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 v. United States Department of Agriculture
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.
New England Anti-Vivisection Society v. Goldentyer
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.
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
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.
Animal Legal Defense Fund v. U.S. Department of Agriculture
A lawsuit was filed against the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) for renewing Robert Sawmiller’s license to engage in activities regulated by the Animal Welfare Act (AWA).
Animal Legal Defense Fund v U.S. Food and Drug Administration
The Animal Legal Defense Fund filed a federal lawsuit to compel the FDA to produce inspection reports of factory egg farms without censoring important information about the hen population and living conditions.
North American Meat Institute v. Xavier Becerra et. al.
A coalition of animal protection organizations filed a motion to intervene in a lawsuit to join California in defending the constitutionality of the Prevention of Cruelty to Farm Animals Act.
Animal Legal Defense Fund and Rise for Animals v. United States Department of Agriculture
The Animal Legal Defense Fund filed a lawsuit against the USDA under FOIA for the agency’s failure to respond to a request for public records related to the inconsistent inspection process of nonhuman primate research facilities.
