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 the California Exposition and State Fair and Regents of the University of California on grounds that the State Fair’s inhumane treatment of nursing and pregnant pigs violates state animal cruelty laws.
Charlene Salzer, Mary Elder, and Martha Buffington v. King Kong Zoo, and John Curtis
In 2014 the Animal Legal Defense Fund brought a lawsuit against the King Kong Zoological Park, an unaccredited roadside zoo in Murphy, North Carolina, for violating the state’s animal cruelty laws.
Matthew Hamity v California Department of Food and Agriculture
The Animal Legal Defense Fund sued the the California Department of Food and Agriculture for violating the California Public Records Act by unlawfully withholding records regarding living conditions of hens used by the egg industry in factory farms.
The Animal Legal Defense Fund filed suit against Jim Mack’s Ice Cream Shop in 2014, arguing that the poor conditions under which a bear named Ricki was kept violated Pennsylvania regulations requiring the humane care and treatment of wild animals.
The Animal Legal Defense Fund sued the San Antonio Zoo in 2015 under the Endangered Species Act, due to the zoo’s decision to keep an Asian elephant named Lucky socially isolated from any other elephants and inhumane conditions.
The Animal Legal Defense Fund filed a lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Wildlife Services agency for failing to comply with the National Environmental Policy Act.
