Help ban private ownership of exotic animals in Ohio!

California Governor signs law banning shark finning.

West Hollywood is the first municipality in the country to outlaw the sale of fur.

Slowly but surely, our culture and our laws are converging on a consensus that fashion should be pain-free.

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 bill outlawing shark fins in the State of California has cleared a big hurdle and is on its way to a final vote by the full Senate.

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

Animal Legal Defense Fund Seeks Information, Eyewitnesses to Abuse of "Trained" Elephants During Film and Television Productions

Have you witnessed an elephant being neglected, harmed, or mistreated in any way on a California movie set in the past year?

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

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

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

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

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.

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.

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.

Pennsylvania residents: please make a brief, polite call to your state senator and ask support for Senate Bill 626, to finally ban pigeon shoots.

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."

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

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."

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.

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.

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.

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.

At this time of year, elephant seals gather on the beach at Año Nuévo State Park, on the central California coast, to give birth and to mate. The sheer bulk of these magnificent beings -- males are 16 to 18 feet long and can weigh 2.5 tons -- makes them seem almost invulnerable.

On December 18th, 2010, President Obama signed the Truth in Fur Labeling Act, a landmark consumer protection law that will restrict the sale of products containing real fur if they are not accompanied by truthful labeling, no matter their cost.

Many people are otherwise vegetarian, "except for fish" -- "pescatarian," in somewhat-common parlance. Personally, I think it's unarguably morally inconsistent to be an otherwise-ethical vegetarian and still to consume the bodies of fishes who have, there is no doubt, suffered in their deaths.

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.

The Truth in Fur Labeling Act, written by Senator Robert Menendez (D-NJ), was approved by the Senate on December 7, 2010 and is now on its way to President Barack Obama's desk for his signature.

I was amazed to see a story on NPR.org about Chicago's urban coyote population patrolling the city streets. While animal advocates have fought for years to protect coyotes from inhumane traps and poisons, the City of Chicago has chosen to take the higher ground and coexist with these beautiful animals.

186 chimpanzees who were supposedly retired from use in research will be called back into service as research subjects in 2011.

Animal Legal Defense Fund Urges Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries to Revoke Illegal Permit for "Tony" at Iberville Parish's Tiger Truck Stop

On October 27th, a federal judge in Philadelphia approved a plan to allow sharpshooters to control the deer population at Valley Forge National Historical Park.

Arizona voters rejected Proposition 109 in an effort to protect wildlife, while in Missouri, voters passed Proposition B, the Puppy Mill Cruelty Prevention Act.

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

Please contact the zoos in your state and ask them to document their policies on "animal loans" for you.

Despite the public's concern over wild horse roundups, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) continues to blaze forward with roundups across the western United States. Tragically, these roundups often result in the death of or injury to the horses they are said to protect.

By passing SB 1345, the California legislature is allowing the import into the Golden State of kangaroo products for five more years, so that companies such as Adidas can legally sell soccer shoes made from kangaroos.

ALDF files suit against BP to prevent the burning alive of endangered sea turtles.

My trip to Australia has reminded me that the exploitation of other animals by human beings is not limited to one culture or one country. And, our duty is to speak up for the animals, even those outside our continental borders, as they will never have a voice unless and until we give them one.

On a recent trip to Chicago, I took time to take a walk through the city's Millennium Park downtown. Passing through one section of the park I saw a man carrying a net, usually used for scooping fish out of water, and peering through the cracks in the boardwalk we were on. Curious, and admittedly a bit skeptical, I asked him what he was looking for. The answer? Ducklings.

I'm tired; I'm soggy, but I've had a truly wonderful day. When I awoke this morning, I saw that it was raining hard, a cold and blustery winter's day here in Adelaide. I thought that my one chance to see kangaroos had slipped away, due to the inclement weather. But, the Hon. Ian Hunter M.L.C. a Labor Member of Parliament, took pity on this poor American woman and drove me to a place where kangaroos reside.

I want to introduce you to some very special beings. One is Marilyn Mills, who runs a sanctuary for kangaroos. The other special beings are the kangaroos she works so hard to protect.

As I travel through Australia, I am meeting many fascinating and knowledgeable people. Marilyn Mills, of Wildlife Advocate, Inc., runs a sanctuary for kangaroos and described several of the kangaroos who have become treasured members of her extended family.

Have you ever felt so passionate about a social issue... yet when you explain your position to others, rather than igniting a similar passion their eyes just glaze over? Since I started learning about the plight of the three elephants at Seattle's Woodland Park Zoo a year ago, I've experienced this frustration over and over again.

Sadly, the wild horse roundup in Nevada resumed yesterday despite the death of 21 horses and several others being treated for painful colic and brain swelling due to dehydration and exhaustion.

Why we must continue our fight for the animals affected by the Gulf oil spill.

How do the latest developments in the Gulf affect the animals living there?

Help stop this massacre of America's wild horses!

Help stop this massacre of America's wild horses!

Animal Legal Defense Fund Announces Temporary Reprieve for Wildlife Being Illegally Killed in Gulf Clean-Up Efforts

Today, the Animal Legal Defense Fund, along with several other groups, filed suit in federal court against BP for burning critically endangered sea turtles in the Gulf of Mexico, in violation of the Endangered Species Act and other federal laws.

Immediate Protection Sought for Wildlife Being Illegally Killed in Gulf Clean-Up Efforts

Urge the City of Seattle to stop funding the Woodland Park Zoo's cruel elephant exhibit.

Help win justice for Chai, Bamboo, Watoto and Sri by making a special donation and signing the petition today. Shamefully, the Woodland Park Zoo continues to use taxpayer money to exploit its elephants for profit while failing to provide them with adequate care. Together, we can stop this abuse.

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

Japan, Norway, and Iceland allowed to continue hunts.

"Compromise plan" facing a vote this week.

An eyewitness account of the Gulf Coast.

Whether they are kept as pets, hunted for food, photographed by divers, farmed in hatcheries, experimented on in research, or admired in koi ponds, there is law to address the endeavor. The following are just a few examples of fish and their place in the law.

For a community to effectively address interpersonal violence, it must have tools which allow it to focus on the conduct of the abusers and not be distracted by the social status of the victims.

Pennsylvania is the last state to openly practice live pigeon shoots -- an archaic competition where live pigeons are used as shooting targets. Please help put an end to this cruel and barbaric event by contacting your Pennsylvania state legislators and asking them to support House Bill 1411 and Senate Bill 843.

Disturbing cases like Tony's are made worse by the fact that what laws and regulations apply to the keeping of “exotic animals” are inconsistent and often under-enforced.

Are we able to deal with the tragic consequence of massive spills?

Obama backs plan to lift ban on commercial whaling.

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?

Thanks to a huge public outcry, the California Fish and Game Commission voted unanimously Wednesday to not move forward with its radical changes to bear hunting regulations that would have allowed even more bear killing in the state.

China Considers First Comprehensive Animal Protection Law

ALDF's Stephen Wells' first-hand account of whales in the wild.

Take action before March 13 to protect California's bears!

Whale that killed trainer is reintroduced to Sea World.

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

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.

Sutter County, California
Case Closed

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.

Podcasts are now available of Animal Law: The Links, The Animal Law Conference at Lewis & Clark, hosted by the Center for Animal Law Studies and the Student Animal Legal Defense Fund at Lewis & Clark Law School.

In Center for Biological Diversity v. United States Dept. of the Interior, 581 F.3d 1063 (9th Cir. 2009), a divided three-judge panel of the Ninth Circuit determined that the United States Department of the Interior ("DOI") and the Bureau of Land Management ("BLM") had failed to properly evaluate the environmental impacts, including the impact on wildlife, of a proposed land exchange.

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.

Sometimes, it's the subtle details that hit you right between the eyes. I've just returned from the annual animal law conference held at Lewis & Clark Law School in Portland, Oregon and throughout this excellent conference, I felt the presence of something else... something that is new and wonderful and growing.

In March of 1981, the U.S. Navy secretly shot and killed 648 feral burros at the Naval Weapons Center in China Lake, California. In the organization's first big case, ALDF, representing the Animal Protection Institute and the Fund for Animals, argued that the Navy had violated the National Environmental Policy Act.

Happy Birthday, Animal Legal Defense Fund! I'm proud of what we have accomplished and thrilled to still be a part of you. The best is yet to come...

Join us as we celebrate our 30th anniversary!

Volume 2 of the Stanford Journal of Animal Law and Policy (SJALP) is now online.