Rory Freedman's new book, Beg: A Radical New Way of Regarding Animals, offers a guide for people looking to get involved to help animals.

Today’s daily action for National Justice for Animals Week is: Fight animal abuse from your home computer.

ALDF Crime Tips is a first-of-its-kind app designed to help you help animals—by letting you report abuse and neglect of animals in your community right from your phone.

Abusers of animals are five times as likely to harm humans. Nearly half of the victims who stay in violent households do so because they are afraid for their animals. The "link" between violence against humans and animals is clear. But there are resources that can help.

In California, when a dog, cat or other companion animal is negligently or intentionally injured, the animal’s legal owner may now attempt to recover compensation for the treatment and care of the animal.

I have been the doting mom to three rescued cats, which means I have a lot of cat pics to share. Tell us your rescue story, enter the Rescue Tails photo contest today!

Black cats enjoy seasonal fame around Halloween, but are overlooked in shelters year-round. Share your rescue story, enter the Rescue Tails photo contest today!

Tony, a Siberian-Bengal tiger, paces on the hard concrete surface of his cage. He has spent every day and night of the last eleven years on display at the Tiger Truck Stop in Grosse Tete, Louisiana – nearly his whole life. It’s no life for a tiger, or any other animal.

Animal Legal Defense Fund and County Residents Had Sued Shelter for Failure to Protect Shelter Animals

Please contact your Senators, urging them to pass A3431D as written to ban devocalization and protect New York’s beloved animals today.

The Wall Street Journal recently reported that "Every Friday morning, a small courtroom in this Texas city becomes a kennel of jurisprudence." The city has indeed found a novel way of dealing with the animal-related cases that were on the rise.

This is for everyone who has deeply loved and lost a companion animal. This is not an exhaustive list by any means. It is just a collection of a few things I found helpful as I struggled with my own intense grief after losing my beloved German shepherd Alec in the summer of 2010.

Legal victory stops systematic abuses at a Kentucky animal shelter.

Kentucky Woman Represented by the Animal Legal Defense Fund Had Sued County for Failure to Protect Shelter Animals as Mandated by State Law

I consider myself a compassionate person. Yet, I know that there are situations in which I have let myself and others down, where the limits of my compassion have been reached. With that knowledge, I'm working on enlarging and strengthening my own compassion.

Please take a moment today to contact Governor Brown and your state legislators! Urge them to oppose any legislation that will remove existing protections for homeless and lost companion animals.

Oppose legislation that will remove existing protections for homeless and lost companion animals!

Cue the holiday clichés--snow gently falling amidst the evergreens, sipping cocoa by firelight, and the most adorable holiday cliché of all--rescued animals in outerwear!

The fact is that animals do not make good gifts because these animals are not toys -- they are living beings that require a lifetime of constant care, support, love, and attention.

Co-author Lisa Turner is the president of the Texas Wesleyan SALDF chapter. This article appeared in the November issue of the Texas Bar Journal, which was devoted to animal law.

Pet theft remains a terrible reality across the country. Often underlying these crimes are dogfighters seeking "bait" animals and dealers acquiring animals to sell to research and breeding operations. Find out what you can do to help.

'Tis the season to spread holiday cheer with ALDF gifts and holiday cards!

Contact your legislators and let them know that you are concerned about animal abuse and domestic violence in your community.

More than a quarter-million Americans have already signed the Animal Legal Defense Fund's Animal Bill of Rights. Sign on your support and speak out to your lawmakers today!

Parma, Ohio joins 17 other cities in officially recognizing pets as family members, changing the phrase pet "owner" to pet "guardian" with regard to all animal-related ordinances.

Veterinarians play an integral role in the fight against animal cruelty. Download ALDF's quick reference guide for state by state information regarding veterinarians' duty to report suspected animal cruelty.

The Los Angeles City Council moved to make it illegal to buy animals from vendors on public streets or sidewalks.

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

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.

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").

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

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.

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

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

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.

Everyone has certain things that bother them and one of the things that really vexes me is when people refer to animals as "it." Ooh, like nails scratching on a chalk board.

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

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.

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.

Thank you to everyone who signed the petition and wrote letters to the Kentucky Parole Board!

Kenton County, Kentucky
Case Closed

Several criticisms were created by the sentence imposed by Plymouth County, Massachusetts District Court Judge Beverly Cannone in the Heidi Erickson animal neglect case.

Thanks to your support, the Animal Legal Defense Fund has pushed the U.S. legal system to end the suffering of abused animals for over 30 years.

December is for many a time to practice generosity, deliberate generosity not only toward the near and the dear, but also toward the not so near -- and indeed even the not so dear. It's traditionally a time to acknowledge those who make our personal worlds go 'round, and indulge in the hopefulness which each beginning year seems to offer.

As the holiday season quickly approaches, it is probably a good time to reflect on some important rules of thumb when it comes to our companion animals.

As the winner of ALDF's first-ever Rescue "Tails" Photo Contest, Toto is now the featured feline on ALDF's 2010 holiday card. Show your support for ALDF's work for animals as you share your season's greeting with your friends and loved ones.

Decrepit County facility brought under fire

What should be a place of refuge for homeless animals is more like a filthy prison. That's why an outraged citizen is filing a lawsuit against Clay County, Kentucky today, taking the county to task for extreme neglect of animals at the county's shelter, neglect that violates Kentucky's Humane Shelter Law.

After receiving more than 100 entries in our first ever Rescue "Tails" Photo Contest, and more than 2,500 votes on our five finalists, the Animal Legal Defense Fund is thrilled to announce our winner--Toto!

Were you ever that passionate? Were you ever that hopeful?

1.5 Million New Yorkers and their Animals Will Have More Protection from Repeat Offenders

Cast your vote between now and October 31st!

A wave of loud cheers and clapping erupting inside El Paso City Hall on Tuesday, October 5, as El Paso, Texas joined the growing list of cities across the U.S. that have committed to reducing pet euthanasia rates and animal cruelty by regulating local pet stores.

Nation's first animal abuser registry could be just around the corner.

Last night, the U.S. Senate voted unanimously to pass the language of S. 3841 through a substitute amendment to H.R. 5566 which will ban the sale of animal crush videos.

It's time for the U.S. Senate to act on anti-crush legislation. Contact your Senators today and ask them to support S. 3841!

On August 31, 2010, the California Assembly voted to defeat SB 250, the "Pet Responsibility Act," ending longstanding efforts to pass the law, at least for the rest of this legislative session.

We want to see photos of YOUR rescued animals!

Suffolk County lawmakers have proposed a county registry that will keep animals away from abusers. If the law passes, Suffolk County will be the first municipality in the nation to have an Animal Abuser Registry.

Please send a letter to your senators and representatives through ALDF's website and ask them to join Senators Menendez, Durbin, and Lieberman and ALDF in amending this regulation to ensure accurate reporting about the real risks to animals shipped in cargo holds.

Your call can help stem the travesty of the 500,000+ companion animals that are euthanized every year in California. SB 250 -- the Pet Responsibility Act -- is now ready for a final assembly vote and your Assemblymember needs to hear from you today!

Due to South Dakota's consistent low rating in ALDF's annual State Animal Protection Laws Rankings, I read with interest a June 23, 2010 opinion that came down from the Supreme Court of South Dakota: State v. Fifteen Impounded Cats. While the Court's ultimate ruling is a desirable one, I take issue with the underlying reasoning used to get there.

In May 2010, at the Clinton County, New York home of Michael Malpass, police discovered six dead animals along with eighteen cats and three dogs suffering from severe neglect in conditions so filthy that the house was condemned.

Here's a fun and easy way to raise awareness about the importance of spaying and neutering companion animals -- order a California "Spay & Neuter" license plate!

Clinton County, New York
Case Closed

Despite a $22 million public investment in a new state-of-the-art animal shelter, Sacramento County's animals are now at great risk. Two years of County budget cuts have meant a 40-percent reduction in animal care staff and limited public hours for reuniting lost pets with their families and adopting out homeless animals. And it could get worse.

Campaign Follows Animal Legal Defense Fund's Lawsuits Challenging Inhumane Conditions at County Shelters

Celebrated actress Ashley Judd, known as much for her smarts as her gorgeous looks (she's currently a graduate student at Harvard), has a big heart for animals, too.

Many Kentucky county shelters are treating the animals in their care with reckless disregard for the suffering that they are causing. Sign ALDF's petition today!

MINE the movie DVDs now available

Movie explores Hurricane Katrina's impact on animals and their guardians

Last year, Americans spent roughly $18 billion dollars on coffee—and virtually nothing to protect animals from some of the worst abuses imaginable. Is this who we are?

On April 2, 2010, a jury found Allison Dinsmore not guilty of felony animal cruelty for allegedly abandoning her two cats for weeks, leaving them to die horrible deaths by starvation in her apartment.

China Considers First Comprehensive Animal Protection Law

New law to protect "puppy-mill" dogs in effect and improved pet-related legislation one step closer to becomeing law.

Vikki Rene Kittles, also known as Susan Dietrich, Rene Depenbrock, and Lynn Zellan, has a history of animal hoarding that goes back decades and spans the United States from the Southeast to the Northwest.

Bill to make torturing cats and dogs a felony dies in the legislature.

Please visit ExposeAnimalAbusers.org and urge your state lawmakers to propose legislation for an animal abuser registry in your state.

Tiffany Wasserburger is the county attorney for Scotts Bluff County, Nebraska. Tiffany's tireless prosecution has helped provide second chances for countless animals, including Max the kitten.

I had the honor of helping assist in the final stages of drafting a proposed statutory amendment in Illinois that has been introduced in the house as House Bill 5772, and in the Senate as Senate Bill 3594. The bill is referred to as the Dogs and Cats Disclosures Bill.

As we celebrate Valentine's Day, I hope that you will join me in celebrating our furriest family members, these creatures who bring us so much love and goodwill, so many moments of laughter and a deeper understanding of them and ourselves.

New bill allows veterinarians to report suspected cases of animal cruelty.

ALDF would like to recognize the contributions of State Attorney Katherine Fernandez Rundle and Assistant State Attorney Michael Von Zamft for their efforts in a brutal crime spree where 19 cats were found killed and mutilated in neighborhoods throughout Florida's Miami-Dade County.

Change.org has launched their Ideas for Change in America 2010‏ competition, and your vote is needed to win better rights for animals!

Bob Barker may best be known as the beloved host of the longest running TV game show in history. But "The Price is Right" host is also a long-time advocate for animals and is the keynote speaker at Animal Legal Defense Fund's "Future of Animal Law" conference on April 9-11 at Harvard Law School.

An amicus curiae brief permits a non-party to offer its view of a case, typically premised on either its interest in the outcome or its expertise in the field. The Animal Legal Defense Fund submits amicus briefs in a wide variety of cases, working to advance the interests of animals by urging courts to recognize their own interests and their special value to humans.

I used to dread the holiday season. Like many people, I allowed myself to be burdened with obligations that felt overwhelming. I've let go of a lot of those obligations and in recent years, I've begun to concentrate more on what the spiritual meaning of the season is.

Great year-end news for homeless Kentucky animals!

Why are certain states in the dog house when it comes to getting tough on animal abuse?

ALDF releases annual report ranking animal cruelty laws across the nation.

This report - the only one of its kind in the nation - ranks the animal protection laws of every state based on their relative strength and general comprehensiveness.

Max can now play, cuddle and catnap without fear.

Please take a few minutes to complete this important survey about the value of companion animals.

I have long been an advocate of keeping animal abusers out of shelters and on more than one occasion I've criticized a judge for ordering a defendant convicted of animal abuse to work off community service hours at the local animal shelter. However, as life has a way of proving, sometimes there are exceptions to the general rule.

One of the driving issues behind the field of animal law is the disconnect between the law's description of animals as "property" with the understanding so many of us have that animals are much more than that - most of the tens of millions of Americans who share their homes with dogs, cats, and other animal companions would agree that they are, most definitely, members of the family.

It is exceedingly rare to hear anything positive regarding animals and Kentucky law. Yet despite the continuing legal and political morass surrounding the state's animal protection laws, we are happy to commend the prosecutors of Kenton County who were the first to successfully utilize the only animal protection law strengthened in Kentucky last year, when they recently secured a felony conviction against a man charged with stabbing to death two cats.

ALDF Submits Amicus Brief Supporting Anti-cruelty Law