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.
Illinois Law Expands “Pet Custody” Principles Beyond Marriage
With passage of the Companion Animal Custody Equity Act, Illinois is the first state to empower courts to consider the animal’s well-being in possession disputes regardless of marital status.
Indiana Expands Emergency Rescue Law and Modernizes Animal Cruelty Standards
Effective July 1, 2026, Indiana’s House Enrolled Act 1165 grants full civil and criminal immunity to members of the public who rescue endangered animals from locked vehicles, modernizes animal cruelty standards, amends domestic violence animal cruelty to address coercive control, and removes the monetary cap for felony theft.
Constitutional Court of Colombia Upholds—and Expands—Bullfighting Ban
In September 2025, the Constitutional Court of Colombia not only upheld a nationwide ban on bullfighting but also struck down exemptions for cockfighting and related events where cattle are injured and killed for sport.
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.
Related
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NYC Council Passes Romanch’s Law in Historic Vote to End Horse-Drawn Carriages by 2028
The bill will responsibly phase out the horse drawn cab industry to make NYC safer for allOctober 22, 2026 Press Release -
ALDF Announces Caitlin Hawks as New Executive Director
The Animal Legal Defense Fund today announced Caitlin Hawks as its new executive director.October 21, 2026 Press Release -
Group Seeks Federal Action to Protect the Last Remaining Solitary Pet Chimpanzee in the U.S.
Bow, an endangered chimpanzee, is being held in solitary confinement in violation of federal lawOctober 20, 2026 Press Release
