Regulation

A law is only as strong as its rate of enforcement

The Animal Legal Defense Fund brings lawsuits to enforce animal protection laws. But sometimes we aren’t able to sue, to help animals who are being harmed.

This may be because there is no law being violated, or because the government agencies charged with enforcing the laws refuse to do so and we do not have the standing to bring a lawsuit ourselves.

Government agencies are often tasked with interpreting and implementing laws. This includes regulations that agencies create and execute. The body of law involving these agencies is called “administrative law,” and the process of enacting and enforcing rules and regulations is the “regulatory process.”

We advocate for better, stronger animal protection laws and regulations. And we also use the regulatory process, to urge agencies to fulfill their duties and protect animals to the extent required by the law.

Here are some ways that the Animal Legal Defense Fund works within the regulatory process to protect animals:

  • We file petitions for rulemaking: The Administrative Procedures Act allows any person or organization to request that a federal agency issue, amend or repeal a rule or regulation. We ask for tougher regulations and rules that are within the agency’s purview.
  • We submit comments on proposed rules and regulations: Agencies considering changes to rules or regulations, or new rules or regulations, will solicit comments from the public and interested organizations. These comments must be considered, before the proposed changes may be made.
  • We also put out alerts encouraging the public to submit comments of their own so the agency will aware that this is an issue people care about — and, with a critical mass of comments, will be inclined to respond to the public’s concerns. This is a critically important part of the regulatory process.
  • We ask agencies to fulfill their regulatory duties: Regulations and rules must be enforced, to be effective. The Animal Legal Defense Fund urges agencies to fulfill their regulatory duties, when they have failed to do so — and we issue alerts asking the public to do the same.This is an especially helpful course of action when someone is violating the law in ways that harm animals, but there is no “standing” for us to bring a lawsuit.

When possible and necessary, these requests may be followed by lawsuits, asking courts to compel agencies to fulfill their legal duties.

Recent Cases

coyote
Wildlife

Ending Killing Contests in Colorado

Regulation enacted on April 30, 2020
In 2020, Colorado adopted regulations banning killing contests for coyotes and foxes, as well as other small mammals.
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fox
Wildlife

Ending Killing Contests in Massachusetts

Regulation enacted on December 18, 2019
In 2019, Massachusetts adopted regulations banning killing contests for certain animals, including coyotes, foxes, and bobcats.
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Animals Used in Research

Urging the NIH to recognize that chimeric should be protected as human research subjects

Comments filed in 2016
The Animal Legal Defense Fund submitted comments to the NIH urging the agency to recognize that chimeric and transgenic animals with humanized cognition should be protected as human research subjects.
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Animals Used in Research, Captive Animals

Urging the USDA to Stop Rubber-Stamping Animal Welfare Act Licenses

Animal Legal Defense Fund submitted comments
In 2017, the Animal Legal Defense Fund submitted comments to the U.S. Department of Agriculture urging changes to the way the agency grants Animal Welfare Act (AWA) license renewals.
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Companion Animals

Federal Trade Commission Urged to Investigate Pet Leasing Industry

Comments submitted to the FTC
The Animal Legal Defense Fund sent a complaint to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) urging it to investigate the pet leasing industry for deceiving consumers.
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Animals Used in Research

Ending Research on Captive Chimpanzees

Filed Comments in Opposition to Captive Chimpanzee testing
The Animal Legal Defense Fund filed comments to the National Institutes of Health urging the agency to adopt a proposal to severely restrict research on captive chimpanzees.
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