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.
Animal Legal Defense Fund et. al. v. Kelly et. al.
The Animal Legal Defense Fund filed a lawsuit in Kansas challenging the constitutionality of the state’s Ag-Gag law, which makes it a crime to document animal cruelty at factory farms and slaughterhouses.
The Animal Legal Defense Fund filed a complaint to require that the USDA provide a substantive response to a rulemaking petition the organization submitted in 2016, which urges the agency to establish animal relocation procedures through APHIS.
Tofurky v. Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry
Animal Legal Defense Fund filed a lawsuit on behalf of Tofurky challenging a Louisiana law that would impose fines of up to $500 per day for every advertisement or sale of plant-based meat products that include terms like “burger” and “sausage,” even when paired with terms like “veggie,” “plant-based,” or “vegan.”
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.
Animal Legal Defense Fund and PETA v. Pymatuning Deer Park
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.
