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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 the Treatment of Animals at Farmers Inn

In 2018 the Animal Legal Defense Fund sent a notice of intent to sue Farmers Inn, a roadside zoo in Sigel, Pennsylvania, for violations of the Endangered Species Act and state public nuisance standards based on violations of state wildlife protection laws.
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Challenging Wisconsin’s Hunting Statute as a First Amendment Violation

The Animal Legal Defense Fund filed a lawsuit in federal court aiming to strike down a Wisconsin statute banning photographing, videotaping, approaching, or even “maintaining a visual or physical proximity to” a hunter.
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Defending California’s Landmark Farmed Animal Protection Law, Proposition 12

For the second time, the Animal Legal Defense Fund has intervened to help California defend its landmark farmed animal protection law, Proposition 12. The case will next be heard by the U.S. Supreme Court.

Challenging Arkansas’s Ag-Gag Law

The Animal Legal Defense Fund, with a coalition of public interest groups, filed a lawsuit in Arkansas challenging the constitutionality of the state’s Ag-Gag law.
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Holding Slaughterhouses Accountable for Water Pollution

The Animal Legal Defense Fund joined a coalition of conservation and community groups in filing a lawsuit against the Environmental Protection Agency for failing to update national standards restricting water pollution from slaughterhouses.
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Challenging Hormel’s Deceptive Advertising Practices: Natural Choice®

The Animal Legal Defense Fund filed a lawsuit against Hormel Foods Corporation alleging the company is misleading consumers through the advertising of its Natural Choice® brand of lunch meats and bacon.

Challenging Arkansas’ Meat Labeling Law

The Animal Legal Defense Fund filed a federal lawsuit challenging an Arkansas law that prohibits plant-based and cultivated-meat producers from, among other things, using “meat” terminology because their products do not come from a slaughtered animal.
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Demanding Transparency Regarding Government Funding of Factory Farms

The Animal Legal Defense Fund is part of a coalition suing the Farm Service Agency for withholding and improperly redacting records regarding the funding of factory farms

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