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

When finally seized by law enforcement, animals who have been abused and neglected by their owners should not sit in cages for months while the defendant’s criminal case drags on.

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

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

On July 1st, California's force-fed foie gras ban will take effect, and the state will take its place as the first to prohibit this diseased and inhumane product.

As part of a school project, several Cyber Academy students recently made a presentation to the Rio Rancho Governing Body urging legislators to consider animal abuser registry legislation in their January session.

Life is a terrible, depressing existence for chimpanzees caught in the web of medical research and testing.

You know you've crossed into the Twilight Zone when celebrity chefs who promote the sale of foie gras, a "delicacy" consisting of the intentionally enlarged livers of force-fed ducks, claim to be victims.

San Bernardino County District Attorney Michael A. Ramos and Senator Bill Emmerson, R-Hemet, recently addressed state legislators on SB 1145, a bill that seeks to increase the fines levied against participants and spectators of illegal cockfights.

Animal protection law takes effect this July.

Steer tailing and horse tripping are tortuous events that have been banned in California and at least eight other states. It is time for the Minnesota State Legislature to step up and ban these rodeo activities. They are animal cruelty, plain and simple.

Urge the USDA not to renew the Animal Welfare Act (AWA) license of Jambbas Ranch in Fayetteville, N.C. due to its repeated and ongoing violations, resulting in the suffering of Ben, a solitary bear, and the other animals kept there.

First-of-its-Kind Legislative Strike Against Laws that Chill Whistleblowing on Farms

Please take a moment to urge Governor Otter to support future strengthening of the animal cruelty law with provisions for felony convictions on the first offense and meaningful penalties for violators.

Take action! While Idaho's new law is a step in the right direction, it lacks provisions for felony convictions on the first offense and meaningful penalties for violators.

Around New Year's Day, OR7, a lone gray wolf from a pack in Oregon, crossed into Northern California, making him the first such wolf in California in nearly 90 years. Now California has been thrust into the debate about how to manage gray wolves.

Food safety risks, animal abuse, and illegal working conditions are rampant on factory farms -- and the corporate agriculture lobby is attempting to pass so-called "ag gag" laws in several states -- laws which would make it illegal to photograph or videotape at agricultural facilities.

Producing foie gras, a delicacy only the uber-rich normally eat, equals animal cruelty.

Bill Would Provide New Defenses to Animal Abusers

Do you know where your food comes from? Let's hope not from Iowa.

Last year, "Windchill's Law" was introduced in the Wisconsin Senate, but it fizzled as the legislative session ended. In a continued effort to strengthen animal abuse laws, state legislators are trying to revive the bill during the current legislative session.

Why big ag is working so hard to keep what goes on behind factory farm gates a secret.

On March 2, Iowa governor Terry Branstad caved to the factory farming industries and signed House File 589, an "ag gag" law designed to keep the public in the dark about the cruelty that pervades modern animal agriculture.

Culminating a great effort to bring breed specific legislation to an end in Ohio, on February 21st, Governor John Kasich officially signed HB 14 into law. Dogs will now to be regarded by their behavior instead of their appearance.

Prevent factory farmers from hiding what goes on behind closed doors.

Food safety risks, animal abuse, and illegal working conditions are rampant on factory farms, and the corporate agriculture lobby is attempting to pass so-called "ag gag" laws -- laws which would make it illegal to photograph or videotape at agricultural facilities, or to possess or distribute such evidence.

Today's daily action for National Justice for Animals Week is: fight animal abuse in one click.

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!

Help prevent the cruel mistreatment of sick and disabled farmed animals!

Contact your federal legislators and ask for their support of the Downed Animal and Food Safety Protection Act.

With the support of marine scientists, environmental groups, and the International Game Fish Association, which keeps track of all sport fishing records, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission voted in November to protect tiger sharks, smooth hammerheads, scalloped hammerheads, and great hammerheads.

With the steady stream of shocking undercover video documenting abuses of America's "food animals" making it into our regular media diet, I am not at all surprised that the factory meat/egg/dairy industries are trying to suppress the free flow of information about their operations.

ALDF combats attempts to criminalize documenting abuse on factory farms.

What laws exist to protect the greatest number of animals used by humans: farmed animals?

Help the Animal Legal Defense Fund expose animal abusers by making a special year-end donation toward our work to protect animals from repeat abuse and win justice for animal victims.

Animal Legal Defense Fund Releases Annual Report Ranking Animal Cruelty Laws Across the Nation; Illinois Remains on Top, Mississippi Shows Most Improvement

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.