cows

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.

Chicken

Challenging Foster Farms Slaughterhouse’s Illegal Water Use

The Animal Legal Defense Fund sued Foster Farms, operator of a large slaughterhouse and chicken processing plant in Livingston, California, for its illegal use of vast quantities of water in violation of the California Constitution.
monkey in a cage

Challenging the Government’s Censorship of Animal Advocates’ Speech on Social Media

The Animal Legal Defense Fund filed a lawsuit on behalf of animal advocates who’ve been prevented from posting critical comments regarding animal experimentation on the Health and Human Services (HHS) otherwise public social media pages. The HHS is primarily charged with funding and promoting research on animals.
Tule Elk

Challenging the Government’s Fatal Mismanagement of Protected Tule Elk

Tule elk are a beloved fixture at the Point Reyes National Seashore in Marin County, California. But the National Park Service (NPS), the federal agency responsible for protecting them, is failing at the task — with numerous elk suffering and dying as a result of its negligence
bear

Challenging the Inhumane Treatment of Animals at Pymatuning Deer Park Roadside Zoo

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.
monkey

Challenging University of Wisconsin’s Censorship of Speech on Social Media

The Animal Legal Defense Fund filed a lawsuit on behalf of a former employee of one of UW-Madison’s primate research labs, who has been prevented from posting truthful comments on the school’s otherwise public Instagram and Facebook posts because they are critical of the university’s storied history of animal testing.
Challenging a Florida Kitten Breeder’s Cruelty and Fraud

Challenging a Florida Kitten Breeder’s Cruelty and Fraud

The Animal Legal Defense Fund filed a lawsuit against Orlando-based kitten breeder and seller, Adorable Stars, for practicing veterinary medicine without a license, animal cruelty and neglect, and contract and tort claims.
cows

Challenging CEQ’s CAFO Exemptions Under NEPA

The Animal Legal Defense Fund filed a lawsuit against the Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) for new regulations implementing the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) that will shield CAFOs and slaughterhouses from environmental review.

Suing to Protect Nonambulatory Pigs

The Animal Legal Defense Fund filed a lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Agriculture for the unlawful failure to protect “downed” or “non-ambulatory” pigs at slaughterhouses.

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