The link between animal cruelty and basic food safety.

Humane Society of the United States
Washington, D.C.

Arizona State University School of Social Work and the Animals and Society Institute are once again partnering to provide two online courses: TAA1 Human-Other Animal Relationships and TAA2 Assessment and Treatment of Animal Abuse.

October 22 - 23, 2010
Bethesda, Maryland

Meyer Glitzenstein & Crystal
Washington, D.C.

September 30, 2010
San Diego, California

September 28, 2010
Teleconference

October 9, 2010
Newport Beach, California

As summer winds down and we launch into another academic school year, ALDF is looking forward to meeting the next generation of future animal lawyers!

Milwaukee County, Wisconsin
Hearing date: December 13

Animal Legal Defense Fund
Cotati, California

ALDF files suit against BP to prevent the burning alive of endangered sea turtles.

We want to see photos of YOUR rescued animals!

GazetteXtra.com reports that because a Milton, WI, man has been accused of shooting a dog with a bow and arrow for essentially no reason at all, a state legislator has proposed a tougher law against pet assaults, making the type of crime allegedly committed a felony in the future, instead of a misdemeanor.

In addition to her teaching endeavors, Megan is a partner at the law firm of DeWitt Ross & Stevens in Madison, Wisconsin, where she concentrates her practice on complex civil litigation and appellate advocacy.

Last March, my partner and I volunteered to gather data for an important study by the Food Empowerment Project on the availability of fruits and vegetables in Santa Clara County, California. The Food Empowerment Project just released the report this week, and the results are disturbing, reflecting significant disparities in access to healthy foods in low-income communities and communities of color.

In order to promote SMU SALDF and make its presence known on campus, members held a tabling event to gather signatures for ALDF's Animal Bill of Rights, a petition to the United States Congress for stronger animal protection laws.

Suffolk County lawmakers have proposed a county registry that will keep animals away from abusers. If the law passes, Suffolk County will be the first municipality in the nation to have an Animal Abuser Registry.

Please send a letter to your senators and representatives through ALDF's website and ask them to join Senators Menendez, Durbin, and Lieberman and ALDF in amending this regulation to ensure accurate reporting about the real risks to animals shipped in cargo holds.

ALDF Staff Attorney Matthew Liebman offers some insights for undergraduates who are interested in pursuing careers in animal law.

JURIST Dateline seeks high-quality articles from law students who have had personal experience with the law.

My trip to Australia has reminded me that the exploitation of other animals by human beings is not limited to one culture or one country. And, our duty is to speak up for the animals, even those outside our continental borders, as they will never have a voice unless and until we give them one.

Your call can help stem the travesty of the 500,000+ companion animals that are euthanized every year in California. SB 250 -- the Pet Responsibility Act -- is now ready for a final assembly vote and your Assemblymember needs to hear from you today!

Humane Society of the United States
Washington, D.C.

Deprived of legal protection, animals are defenseless against exploitation and abuse by humans. Check out ALDF's 30-second public service announcement version of our "This Is Who We Are" video.

Current Regulations Ignore Deaths, Injuries to Animals Shipped by Puppy Mill Operators
On the heels of the deaths of seven puppies transported in the cargo hold on an American Airlines flight from Tulsa, Oklahoma to Chicago earlier this month, the Animal Legal Defense Fund has filed a petition with the Department of Transportation urging them to oblige air carriers to report on the deaths of any animals in transit, and to identify the shippers and consignees involved in their "shipment."

My trip to Australia has been a once-in-a-lifetime adventure. With the help and backing of Voiceless, we delivered 13 presentations in 7 cities in 6 jurisdictions in 10 days.

I'm tired; I'm soggy, but I've had a truly wonderful day. When I awoke this morning, I saw that it was raining hard, a cold and blustery winter's day here in Adelaide. I thought that my one chance to see kangaroos had slipped away, due to the inclement weather. But, the Hon. Ian Hunter M.L.C. a Labor Member of Parliament, took pity on this poor American woman and drove me to a place where kangaroos reside.

When Katrina Sharman and I arrived in Perth to continue the Voiceless animal law lecture series, we had a few hours of free time. We decided to take a cab to Fremantle, where the shipping port is and where live animals, mainly sheep and cattle, are shipped overseas.

I want to introduce you to some very special beings. One is Marilyn Mills, who runs a sanctuary for kangaroos. The other special beings are the kangaroos she works so hard to protect.

Write a polite letter to the South Carolina Department of Probation, Parole and Pardon Services to oppose parole for this dogfighter, who is responsible for the suffering of many innocent animals in this violent bloodsport.

October 15-17, 2010
Portland, Oregon

Charleston County, South Carolina
Act by: September 8

ALDF Urges City to Reduce Pet Overpopulation and Protect Consumers and Animals from Cruel Puppy Mills by Banning Retail Pet Sales

One of the big challenges is the plight of live animals exported by ship to other countries. This is a large industry in Australia. Each year, Australia exports 4 million live sheep to the Middle East and 1/2 million live cattle to Southeast Asia.

Welcoming thousands of legislators and staff-members from around the country, Kentucky was the host state for this year's National Summit of State Legislators. From July 25 – 28, state legislators gathered in Louisville to exchange ideas and educate themselves on current legislative trends.

One of the striking impressions I'm getting is that Australian animal activists are incredibly eager for information about animal law. To my amazement, several people have come to my lectures twice and even three times!

Earlier this week the New York Times published an editorial called "Disgusting but Not Illegal," which defends animal crush videos as free speech. Not only does the Times' editorial ignore the reality of these videos, but it also misreads the text of the new bill to ban their sale and distribution.

As I travel through Australia, I am meeting many fascinating and knowledgeable people. Marilyn Mills, of Wildlife Advocate, Inc., runs a sanctuary for kangaroos and described several of the kangaroos who have become treasured members of her extended family.

Check out ALDF's video about the dangers of leaving dogs in hot cars and suggestions for what you can do in your community to protect dogs from becoming "hot car" victims.

Carter Dillard is the director of litigation for the Animal Legal Defense Fund. Prior to joining ALDF, Carter was appointed to the faculty of Loyola University New Orleans, College of Law, as a Westerfield Fellow.

Last night, I delivered my first keynote address for the Voiceless Animal Lecture Series to a large and eager audience at the University of Sydney Law School. I was joined at the podium by Her Excellency Professor Marie Bashir AC CVO, the Governor of New South Wales, Dr. Melissa Perry QC, and Professor Gillian Triggs, Dean of the Law School, who graciously welcomed us all.

Yesterday was a busy day, with some media interviews and introductions to the staff of Voiceless, the animal protection institute. Last evening, Voiceless held a lovely cocktail reception. Gene Sherman and Ondine Sherman of Voiceless spoke first, and then, I delivered a short talk.

"We hold these truths to be self-evident" begins the famous line from the Declaration of Independence. I've got my own version: We hold these truths to be self-evident: that one and one is two, that the sky is blue, and that abused animals should not be returned to their abusers.

It's Sunday, August 1 and I landed here at 7:00 a.m. this morning, to start my lecture tour with the Australian animal protection organization, Voiceless.

So I just returned from the Taking Action for Animals Conference in D.C. and have to say that one of the things that I enjoyed most was the banquet performance by Hal Sparks.

In response to recent U.S. Supreme Court decision, Congress seeks to find a narrower road to protecting animals

September 23, 2010
Webinar

Today, the Spanish region of Catalonia voted to ban bullfighting, a cruel blood "sport" long entrenched in Spanish culture. The ban -- the first-ever in mainland Spain -- passed with a vote of 68 to 55, and will go into effect in January 2012.

Good news from Congress: last week, the House of Representatives voted 416-3 to pass the Prevention of Interstate Commerce in Animal Crush Videos Act of 2010, which would prohibit the sale and distribution of crush videos in interstate and foreign commerce.

Sadly, the wild horse roundup in Nevada resumed yesterday despite the death of 21 horses and several others being treated for painful colic and brain swelling due to dehydration and exhaustion.

Why we must continue our fight for the animals affected by the Gulf oil spill.

Help stop this massacre of America's wild horses!

Help stop this massacre of America's wild horses!

TIME published an article yesterday that asks, "Can animal rights go too far?" - citing examples such as California's vote in 2008 to increase the size of cages for egg laying hens so they can stand up, lay down and spread their wings, and the more recent law signed by Governor Schwarzenegger last week that requires out-of-state egg producers to follow the same rules if they intend to sell their eggs in California.

Non-Californian egg-laying hens are included in a new law allowing them to stretch their wings if their eggs make it to market in the Golden State but they still must wait until 2015 to gain this new freedom.

Due to South Dakota's consistent low rating in ALDF's annual State Animal Protection Laws Rankings, I read with interest a June 23, 2010 opinion that came down from the Supreme Court of South Dakota: State v. Fifteen Impounded Cats. While the Court's ultimate ruling is a desirable one, I take issue with the underlying reasoning used to get there.

In May 2010, at the Clinton County, New York home of Michael Malpass, police discovered six dead animals along with eighteen cats and three dogs suffering from severe neglect in conditions so filthy that the house was condemned.

Animal Legal Defense Fund Announces Temporary Reprieve for Wildlife Being Illegally Killed in Gulf Clean-Up Efforts

On June 21, lawyers, regulators and policy makers converged in Washington D.C. to discuss the necessary steps to ensure that chemical testing protects public health, the environment, and animals -- using twenty-first century toxicology.

Today, the Animal Legal Defense Fund, along with several other groups, filed suit in federal court against BP for burning critically endangered sea turtles in the Gulf of Mexico, in violation of the Endangered Species Act and other federal laws.

Immediate Protection Sought for Wildlife Being Illegally Killed in Gulf Clean-Up Efforts

Urge the City of Seattle to stop funding the Woodland Park Zoo's cruel elephant exhibit.

Help win justice for Chai, Bamboo, Watoto and Sri by making a special donation and signing the petition today. Shamefully, the Woodland Park Zoo continues to use taxpayer money to exploit its elephants for profit while failing to provide them with adequate care. Together, we can stop this abuse.

Plaintiffs Protest Cruelty at the Zoo and the Use of City Funds to Support Facilities, Practices that Violate Animal Protection Laws

Japan, Norway, and Iceland allowed to continue hunts.

"Compromise plan" facing a vote this week.

Clinton County, New York
Sentencing date: September 15

Whether they are kept as pets, hunted for food, photographed by divers, farmed in hatcheries, experimented on in research, or admired in koi ponds, there is law to address the endeavor. The following are just a few examples of fish and their place in the law.

For a community to effectively address interpersonal violence, it must have tools which allow it to focus on the conduct of the abusers and not be distracted by the social status of the victims.

"Canine CSI? Advances in Investigating and Prosecuting Cruelty to Animals" discussed the latest tools attorneys have available to them when prosecuting animal cruelty cases, from DNA evidence to the data on the suspect's cell phone.

New study looks at purchasing habits in response to public education.

Animal Welfare Institute
Washington, D.C.

Please contact your Assemblymember and all members of the Assembly Judiciary Committee respectfully urging them to vote in the best interests of California's animals by opposing SB 1417 unless, at a minimum, its unnecessary and arbitrary 5-year waiting period on the appointment of new humane officers is removed.

The Animal Legal Defense Fund's third annual report, the only one of its kind in the nation, ranks every province and territory on the relative strength and general comprehensiveness of its animal protection laws.

New report calls out Alberta, the Northwest Territories, Nunavut, and Quebec.

Arizona, West Virginia, Oklahoma, and Minnesota joined the growing list of states and territories (now numbering 18) that have enacted laws expressly authorizing courts to include animals in domestic violence protective orders.

Despite a $22 million public investment in a new state-of-the-art animal shelter, Sacramento County's animals are now at great risk. Two years of County budget cuts have meant a 40-percent reduction in animal care staff and limited public hours for reuniting lost pets with their families and adopting out homeless animals. And it could get worse.

Unfortunate, but not unexpected, is how I would describe the ruling just handed down by the Vermont Supreme Court in the case of Shadow the murdered beloved family dog, also known as Scheele v. Dustin, ---A.2d---, 2010 WL 2015270 (Vt.).

Congratulations to the Animal Legal Defense Fund's Advancement of Animal Law Scholarship recipients! Three students received the national scholarship this year for their outstanding work in the growing field of animal law: Katie Barnett, Vince Field, and Christina Fojas.

Three students received ALDF's Advancement of Animal Law Scholarships this year for their outstanding work in the growing field of animal law: Katie Barnett, Vince Field, and Christina Fojas.

Check out the most recent Student Animal Legal Defense Fund chapter spotlight, submitted by Kristina Moen, president of the SALDF chapter at Northwestern University School of Law in Chicago.

In April 2010, Northwestern Law Student Animal Legal Defense Fund hosted "Animal Law Week," a weeklong series of events designed to educate students about the wide variety of issues facing animals in the legal system today.

Pennsylvania is the last state to openly practice live pigeon shoots -- an archaic competition where live pigeons are used as shooting targets. Please help put an end to this cruel and barbaric event by contacting your Pennsylvania state legislators and asking them to support House Bill 1411 and Senate Bill 843.

The Animal Legal Defense Fund is offering new law school graduates free attorney memberships in ALDF's Animal Law Program for one year. We really hope you will join our pro bono attorney network!

ALDF wants to support and encourage dedication to the field of animal law by offering recent law graduates a free attorney membership in ALDF's Animal Law Program for one year.

We are delighted to celebrate Gracie's first birthday with you, our members and supporters - the very people who made Lacy and the other horses' rescue possible, and who named Gracie.

Disturbing cases like Tony's are made worse by the fact that what laws and regulations apply to the keeping of “exotic animals” are inconsistent and often under-enforced.

Ohio Residents: Take Action! Contact your senator through ALDF's website, and encourage him or her to support HB 70.

While in his last year at Chicago-Kent School of Law, Josh Grant, co-director of the school's Student Animal Legal Defense Fund chapter, wrote an in-depth article discussing Chicago's ban on foie gras.

Campaign Follows Animal Legal Defense Fund's Lawsuits Challenging Inhumane Conditions at County Shelters

Sign the petition!

Many Kentucky county shelters are treating the animals in their care with reckless disregard for the suffering that they are causing. Sign ALDF's petition today!

Confrontation Clause Implications of Admitting Veterinary Records Under the "Business Records" Exception to the Rule Against Hearsay

MINE the movie DVDs now available

Movie explores Hurricane Katrina's impact on animals and their guardians

Obama backs plan to lift ban on commercial whaling.

Contact your legislators, print posters, educate the public.

Email your representatives today.

Get the information you need to protect animals in your community.