Animal Law

Inconsistent policies in military housing can lead to families losing their pets, ABA president tells Senate committee

ABA President Bob Carlson sent a letter to the Senate Armed Services Committee on Wednesday, urging members to expand their inquiry into the condition of the military housing privatization initiative to also consider policies that may prevent military families from bringing their pets—or even service or emotional support animals—when transferred between duty stations.

Mar 14, 2019 1:20 PM CDT

Breed-neutral pet policies are needed for families in military housing, ABA House of Delegates says

After a spirited debate, the ABA House of Delegates on Monday voted to ask Congress and the Department of Defense to instruct the Armed Forces and its public-private venture housing contractors to implement breed-neutral pet policies for families living in military housing in the United States.

Jan 28, 2019 10:00 PM CST

Iowa’s ‘ag-gag’ law violates First Amendment, federal judge rules

A federal judge on Wednesday struck down an Iowa law that makes it a crime to obtain access to an agricultural production facility under false pretenses. U.S. District Judge James Gritzner of Des Moines said the “ag-gag” law violates the First Amendment, report Courthouse News Service, the Associated Press and…

Jan 10, 2019 3:19 PM CST

Poacher must watch ‘Bambi’ at least once per month while in jail, judge says

A Missouri judge has sentenced a poacher to watch the movie Bambi at least once per month while in jail for illegally killing deer. Judge Robert George of Lawrence County added the Bambi requirement to a one-year sentence for David Berry Jr., 29, of Brookline, Missouri, report the Springfield News-Leader,…

Dec 18, 2018 9:45 AM CST

Judge takes first step to decide whether Happy the elephant should be released from Bronx Zoo

Happy the elephant has cleared a hurdle to possible freedom from the Bronx Zoo with a New York judge’s show-cause order. The Orleans County judge, Tracey Bannister, ordered the Bronx Zoo’s director to show cause why the elephant should not be released and transferred to an appropriate sanctuary. The Nonhuman…

Nov 20, 2018 1:20 PM CST

Cops aren’t entitled to kill dogs during search just because they are unlicensed, 6th Circuit says

Police officers who fatally shot a couple’s dogs during a home search weren’t entitled to kill the animals just because they were unlicensed, a federal appeals court ruled Monday. In a 2-1 decision, the 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals at Cincinnati ruled that the couple who owned the dogs…

Oct 16, 2018 8:15 AM CDT

Dog on a lease? Woman surprised to learn pet she paid for was a rental

New York could become the third state to ban animal rentals after the state attorney general filed a fraud suit against a chain called The Pet Zone that includes allegations about a misleading leasing option. One of the people who complained about The Pet Zone is Chelsea Walrath. She told…

Jul 19, 2018 11:10 AM CDT

10 Questions: This legal team brings a wild approach to their practice

Kansas City litigator Tristen J. Woods and his law partner Lauren Sierra Kruskall founded the Jungle Law Group to advocate for animals in civil and criminal court.

Jul 1, 2018 2:00 AM CDT

‘Monkey selfie’ case may hang around in 9th Circuit

It's the case that keeps hanging on: the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals may reconsider an April decision that held animals can't sue for copyright infringement, a ruling that was supposed to settle the "monkey selfie" debacle.

Jun 1, 2018 2:03 PM CDT

Chimpanzees lose habeas bid in New York’s top court; a judge sees a ‘manifest injustice’

New York’s top court has refused to hear a habeas appeal filed on behalf of two caged chimpanzees, but one judge sees merit in arguments made. In a concurrence on Tuesday, Judge Eugene Fahey said he agreed that an appeals court had correctly dismissed the habeas appeal for procedural reasons,…

May 8, 2018 3:09 PM CDT

Suit argues animals have the right to sue their abusers

A horse named Justice is entitled to recover the costs of his medical care and damages for pain and suffering from his alleged abuser, according to a negligence suit filed on Tuesday. The Animal Legal Defense Fund filed the lawsuit in Oregon state court, according to a press release and…

May 2, 2018 10:08 AM CDT

Monkey has no standing to assert copyright infringement in selfie case, 9th Circuit rules

A federal appeals court has ruled that a monkey has no standing under the U.S. Copyright Act to assert copyright in selfie photos.

Apr 24, 2018 8:00 AM CDT

Animal park must move lemurs and tigers because of Endangered Species Act violation, court says

A former zoo in Iowa must transfer its lemurs and tigers to other facilities because of a violation by the Endangered Species Act, a federal appeals court has ruled. The St. Louis-based 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals upheld a federal magistrate judge’s decision to transfer the animals from the…

Apr 17, 2018 8:00 AM CDT

Dangerous animal ban is vague as applied to Pinky the dog, Iowa appeals court says

The Iowa Court of Appeals has granted a reprieve to Pinky the dog in a 3-2 decision finding Des Moines’ dangerous animal ordinance was unconstitutionally vague as applied to the mixed-breed canine. The city is considering whether to appeal the April 4 decision, report the Des Moines Register and the…

Apr 5, 2018 12:24 PM CDT

Shelter claims it is entitled to cat custody because adoptive owner breached indoors-only contract

A woman who named her cat after Reggie Watts is getting some help from the comedian in her custody battle with a shelter that claims it is entitled to the animal’s return because of a contract violation. Watts has tweeted about the cat-custody battle, sending his followers to a fundraising…

Jan 30, 2018 10:20 AM CST