Animal Law

Lawyer at a Party: How to handle unwanted legal inquiries

“My lease says no pets allowed, but that’s only for like really big dogs—right?” You take a deep breath, look at your inquisitor and wonder anew why you left the comfort of your home for this cocktail party. At home, no one asks you legal questions.

May 29, 2025 9:51 AM CDT

No Horsing Around: What’s considered a ‘vehicle’ when it comes to drunk driving laws?

A horse is a horse, of course. But can a horse be considered a “vehicle” if you’re charged with riding it while drunk? Well, it depends. Police can charge a person with impaired driving while operating just about anything—from horse drawn carriages to riding lawn mowers.

Apr 21, 2025 8:55 AM CDT

Guard Dogs: Protect domestic violence survivors by protecting their pets, ABA House urges

To many people, pets are members of the family—and in abusive families, violence and threats of violence against pets are often used to victimize their human owners.

Apr 1, 2025 12:25 AM CDT

PETA asserts First Amendment right to receive communications from NIH monkeys

People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals is asserting a First Amendment right to receive communications from macaque monkeys held in a government research lab.

Mar 10, 2025 8:57 AM CDT

Protect domestic violence survivors by protecting their pets, ABA House says

At the ABA Midyear Meeting in Phoenix on Monday, the ABA House of Delegates considered how to best meet the needs of pet owners in family law and civil protection order proceedings.

Feb 3, 2025 6:42 PM CST

Elephants don’t have standing to sue to leave the zoo, top Colorado court rules

Colorado’s highest court on Tuesday ruled that five elderly elephants don’t have legal standing to sue to leave a local zoo because they’re not human.

Jan 22, 2025 8:46 AM CST

Our favorite Instagram posts from 2024

It's been another riveting year in the legal industry and for our coverage at the ABA Journal. And like clockwork, 2025 will be here before we know it.

Dec 23, 2024 10:34 AM CST

Tune in to our favorite podcasts of 2024

The ABA Journal staff have conversations with fascinating lawyers every day. But in our podcasts, you get to listen in on some of those discussions. Here are our favorite episodes from 2024.

Dec 23, 2024 9:57 AM CST

Dive into our favorite long reads of 2024

The end of the year will hopefully bring you some downtime for leisure reading. We’ve curated a list of some of our favorite web and print long reads from 2024.

Dec 23, 2024 9:35 AM CST

Poll: Which ABA Journal magazine cover from 2024 was your favorite?

We covered a wide array of diverse, in-depth and hard-hitting legal topics at the ABA Journal this year.

Dec 20, 2024 10:35 AM CST

Check out our favorite 2024 photo galleries

From cartoon captions to court rulings that shaped the Endangered Species Act to book recommendations for lawyers, the ABA Journal presents our favorite photo galleries from this year. Which photo gallery was your favorite?

Dec 20, 2024 9:18 AM CST

Horse-loving lawyer left the law to help run a Colorado ranch

In Running Free: An Incredible Story of Love, Survival, and How 200 Horses Trapped in a Wildfire Helped One Woman Find Her Soul lawyer Ami Cullen shares a lightly fictionalized version of the journey that she’s been on for more than a decade.

Dec 4, 2024 4:00 PM CST

Girl wins $300K settlement over seizure and slaughter of pet goat

By the time Jessica Long learned where her 9-year-old daughter’s beloved pet goat was, it was too late to save him. Sheriff’s deputies had seized the goat, named Cedar, while he was staying at a Northern California farm. They delivered him to Shasta County fair officials, who claimed the county owned the goat, court documents say. Cedar was later slaughtered, and the family sued county officials.

Nov 5, 2024 3:30 PM CST

Colorado Supreme Court considers whether habeas petition can free zoo elephants

The Colorado Supreme Court considered last week whether five wild-born zoo elephants should be considered "persons" entitled to seek liberty through a habeas corpus petition.

Oct 30, 2024 2:09 PM CDT

‘Spoiled rotten’ beaver caught in dramatic court case over her future

Nibi, a furry female beaver taken in by wildlife rescuers, has become a household name in Boston—and now her future is set to be determined in a court case that has made national headlines and garnered the attention of the state governor.

Oct 4, 2024 8:50 AM CDT