e., raising sensitivity, is key to making progress in the fight for animal rights.

Jennifer and Jason made their wedding day a reason for animals to celebrate as well -- by asking friends and family to donate to the Animal Legal Defense Fund in lieu of other gifts.

It's time to close loopholes in the federal animal fighting law, thereby giving law enforcement the tools they need to hold animal abusers accountable.

Help make it illegal to attend or bring a minor to animal fights!

In its treatment of farmed animals, how does the United States compare to Europe? Sadly, the answer is: not so great.

We will not rest as long as any animal is being abused.

When we are faced with mass suffering, is it easier not to care?

Join us today to win animals the legal protection they deserve.

Spend enough time in the animal movement and you will invariably encounter people with suggestions on how better your time could be spent. What about famine? What about neglected and abused children? War crimes and genocide? The wrongly accused? In short, what about the humans?

Los Angeles County supervisors passed a first vote July 19th, to let animal control officers have the right during administrative hearings to decide when a dog should be labeled as dangerous or vicious.

A new law was passed on July 5th in the Bahamas, banning commercial shark fishing.

If you have purchased foie gras believing it was humanely raised, we want to hear from you.

Win real justice for animal victims like Rosco.

On July 7th, the Humane Society of the United States and the United Egg Producers announced an agreement by which the two traditional adversaries will jointly recommend that Congress pass new standards for the welfare of egg-laying hens. So how does this legislation fit into the broader scheme of federal animal protections?

After four successful dog-friendly cruises in Annapolis, Maryland to benefit the Animal Legal Defense Fund, Little Ben is on tap to host a fifth.

Peter Bower of Shelby, Ohio, was arrested on May 18th, 2011, and charged with two counts of animal cruelty after allegations that he had sex with three companion dogs and possibly a horse owned by a local equestrian center.

We are all familiar with the concept of "double jeopardy." It is in the Fifth Amendment, which states, in relevant part, "nor shall any person be subject for the same offense to be twice put in jeopardy of life or limb[.]"

Despite a huge effort to encourage Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker to use his line-item veto power to exclude an unnecessary animal cruelty loophole provision from the state budget, Walker signed the budget on June 26th, 2011, with the provision as written.

Four more weeks. That is how long I have until I run the San Francisco Marathon on July 31st.

Convicted abusers may now be kept from residing with animals for up to 15 years.

Citing growing sentiment against puppy and kitten mills that has led a number of states and communities to adopt legislation regulating these mills, and the stores that provide an outlet for animals bred in substandard conditions, Los Angeles City Councilman Paul Koretz introduced a measure recently seeking to curb the market for such animals.

Abusers Beware – Your Punishment Can Now Fit Your Crime

Last week, the Animal Legal Defense Fund moved for permission to appear as amicus in the case of Stray From The Heart v. City of New York, a case in which the City of New York thumbed its nose at its legal obligations under the Animal Shelters and Sterilization Act.

Contact your legislators and urge them to pursue laws which protect humans and animals from violence.

Now is a good time to consider how animals are used in education and whether their treatment is humane.

Pennsylvania residents: Contact your Senator and ask support for SB 626, to finally ban pigeon shoots!

Last November voters in Missouri passed a measure known as Prop. B, approving valuable and much-needed protections for animals throughout the state, which is known as the "Puppy Mill Capital of the United States."

Get your free copy today!

Tune in for the Animal Legal Defense Fund's series of exclusive one-on-one interviews with actress and animal advocate Kristin Bauer, who plays the lovely but lethal Vampire Pam on HBO's hit series, True Blood. Kristin shares her reaction to cities like El Paso, Albuquerque, and West Hollywood banning the sales of dogs and cats in pet stores.

Congratulations to ALDF's 2011 Advancement of Animal Law Scholarship recipients!

Seven students received ALDF's Advancement of Animal Law Scholarship this year for their outstanding work in the growing field of animal law.

Plaintiffs Protest Cruelty at the Zoo and the Use of City Funds to Support Facilities, Practices that Violate Animal Protection Laws

Since 2003, the Animal Legal Defense Fund has been working on various proposals to ensure that animals may be fully protected within Oregon's domestic violence protective orders (or "restraining orders").

As temperatures sky-rocket all over the country, we are seeing more and more headlines about dogs left in parked cars. Dogs in parked cars are at extreme risk in hot weather; an enclosed car heats up in minutes, and the heat can be lethal.

Help stop this massacre of America's wild horses! Contact your U.S. Representatives and Senators today.

A post on kcrg.com reports that "Opponents of a measure aimed at helping agricultural operations guard against 'gotcha' videos secretly filmed inside livestock operations are raising food safety and other concerns in an attempt to keep House File 589 from reaching Gov. Terry Branstad's desk this legislative session."

ALDF goes back to court to fight for Tony's immediate release.

This week, two Animal Legal Defense Fund attorneys published a first-of-its-kind book, A Worldview of Animal Law, which analyzes legal protections for animals from a global perspective.

Tell Google they should not sell mobile apps that promote animal cruelty!

Download the full copy of ALDF's Animal Protection Laws of the United States of America and Canada new edition or instantly view individual jurisdictions on our interactive map.

Second in the Country to Adopt a Registry

Quebec and Nunavut Ranked Worst for Animals, Ontario Takes Top Honors in Animal Legal Defense Fund’s 2011 Report

A new study released by the Animal Legal Defense Fund underscores the often-considerable differences that exist between the animal protection laws of the provinces and territories.

The Journal of Animal Ethics is looking for articles, Argument pieces, reviews and review articles, that have relevance to the ethics of our treatment of animals.

In the wake of ALDF's recent victory in the Tony the Tiger case, we've received a lot of questions about the ruling. ALDF staff attorney Matthew Liebman answers some of these questions.

The Los Angeles Times recently reported that the alleged "sport" of greyhound dog racing is in steep decline in America. Animal activists have long fought for the end of such racing, citing the horrendous conditions in which most of the dogs are kept.

A new app for mobile phones called "Dog Wars" was pulled from the Android market after public outcry only to be reintroduced a few days later under the name "KG Dogfighting."

Suffolk County, NY adopts law to help prevent abusers from purchasing, adopting pets

Speak out against the sadistic practice of penning by submitting comments to the Indiana Natural Resources Commission by May 18th.

In Hawaii, Peacock "Pests" May Still be Killed, Just Not with Baseball Bats, and Attending a Dogfight Becomes a Felony; Florida Slated to Finally Criminalize the Sexual Assault of Animals

The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries will not renew the permit that allows Michael Sandlin, owner of Grosse Tete's Tiger Truck Stop, to display Tony, a ten-year-old Siberian-Bengal tiger.

Baton Rouge Court Grants Permanent Injunction, Ordering Department of Wildlife and Fisheries to Stop Issuing Illegal Permit Allowing Tony to Be Kept on Display in Iberville Parish

Baton Rouge Court to Consider the Animal Legal Defense Fund's Lawsuit Against the Department of Wildlife and Fisheries for Issuing Illegal Permit Allowing Tony to Be Kept on Display in Iberville Parish

Kristin talks about her concern over Tony's captivity.

This is your last chance before the hearing to join the over 27,000 people who have already signed the petition in ALDF's fight to get Tony moved to a reputable and humane big cat sanctuary.

Leo is the latest high-profile supporter to join ALDF's campaign to free Tony.

The University of Arizona James E. Rogers College of Law Student Animal Legal Defense Fund invited any law students who have been writing papers and law review notes on animal-related topics to share their work. Their presentations at our meeting last week were proof that Animal Law is both diverse and thriving in the community.

On April 9th, Congressional Democrats and Republicans alike hailed a "historic" last-minute accord to pass a federal budget and avert a government shutdown. In doing so, both sides did something else historic. They agreed to throw wolves, and one of our nation's proudest and most successful animal protection laws, the Endangered Species Act, under the bus.

Patrick's plight moves many to action.

For those who practice animal law, a persistent debate rages on: of the many options available, which legal path is the best course to take to improve the plight of animals in the United States?

In Ctr. for Biological Diversity v. United States Fish & Wildlife Serv., 2011 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 2349 (C.D. Cal. Jan. 8, 2011), a challenge was brought to a decision of the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, which was made under the authority of the Endangered Species Act, 16 U.S.C. § 1531 et seq., regarding the "kangaroo rat" and his "critical habitat."

Your help is needed today to pass "Cooney's Law" SB 223 and make certain acts of animal cruelty a felony on the first offense!

Great news from Baton Rouge, where Judge Michael Caldwell has ruled in favor of the Animal Legal Defense Fund and Louisiana taxpayers in our lawsuit to free Tony the Tiger from the Tiger Truck Stop in Grosse Tete, Louisiana.

Vampire Pam on HBO's True Blood joins ALDF in the fight to free Tony.

Animal Legal Defense Fund Sues Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries for Issuing Illegal Permit for Tony at Iberville Parish's Tiger Truck Stop

Tough new laws will protect sled dogs and other animals.

Those willing to profit by causing animals to suffer share a disturbing characteristic: they lack empathy.

A first-offense felony provision didn't survive amendments, nonetheless, newly passed SB 2821 is a definite step forward for Mississippi.

A Wisconsin court did not buy the recent argument of two brothers that the Wisconsin animal cruelty statute did not apply to their actions in killing several deer, no matter how cruel or senseless, because they were engaged in taking "wild animals."

This tragic case not only provides a disturbing reminder of the link between cruelty to animals and domestic violence, but also a reminder on the dangers of "free to good home" ads.

It is always good to hear when people are working on behalf of the animals, giving a voice to the voiceless. Here is a recent smattering of updates.

Recently, a program called Sheltering Animals of Abuse Victims (SAAV) was featured in the "O" Magazine, in an article devoted to the link between domestic abuse and animal cruelty.

New Student Animal Legal Defense Fund chapter forms at Mississippi College School of Law.

Despite passage of the "Humane Shelter Law," many Kentucky counties are treating the animals in their care with reckless disregard for the suffering that they are causing.

Help put an end to dogfighting and create strong laws for animals so criminals who use animals for fighting receive meaningful sentences.

The Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) recently released its proposed guidelines on charitable registration for animal welfare organizations. The guidelines indicate that organizations cannot gain charitable status based solely on a purpose to benefit animals.

Baker County, Florida
Case Closed

Barry Law SALDF kicked off the 2010-2011 school year at a student organizations fair held for incoming 1Ls and signed up 30 students who expressed an interest in joining the group.

Desperate Pleas from Fearful Military Pet Owners Prompt Inquiries to Departments of Defense, State

AB 376 seeks to outlaw the practice of using shark fins to make the Chinese delicacy, shark fin soup. The bill has the support of conservationists, scientists and environmental groups, as well as sport and commercial fishermen.

Kentucky residents: support HB 277 and help save shelter animals!

The Utah House of Representatives has just passed House Bill 210 to make it legal for any citizen to shoot an animal he or she believes to be feral in areas where hunting is not prohibited.

National Elephant Day you ask? Perhaps it's not the most Hallmark-ready holiday, but it's a day of celebration nonetheless.

Equal Justice Alliance
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A little over a year ago, we launched our national campaign -- ExposeAnimalAbusers.org -- to raise awareness and garner support for the adoption of animal abuser registry laws across the country.

Last month in Honolulu, Hawaii, Sandra Maloney (age 70) was acquitted by a jury at the end of her trial for second degree animal cruelty after she admitted to killing a peacock with a baseball bat.

Russell Swigart's parole was denied after breaking into his former co-worker's home and brutally stabbed two of her cats to death. Bridgett, the cats' guardian, sent us this letter to express her deep gratitude to all of her supporters.

On Feb. 24, the Guam Legislature voted unanimously to pass Senate Bill 9 which dramatically strengthens the territory's laws protecting animals. Once the bill is signed into law, Guam will finally join the list of U.S. jurisdictions with felony animal abuse penalties.

From an animal rights perspective, no single legislative accomplishment has filled me with such gratification as the unanimous adoption of my animal abuser registry (also known as "Justin's Law").

Today's daily action for National Justice for Animals Week is: make a difference for animals 365 days a year by setting up a monthly contribution to ALDF.

Today's daily action for National Justice for Animals Week is: sign petitions and speak out to lawmakers.

Today's daily action for National Justice for Animals Week is: watch ALDF's "This is Who We Are" video and share it with friends.