Animal Law Update
The Animal Legal Defense Fund’s Animal Law Update is a series highlighting legal and policy developments in the rapidly emerging field of animal law.
D.C. Pets in Housing Act Aims to Remove Barriers to Housing for Multispecies Families
Effective October 2025, the D.C. Pets in Housing Amendment Act restricts “pet fees” and bans breed and size discrimination in pet-friendly rentals, supporting the policy goal of keeping companion animals with their families, regardless of socioeconomic status.
Mexico Adds Animal Protection to its Constitution
Mexico has become the tenth country to include animal protection in its constitution. The new provisions regarding animal protection and care were signed by Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum in December 2024 and became effective immediately.
Clarifying that Fish are “Animals,” Connecticut Bans the Use of Goldfish as Carnival Prizes
With an amendment to its consumer protection law, Connecticut has made it illegal to use fish as prizes for carnivals and other games.
Massachusetts Bans the Use of Certain Wild Animals in Traveling Circus Acts
Effective January 1, 2025, Massachusetts’s Bill S.2189 bans the use of several species of wild animals in traveling shows. The new law, signed by Governor Maura Healy in summer 2024, protects elephants, big cats, nonhuman primates, bears, and giraffes from being exhibited or forced to perform in mobile acts like circuses, carnivals, and fairs.
B.C. Supreme Court Awards Shared Custody of a Dog After Changes to Family Law Act
In a first-of-its-kind ruling in Canada, the Supreme Court of British Columbia (B.C.) has awarded shared custody of a dog, referencing her best interests, animal sentience, and recent changes to the Family Law Act, which differentiate companion animals from other property in divorce proceedings.
Pet Abduction Bill Becomes Law in England and Northern Ireland
England and Northern Ireland’s Pet Abduction Act 2024 makes it a crime to abduct a companion animal.
Florida Prohibits Public Housing Policies that Restrict Dogs Based on Breed, Size, or Weight
While a positive step forward, Florida’s new law could be strengthened by being more inclusive, covering private rentals as well as public housing.
India’s Punjab and Haryana High Court Rules Animal Rights Outweigh Private Settlement
Court’s finding that animal rights transcend a private settlement entered into by the human parties is a striking example of non-anthropocentric jurisprudence.
Texas and Connecticut Enact Post-Conviction Possession Bans for Animal Cruelty Crimes
Texas and Connecticut have enacted mandatory animal possession bans of up to five years following certain animal cruelty convictions.
Delaware Legislation Enhances Protections for Companion Animals in Families
Delaware’s new legislation recognizes that companion animals are left vulnerable when the law fails to clearly differentiate them, as sentient beings, from other property.
Argentine Court Recognizes Visitation Agreement for Dogs in Divorce Settlement
This decision is significant because it handled the care of companion animals within a divorce framework with recognition they are sentient beings who are members of a multispecies family, rather than mere property.
Related
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California Governor Signs Animal Protection Bills into Law
The Animal Legal Defense Fund sponsored two bills protecting cats and wild animalsOctober 21, 2025 News -
Appeal Filed Over Court Decision Letting EPA Suppress Factory Farm Air Pollution Reporting
The EPA’s rule shields polluters as factory farm emissions kill more people than coal plantsOctober 14, 2025 News -
A Dog Named Smokey Reunites with Guardian After Being Kidnapped
The Animal Legal Defense Fund partnered with spcaLA to take custody of the dog until his guardian could retrieve himOctober 7, 2025 News
