The Litigation Program files high-impact lawsuits against individuals and industries that exploit animals, including factory farms, puppy mills, research laboratories, and roadside zoos. We litigate cases in state and federal courts with the goal of stopping abusive practices and setting ground-breaking precedent that will establish justice for animals in the legal system. In addition to suing animal abusers, we often sue state and federal governments and agencies to invalidate laws and regulations that harm animals; and we intervene in litigation to defend animal protection laws when they are under siege from industries that abuse animals.
The Animal Legal Defense Fund sued Foster Farms, operator of a large slaughterhouse and chicken processing plant in Livingston, California, for its illegal use of vast quantities of water in violation of the California Constitution.
New England Anti-Vivisection Society v. Goldentyer
The Animal Legal Defense Fund filed a lawsuit against the USDA for failure to protect the psychological well-being of primates used in biomedical research.
The Animal Legal Defense Fund is part of a coalition suing the Farm Service Agency for withholding and improperly redacting records regarding the funding of factory farms
Rural Empowerment Association for Community Help v United States Environmental Protection Agency
The Animal Legal Defense Fund joined a lawsuit challenging the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s policy of exempting most factory farms from the legal requirement to report the release of hazardous materials into the environment.
In May 2018, the Animal Legal Defense Fund joined a coalition of consumer, environmental, and animal protection groups opposing the withdrawal of rules that would provide basic protections for farmed animals at organic farms.
People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals v Roy Cooper – Lawsuit filed in 2016
The Animal Legal Defense Fund filed a federal lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of a North Carolina law designed to deter whistleblowers and undercover investigators from publicizing information about corporate misconduct.
Animal Legal Defense Fund v. Food and Drug Administration
The Animal Legal Defense Fund sued the Food and Drug Administration to challenge the agency’s approval of Experior, an animal drug that claims to reduce ammonia emissions from cows on feedlots.
