California
Updates about legal issues facing animals in the state
The Animal Legal Defense Fund works at the federal, state and local levels to protect the lives and advance the interests of animals.
Animal Protection Laws Ranking
Each year, the Animal Legal Defense Fund publishes its U.S. State Animal Protection Laws Rankings Report. Each state is ranked based on 20 different categories of animal protection.
California
Overall Rank: #6 (Top Tier)
Animal Protection Laws of California
The Animal Protection Laws of California compendium contains the general animal protection and related statutes for California with an effective date on or before September 1, 2023.
Legislative Session
Active Legislation
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Recent Victories
La Toque Restaurant Illegally Selling Foie Gras
Animal Legal Defense Fund v. LT Napa Partners, LLC
We sued La Toque restaurant for selling foie gras in violation of California law. The case is paused, pending the outcome of a constitutional challenge to the foie gras ban in a separate federal case.
Challenging Judy’s Family Farm Organic Eggs’ Deceptive Advertising
Camilla Glover v Steven Mahrt, d/b/a Petaluma Egg Farm
The Animal Legal Defense Fund filed false-advertising lawsuit against Judy’s Family Farm Organic Eggs for imagery used on packaging that led consumers to mistakenly believe the hens had significant outdoor access.
Argument for an Animals’ Intrinsic Value
Martinez v. Robledo; Workman v. Klause
The Animal Legal Defense Fund filed amicus briefs in two consolidated California cases, in which the issue at stake was whether a plaintiff could recover veterinary expenses if those expenses exceeded the market value of the animal.
Seeking Justice for 50,000 Hens Abandoned by A & L Poultry
Animal Place v Andy Keung Cheung and Lien Diep
In February 2012, Andy Cheung and Lien Diep, doing business as A & L Poultry, allegedly abandoned 50,000 hens without food and left them to die.
Animal Legal Defense Fund 2023 State Animal Protection Laws Ranking Report
See the best and worst states for animal protection laws