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Litigation – List of Cases

Filing High Impact Lawsuits that Expand the Protections for Animals Under the Law

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.

Challenging Emergency Declaration for Border Wall

The Animal Legal Defense Fund filed a lawsuit arguing that the administration’s emergency declaration — to justify constructing a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border — was unlawful.
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Challenging Iowa’s Ag-Gag 2.0 Law

The Animal Legal Defense Fund filed a lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of Iowa’s new Ag-Gag law.
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Challenging the Inhumane Treatment of Animals at Pymatuning Deer Park Roadside Zoo

The Animal Legal Defense Fund and People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) filed a lawsuit against Pymatuning Deer Park, a roadside zoo in Jamestown, Pennsylvania.
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Defending San Francisco’s Fur Ban

The Animal Legal Defense Fund intervened to defend San Francisco’s ban on the sale of fur products against a fur industry lawsuit

Animal Welfare Records Blackout

In 2017, the Animal Legal Defense Fund sued the United States Department of Agriculture for removing tens of thousands of animal welfare records from the agency’s website. Referred to as the Animal Welfare Blackout.
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Compelling the USDA to Protect Primates Used in Research

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.
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Challenging Restrictions on Plant-Based Dairy Marketing

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

Challenging the USDA for Reissuing Roadside Zoo’s License

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.

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