CALS Files Petition on Behalf of Farm Sanctuary to Extend Downed Animal Regulations

In March of 2009, new rules from the USDA went into effect which ban “downed” cattle from being slaughtered for human consumption. The move was motivated by an effort to protect the human food supply from diseased animals, and to encourage the humane treatment of animals going to slaughter. Both Congress and the USDA have received significant and undeniable evidence that workers in slaughter facilities often do everything they can, including using forklifts, chains, and other cruel practices, to get downed animals all the way through the processing line. This is because downed animals that don’t make it to slaughter represent a financial loss to livestock producers. Animal Law Clinic Director Kathy Hessler said, “The downed cattle ban, however, is only one small step in the right direction. Now that the USDA has recognized cattle can and do suffer and human heath is seriously compromised by these practices, it’s time the USDA recognizes the same truths for pigs, goats, sheep, and other livestock.” For this reason, the Animal Law Clinic filed a petition on behalf of Farm Sanctuary, the nation's leading farm animal protection organization, to urge the USDA to extend the protections now offered to downed cattle to pigs, goats, sheep, and other livestock. Read more and find out how to contact Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack to urge the expansion of downed animal protections.

Swiss to Vote on Animal Lawyer Referendum

Will the Swiss give nonhuman animals a constitutional right to legal representation? Read more about the Swiss referendum.

2010 National Animal Law Competitions

The 7th Annual National Animal Law Competitions (NALC) were held February 5-7, 2010, at Harvard Law School. The competitions are designed to test law students’ legal skills through exercises in appellate brief writing, oral and closing arguments, bill and factsheet construction, legal analysis, and lobbying. A total of 61 law students representing 22 law schools from around the country competed in another successful event. Find out the competition results and view photos from the event.

wildlife "at threat"

http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2009/09/29-3

Climate change is not going to make the plight of wildlife any easier in the years to come.  

NAS Symposium at Lewis & Clark

Register now for our upcoming symposium on animals and toxicity testing. This daylong event: "The Science, Ethics, and Law of Animal Testing in the 21st Century - Are We on the Verge of a Paradigm Shift?" is free to the public (registration required) and will take place at Lewis & Clark Law School on Saturday, September 12, 2009. The panelists will present strategies for improving scientific outcomes using alternatives to animal testing outlined in the National Academy of Science's (NAS) National Research Council (NRC) Report on Toxicity Testing in the 21st Century. This groundbreaking event is not to be missed! For more information, please visit: http://www.lclark.edu/law/centers/animal_law_studies/nas_symposium/index.php. To register for the symposium, please send an email to lmulkani@aldf.org and include your first name, last name, and phone number in the body of the email.

Taking Action For Animals - Washington D.C.

Conference Registration Open!

I'm thrilled to announce that registration opened today for the 17th annual Animal Law Conference at Lewis & Clark! This year's conference is titled Animal Law: The Links and will focus on animal law and its link to other areas of the law and professional disciplines, philosophies, and social movements. Expect panel sessions on the link between animal law and: domestic violence, climate change, international trade, religion, the media, and many more exciting topics. And you won't want to miss keynote speakers: Nicholas D. Kristof, two-time Pulitzer Prize-winning author and New York Times columnist, and Jonathan R. Lovvorn, Vice President & Chief Counsel for Animal Protection Litigation & Research at the Humane Society of the United States! For more information and to register for the conference please visit our conference website at: www.alawconference.org. Questions? Please email us at alawconference@lclark.edu.