Animal Law: Overviews & Starting Points

A collection of 90+ Topical Introductions ranging "from companion animal issues (like dog bite laws, lost pets, and custody issues involving pets in divorce) to complex federal laws such as the U.S. Endangered Species Act or the Animal Welfare Act."  Publication dates vary.  Each Topical Introduction includes an "Overview," a "Detailed Discussion & "Related Information" (many links to pertinent articles, cases, laws & websites).  There are Topical Introductions on:

• Includes: Angie Vega, Animal Law in Latin America (2023) (currently covers: Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Mexico and Peru)
• Companion Animal Issues & Pet Sale Issues
• Farm Animal Issues
• Federal Laws & Wildlife Issues
• Service & Assistance Animal Issues
• Equine Issues
• Great Apes
• Cruelty, Police Shooting Pets, Hoarding & Domestic Violence Issues
• Veterinary & Pet Damages Issues
• Pet Planning Issues
• Captive Wildlife
• Research Animal Issues
• Animal Rights & Advocacy Issues

On ALDF's home page, click: Menu.

Focus Areas provides overviews/descriptions of key primary law on:

• Animals Used in Research
• Captive Animals
• Companion Animals
• Farmed Animals
• Wildlife

Issues discusses:

• Challenging Ag-Gag laws
• Combating puppy mills
• Protecting animals from exploitation due to their fur

Also provides publicly accessible Animal Law Academy Webinars.

  Webinars are categorized by topics:

• Animals Used in Research
• Captive Animals
• Companion Animals
• Farmed Animals
• Wildlife

2023-2024 webinars included:

• Effective Advocacy: Which Strategies Work Better?
• The Ethical and Legal Quandaries of Animal Cruelty in the Digital Age
• Protecting Animals Through Legislation: Local Fur Sales Bans and the Mink VIRUS Act.

Also includes ALDF's page: Legislation: Strengthening Laws that Protect Animals and Striking Down Laws Hurting Animals (discusses federal and state bills).

A developing collection of videos & related scholarly papers on: 

• Animal Ethics: Figuring Out What Is Right and Wrong
• Animal Welfare Act: Oversight of Exhibition
• Animals as Property, Quasi-Property or Quasi-Person 
• The Critical Role of States in Farm Animal Confinement and Sales Laws
• Cutting Edge Issues in 21st Century Animal Food Product Labeling 
• Discussions on Animal Rights Law
• Food Transparency & Ag-Gag Laws
• Laboratory Animal Law in the United States: Past, Present and Future 
• Overview of the Animal Welfare Act
• Standing to Protect and Advocate for Animals
• Wildlife: Related Acts and State Management Issues

Brooks Institute describes the presenters/authors as "notable scholars and legal practitioners" in the area of animal law.

Tip: Check for upcoming 2024 videos & papers on: 

• Animal Welfare Act: Oversight of the Pet Trade
• Humane Methods of Slaughter Act
• Introduction to Animal Law Fundamentals

Congressional Research Service Reports analyze hot topics before the U.S. Congress.  
Tip: Enter keyword(s), such as: 

• animals biomedical research 
• avian influenza
• international trophy hunting 
• laws protecting domesticated and captive animals
• organic livestock poultry standards regulations
• wildlife trafficking

Tip: Enter title of a U.S. federal law, such as: 

• Animal Welfare Act
• Endangered Species Act

Tip: Enter popular name of a U.S. federal bill or law, such as: Farm Bill (search will yield many periodically updated Farm Bill Primers--use pull-down menu to change view of search results from: Relevance to: Date)

• Need help implementing the BLS proxy instructions?  Contact: library.lab@brooklaw.edu

  See also:

This library provides guides, guidelines and many other resources on:

• Housing, Care and Welfare of Animals 
• Animal Use Alternatives (3Rs)
• Farm Animal Diseases
• Insects and Pollinators
• Wildlife Research

It also contains resource collections on these U.S. laws:

• Animal Welfare Act
• Horse Protection Act
• Humane Methods of Slaughter Act
• Twenty-Eight Hour Law  

Additionally, it includes information on Animal Welfare Audit and Certification Programs.