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.
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.
Argentine Court Declares Cougar a “Subject of Rights”
Argentine court has declared a cougar to be a “subject of rights,” providing for her “total freedom” while — in a move noted by some to be contradictory — also granting custody of her to the Buenos Aires Eco-park.
Ecuador’s Constitutional Court Rules Wild Animals Are Subjects of Legal Rights Under the Rights of Nature
In January 2022, the Constitutional Court of Ecuador issued a landmark ruling that individual wild animals are subjects of legal rights under Ecuador’s “rights of nature” constitutional provision. The case involved a woolly monkey who was taken from the wild as a baby and kept unlawfully in a private home for 18 years.
Madrid Court Awards Joint Custody of a Dog in a Pioneering Ruling
In a pioneering ruling issued in October 2021, a Madrid court awarded joint custody of a dog, explicitly recognizing the emotional bond between the plaintiff and the animal.
Delhi High Court Rules that Community Dogs Have the Right to Food
In an important decision, the Delhi High Court ruled that community dogs have the right to food and that citizens have the right to feed them. The animal-forward ruling emphasized the species-specific needs and inherent value of community dogs, also called stray or street dogs, and included broad guidance regarding their feeding.
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Resources to Support Those Affected by Recent Fires
The Animal Legal Defense Fund is heartbroken watching the impact of the recent fires unfolding on news and social media, and hearing reports from our staff, supporters, friends, and family in the Los Angeles area. No matter where you are located, these recent record-breaking storms remind all of us that disaster preparedness is critical.January 10, 2025 News -
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Declawing is a cruel surgical procedure to remove the last bone in a cat's toesJanuary 9, 2025 News -
Animals Begin New Lives at Sanctuaries After Rescue from Pennsylvania Roadside Zoo
The settlement agreement involves relocating 45 captive animals from a bleak roadside zoo to peaceful sanctuary homes over a five-year periodDecember 19, 2024 News
