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 filed a class-action lawsuit against a network of individuals and businesses who conspired with California pet stores to sell puppy mill dogs mislabeled as “rescues.”
The Animal Legal Defense Fund filed a lawsuit against the Kenney family seeking to end their deceptive marketing and sale of puppies, and to recover damages for those who were victimized by the puppy traffickers’ unscrupulous conduct.
The Animal Legal Defense Fund filed a lawsuit on behalf of animal advocates who’ve been prevented from posting critical comments regarding animal experimentation on the Health and Human Services (HHS) otherwise public social media pages. The HHS is primarily charged with funding and promoting research on animals.
Miyoko’s Kitchen v. California Dep’t of Food and Agriculture
The Animal Legal Defense Fund filed a lawsuit against the California Department of Food and Agriculture on behalf of vegan food producer Miyoko’s Creamery, after the agency instructed the company to stop using terms like "dairy" and "butter" on its product
Animal Legal Defense Fund, et al. v. Kimberly Reynolds, et al.
The Animal Legal Defense Fund, together with a coalition of public interest groups represented by Public Justice, filed a lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Iowa, challenging the constitutionality of the recently-passed Iowa Recording Ban — a new Ag-Gag law.
The Animal Legal Defense Fund sued the USDA in federal court for reissuing an Iowa roadside zoo license despite frequent violations recorded by the USDA’s own inspectors, including inadequate staffing, filthy enclosures, and deficient veterinary care.
Tule elk are a beloved fixture at the Point Reyes National Seashore in Marin County, California. But the National Park Service (NPS), the federal agency responsible for protecting them, is failing at the task — with numerous elk suffering and dying as a result of its negligence.
