Animal Legal Defense Fund's annual study ranks laws across the country.

Take a moment to speak out for horses!

Current regulations under the Endangered Species Act have created an illogical and self-defeating double standard that grants "wild" chimpanzees vital protections under the Act, while denying "captive" chimpanzees in the United States any protection at all.

Call Congress today!

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!

California passed several significant bills into law targeting persons who victimize animals, including the following.

The Animal Legal Defense Fund, PETA, and three individuals filed a lawsuit against the National Marine Fisheries Service for violating the Administrative Procedure Act by excluding Lolita, a solitary orca who has been confined to a tiny concrete tank at the Miami Seaquarium for more than 40 years, from the Endangered Species Act.

By moving towards this next level of laws, we can continue to advance the interests of animals through the legal system and in so doing, help make their lives more valued and meaningful.

Help ban private ownership of exotic animals in Ohio!

More than 2.1 million people -- and millions of animals -- now protected.

California Governor signs law banning shark finning.

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

Help stop the abuse and slaughter of horses for human consumption!

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 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.

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

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.

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

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.

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

Abusers Beware – Your Punishment Can Now Fit Your Crime

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!

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").

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."

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.

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.

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.

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

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

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.

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!

Tough new laws will protect sled dogs and other animals.

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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: sign petitions and speak out to lawmakers.

The veterinarian told us Justin was rescued "just in time" after the Suffolk County, New York SPCA removed him from a foreclosed house in May 2010 where he was left abandoned with no food or water. Justin at the time of his rescueWeighing only 19 pounds, he was a skeleton with skin.

Today's daily action for National Justice for Animals Week is: suggest a caption for the recent photo of Justin, the week's official mascot.

The co-sponsor of National Justice for Animals Week 2011, Jon Cooper was elected legislator for the 18th district in Suffolk County, New York in November 1999. In October 2010, Jon sponsored a landmark bill, passed unanimously by Suffolk County lawmakers, to create the nation's first animal abuser registry.

Suffolk County, New York Majority Leader Jon Cooper is joining the Animal Legal Defense Fund in sponsoring National Justice for Animals Week 2011, February 20 – 26.

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.

Mississippi, one of the "Worst Five States" in the Animal Legal Defense Fund's latest animal protection laws rankings report, is one step closer to leaving the infamous list of the final four states currently without any felony animal cruelty penalties.

In November 2010, we reported that voters in Missouri, often infamously referred to as the "puppy mill capital of the nation," passed Proposition B -- the Puppy Mill Cruelty Prevention Act. The law is scheduled to go into effect later in 2011, but a fight has now begun to repeal or change the new law.

Ringing in the New Year also meant the start of some new animal protection laws that took effect on January 1st. Here are a few of them.

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.

The Animal Legal Defense Fund released its fifth annual State Animal Protection Laws report today, ranking all fifty states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and other U.S. territories for the general comprehensiveness and relative strength of their respective animal protection laws.

Kentucky, North Dakota, Idaho, Mississippi and Iowa are the five best states in the country to be an animal abuser, according to a new report released by the Animal Legal Defense Fund.

ALDF's fifth annual report, the longest-running and most authoritative report of its kind, ranks each jurisdiction on the relative strength and comprehensiveness of their current animal protection laws.

Despite heightened public awareness, puppy mills continue to plague communities across the nation.

New law makes it a crime to sell crush videos.

Help protect animals from repeat abuse and bring justice to animal victims.

The Senate, following the House, passed legislation on November 19th to ban the selling of videos that depict the abuse, mutilation, torture, and killing of animals.

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?

Turkish animal rights activists are seeking to criminalize the abuse of animals after collecting a record number of signatures for a petition campaign.

Last week, we shared the exciting news about the first-ever animal abuser registry being enacted. It wasn't just the first such registry in the U.S.A, but quite likely the first one in the world.

The Associated Press on September 16th reported that a man accused of dragging a "stubborn" horse alongside his truck has become the first person convicted by a Puerto Rico jury under an animal protection law enacted after dogs were thrown to their deaths from a bridge.

The Suffolk County Legislature unanimously approved a bill Tuesday, October 12th, to create a law establishing a county registry for animal abuse offenders. Suffolk County is home to 1.5 million human residents and an untold number of animal residents.

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

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.

Please contact Senator Wayne Kuipers (Chair) and the other Members of the Senate Judiciary Committee and ask them to pass HB 5655, 5656 & 5668. These three bills would give law enforcement new legal tools to help combat the growing scourge of animal fighting.

This November, Missouri voters will have the opportunity to change the state's reputation as being the "puppy mill capital of the United States."

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!

Contact your United States Representative today and ask him or her to help end the abusive practice of transporting horses by double-decker trailers and to stop the slaughter of horses for human consumption by supporting H.R. 305 and H.R. 503.

European Union passes "Protection of Animals Used for Scientific Purposes" law, providing for better lab animal welfare

New Jersey is considering S539, a state law that would strengthen the penalties associated with the crime of dogfighting and enable prosecutors to charge dogfighting ringleaders under New Jersey's RICO ("Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations") statute.

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.

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.

GazetteXtra.com reports that because a Milton, WI, man has been accused of shooting a dog with a bow and arrow for essentially no reason at all, a state legislator has proposed a tougher law against pet assaults, making the type of crime allegedly committed a felony in the future, instead of a misdemeanor.

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!

Deprived of legal protection, animals are defenseless against exploitation and abuse by humans. Check out ALDF's 30-second public service announcement version of our "This Is Who We Are" video.

ALDF Urges City to Reduce Pet Overpopulation and Protect Consumers and Animals from Cruel Puppy Mills by Banning Retail Pet Sales

Welcoming thousands of legislators and staff-members from around the country, Kentucky was the host state for this year's National Summit of State Legislators. From July 25 – 28, state legislators gathered in Louisville to exchange ideas and educate themselves on current legislative trends.

Earlier this week the New York Times published an editorial called "Disgusting but Not Illegal," which defends animal crush videos as free speech. Not only does the Times' editorial ignore the reality of these videos, but it also misreads the text of the new bill to ban their sale and distribution.