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 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.
The Animal Legal Defense Fund joined a coalition in suing the U.S Department of Agriculture for issuing a final rule allowing pig slaughterhouses nationwide to police themselves and kill pigs at very high line speeds.
Animal Legal Defense Fund v. Special Memories Zoo, LLC et al.
In September 2019, the Animal Legal Defense Fund sent a notice of intent to sue Special Memories Zoo, a roadside zoo in Greenville, Wisconsin, for violations of the Endangered Species Act, state cruelty laws, and public nuisance statutes.
