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Animal cruelty

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Full-Text Articles in Law

Protecting Our Pups At All Costs: Why Dogfighting Cases Require A Mandatory Restitution Assessment, Ayah Ighneim Mar 2024

Protecting Our Pups At All Costs: Why Dogfighting Cases Require A Mandatory Restitution Assessment, Ayah Ighneim

Cleveland State Law Review

This Note recommends that Congress acknowledge the dangers behind dogfighting by updating the federal mandatory restitution statute to include “animals” within the definition of a “victim” eligible to receive restitution and by updating federal animal-cruelty laws. This recommendation stems from the popularization of dogfighting in the twenty-first century. Specifically, this Note articulates the link between the prevalence of dogfighting in America and the lack of deterrence targeted toward dogfighting in America. This Note then argues that this lack of deterrence is a result of the lack of Congressional guidance within both the federal restitution statute and within federal animal-cruelty laws. …


Chewing The Welfare Cud: A Digested Analysis Of A Consumer Versus Producer-Defined Standard Of Welfare Practices In Animals Raised For Human Consumption, Caitlin C. Robb Jan 2024

Chewing The Welfare Cud: A Digested Analysis Of A Consumer Versus Producer-Defined Standard Of Welfare Practices In Animals Raised For Human Consumption, Caitlin C. Robb

Journal of Food Law & Policy

Since the eighteenth century, animal well-being remains a concern for American citizens. Yet, underlying this concern is the thought that while humans should not be cruel to animals, animals are still private property subject to human ownership. Therefore, multi-faceted questions of what constitutes “animal welfare” find a place in modern American debate. One such question becomes: should the producer or the consumer define welfare practice standards of animals raised for human consumption?7 This note provides an answer to this question by first analyzing the robust history of animal welfare in the United States, along with the domestic and international impact …


Time To Free The 'Evidence': Animal Cruelty Prosecutions, Pre-Conviction Forfeiture, And Brady Violations, Gary J. Patronek Jan 2024

Time To Free The 'Evidence': Animal Cruelty Prosecutions, Pre-Conviction Forfeiture, And Brady Violations, Gary J. Patronek

Animal Law Review

This Article presents empirical research to investigate the traditional practice of holding seized animal victims of maltreatment in protective custody until their disposition is resolved pursuant to a criminal proceeding. This is of particular concern because protective custody usually entails confinement in an animal shelter or similar institutional setting. Extended confinement under these circumstances is undesirable–especially when dealing with large numbers of animals–because such confinement causes stress that may inadvertently result in secondary victimization of the animals. Furthermore, institutional confinement poses substantial logistical challenges and imposes substantial economic costs for those tasked with caring for the animals. The impetus for …


Health And Welfare Preempted: How National Meat Association V. Harris Undermines Federalism, Food Safety, And Animal Protection, Marya Torrez May 2021

Health And Welfare Preempted: How National Meat Association V. Harris Undermines Federalism, Food Safety, And Animal Protection, Marya Torrez

Journal of Food Law & Policy

In 2008, the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) released an undercover video filmed at the Hallmark Meat Packing Company and Westland Meat Company (Hallmark/Westland) in Chino, California. "The footage depicted nonambulatory cows being kicked, dragged, electrocuted, jammed with forklifts and sprayed in the nostrils with water to simulate drowning - in an effort to get them to stand up and walk to their slaughter." At least five inspectors from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) - the federal agency tasked with ensuring that food safety and animal welfare guidelines are followed - were present at the time. The …


Global Risks Of Intensive Animal Farming And The Wildlife Trade, Deborah Cao Jan 2020

Global Risks Of Intensive Animal Farming And The Wildlife Trade, Deborah Cao

Animal Sentience

This commentary discusses two issues highlighted by Wiebers & Feigin in the context of the current and future global health crisis: the wildlife trade and factory farming. Both are instances of globalized animal cruelty – in China as well as worldwide -- that require global solutions for the well-being of both humans and nonhumans.


Death Of Morality: Does It Portend Death Of America, Gerald Walpin Jan 2016

Death Of Morality: Does It Portend Death Of America, Gerald Walpin

Touro Law Review

No abstract provided.


Don't Be Cruel (Anymore): A Look At The Animal Cruelty Regimes Of The United States And Brazil With A Call For A New Animal Welfare Agency, David N. Cassuto Jan 2016

Don't Be Cruel (Anymore): A Look At The Animal Cruelty Regimes Of The United States And Brazil With A Call For A New Animal Welfare Agency, David N. Cassuto

Elisabeth Haub School of Law Faculty Publications

In the United States and around the world, animals exploited for human use suffer cruel and needless harm. The group bearing the brunt of this exploitation--agricultural animals--is routinely exempted from the largely ineffective and rarely enforced animal welfare and anti-cruelty regulations that exist today. This Article offers a comparative analysis of the agricultural animal welfare regimes of two countries with globally significant presence in the agriculture industry: the United States and Brazil. Even though the two countries approach agricultural animal welfare differently, they arrive at the same outcome: institutionalized indifference to animal suffering. To remedy the current regulatory structure, this …


Changing Humanity: Fifteen Years Of Progress In Animal Welfare And Protection, Earl Blumenauer Jan 2016

Changing Humanity: Fifteen Years Of Progress In Animal Welfare And Protection, Earl Blumenauer

Animal Law Review

This Introduction outlines policy and societal changes in animal welfare over the last fifteen years. Covering the areas of industrial meat production and the treatment of farm animals, domesticated animals and cruelty, animal testing and laboratory animals, and protection of native species here and around the world, the Introduction documents meaningful policy achievements in each area, as well as accompanying and continuing societal efforts to improve outcomes for animal welfare in the United States and across the world. In addition, the Introduction documents current and future opportunities in the U.S. Congress and in local, national, and international policy to continue …


Supreme Court, New York County, People V. Garcia, Yale Pollack Dec 2014

Supreme Court, New York County, People V. Garcia, Yale Pollack

Touro Law Review

No abstract provided.


Idaho Gag Law Hides Horrors Of Ag Industry, Lauren Carasik May 2014

Idaho Gag Law Hides Horrors Of Ag Industry, Lauren Carasik

Media Presence

No abstract provided.


Why The Ali Should Redraft The Animal-Cruelty Provision Of The Model Penal Code, Nicole Pakiz Nov 2012

Why The Ali Should Redraft The Animal-Cruelty Provision Of The Model Penal Code, Nicole Pakiz

Nicole Pakiz

The Model Penal Code (MPC) is one of the most successful attempts to codify American criminal law. As a result, the MPC has been used widely by states to reform their penal codes accordingly. Unfortunately, similar to a lot of sections, the Model Penal Code has not revised “Cruelty to Animals” § 250.11 since its publication in 1962. Today, the lone animal-cruelty provision remains buried under a category entitled “Offenses Against Public Order and Decency," despite the drastic change in the way society views companion animals. As a result, the MPC fails to provide any guidance to states looking to …


United States V. Stevens: Win, Loss, Or Draw For Animals?, David N. Cassuto Oct 2012

United States V. Stevens: Win, Loss, Or Draw For Animals?, David N. Cassuto

David N Cassuto

Robert J. Stevens, proprietor of “Dogs of Velvet and Steel,” was indicted for marketing dog-fighting videos in violation of 18 U.S.C. §48, a law criminalizing visual or auditory depictions of animals being “intentionally mutilated, tortured, wounded, or killed” if such conduct violated federal or state law where “the creation, sale, or possession [of such materials]” takes place.” The law aimed principally at makers and distributors of “crush videos” wherein women wearing high heels and depicted from the waist down, grind small animals to death. However, the language of 18 U.S.C. §48 extended to dog-fighting as well. Stevens challenged the law …


United States V. Stevens: Win, Loss, Or Draw For Animals?, David N. Cassuto Jan 2012

United States V. Stevens: Win, Loss, Or Draw For Animals?, David N. Cassuto

Elisabeth Haub School of Law Faculty Publications

Robert J. Stevens, proprietor of “Dogs of Velvet and Steel,” was indicted for marketing dog-fighting videos in violation of 18 U.S.C. §48, a law criminalizing visual or auditory depictions of animals being “intentionally mutilated, tortured, wounded, or killed” if such conduct violated federal or state law where “the creation, sale, or possession [of such materials]” takes place.” The law aimed principally at makers and distributors of “crush videos” wherein women wearing high heels and depicted from the waist down, grind small animals to death. However, the language of 18 U.S.C. §48 extended to dog-fighting as well. Stevens challenged the law …


No Way To Treat Man's Best Friends: The Uncounted Injuries Of Animal Cruielty Victims, Samantha D. E. Tucker Jan 2012

No Way To Treat Man's Best Friends: The Uncounted Injuries Of Animal Cruielty Victims, Samantha D. E. Tucker

Animal Law Review

As society has come to recognize the sentience and intelligence of nonhuman animals, jurisdictions across the United States (U.S.) have promulgated animal protection laws. Despite the development of anti-cruelty statutes, though, states with sentence enhancement mechanisms continue to elevate criminal offenders’ sentences only if they injure human victims. This Note considers the development of anti-cruelty laws and explores how sentencing guidelines, victim injury points, and other sentence enhancement mechanisms function in U.S. criminal justice systems. It examines how multiple states treat victim injury, focusing particularly on Florida where, in October 2011, a Florida Assistant State Attorney—in what was likely the …


The Origins And Efficacy Of Private Enforcement Of Animal Cruelty Law In Britain, Jerry L. Anderson Dec 2011

The Origins And Efficacy Of Private Enforcement Of Animal Cruelty Law In Britain, Jerry L. Anderson

Jerry L. Anderson

In 1822, the British Parliament enacted a landmark statute to punish the abuse of animals, known as Martin’s Act, named after Richard Martin, MP, who championed the bill. The Act provided a criminal penalty of up to £5 for the cruel treatment of cattle, a term which included horses, oxen, and sheep. Because the Act was the first national statute aimed at animal cruelty, scholars have naturally focused on its substance, which established an important new norm governing the relationship between humans and other animals. However, the Act would not have been successful without vigorous prosecution, which helped define the …


The Beasts In The Jungle: Animal Welfare In International Law, Catherine Sykes Jan 2011

The Beasts In The Jungle: Animal Welfare In International Law, Catherine Sykes

LLM Theses

Animal welfare has emerged as a pervasive concern in modern international law. The purpose of this study is to situate the international legal principle protecting the welfare of animals within the broader framework of international law. The study uses a constructivist model to develop a theory of the place of animal welfare in the international legal regime that has due regard for cultural differences and the diversity of international society. The historical antecedents for an obligation to protect animal welfare in various global cultures are considered. The argument posits an internationally recognized principle of humane treatment of animals based on …


Animal Violence Court: A Therapeutic Jurisprudence-Based Problem-Solving Court For The Adjudication Of Animal Cruelty Cases Involving Juvenile Offenders And Animal Hoarders, Debra L. Muller-Harris Jan 2011

Animal Violence Court: A Therapeutic Jurisprudence-Based Problem-Solving Court For The Adjudication Of Animal Cruelty Cases Involving Juvenile Offenders And Animal Hoarders, Debra L. Muller-Harris

Animal Law Review

Cases involving cruelty to animals are currently handled by the traditional criminal courts. These courts, however, are not effective at punishing animal abusers or protecting animal victims. Although all states have laws criminalizing various forms of animal cruelty, the reality is that most cruelty cases are not prosecuted; even when cruelty cases are successfully prosecuted, punishments are weak. This Comment proposes the creation of an Animal Violence Court, using juvenile animal abusers and adult hoarders as ideal candidates for a pilot animal cruelty justice system. The Animal Violence Court will provide for the ongoing safety and care of animal victims, …


The Connection Between Animal Abuse And Family Violence: A Selected Annotated Bibliography, Sharon L. Nelson Jan 2011

The Connection Between Animal Abuse And Family Violence: A Selected Annotated Bibliography, Sharon L. Nelson

Animal Law Review

This Selected Annotated Bibliography assembles legal and social literature that examines the link between domestic violence and animal abuse. Drawing from an ever-growing body of written works dedicated to the issue, the Bibliography presents the works that are most informative and useful to the legal community. These include case studies, current and proposed legislation, and social services guides that address the occurrence of and response to the animal cruelty-family violence correlation. In doing so, the Bibliography creates a resource that will prove helpful to a variety of legal practitioners, law makers, and professionals within the criminal justice system, and will …


Animal Law In Nevada: All Bark And No Bite, Kathleen Wilde Oct 2010

Animal Law In Nevada: All Bark And No Bite, Kathleen Wilde

Nevada Law Journal

No abstract provided.


What Is The Scope Of The Duty To Provide Veterinary Care?, Susan J. Hankin Jan 2010

What Is The Scope Of The Duty To Provide Veterinary Care?, Susan J. Hankin

Faculty Scholarship

State criminal laws prohibiting cruelty to animals -- which includes both abuse and neglect -- have provided the primary means through which our legal system has protected animals. In some states, including Maryland, Virginia, and the District of Columbia, these laws include explicit provisions that require owners to provide their animals with veterinary care. In other jurisdictions, such a duty has been implied from more general anti-cruelty language. None of these laws, however, make clear what level of care is required. They also leave unanswered the question of whether the treatment choices of owners who do seek care for an …


Oceans In The Balance: As The Sharks Go, So Go We, Paula Walker Jan 2010

Oceans In The Balance: As The Sharks Go, So Go We, Paula Walker

Animal Law Review

Shark finning is amongst the most wasteful and cruel exploitation of animals currently practiced in the world today. The decimation of shark populations threatens the fragile balance of the oceans’ ecosystems and ultimately threatens the human population as well. This Article addresses the economic and cultural reasons for the continued practice and demand for shark finning. Many protections for sharks have been attempted, but nearly all fail due to inadequate restrictions and enforcement. Various international treaties and conventions have to some degree addressed the issue, including the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species and the Convention on Migratory Species, …


Animal Cruelty Vs. Freedom Of Speech, Alan E. Garfield Oct 2009

Animal Cruelty Vs. Freedom Of Speech, Alan E. Garfield

Alan E Garfield

No abstract provided.


Note To Athletes, Nfl, And Nba: Dog Fighting Is A Crime, Not A Sport, Phyllis G. Coleman Jan 2009

Note To Athletes, Nfl, And Nba: Dog Fighting Is A Crime, Not A Sport, Phyllis G. Coleman

Faculty Scholarship

Americans were finally forced to face the issue of animal abuse and professional athletes when investigators discovered 66 pit bulls, in addition to dog fighting equipment, at a home owned by "pro football's most electrifying quarterback." Although Michael Vick insisted he did not live in the house, and initially denied knowledge of any such activity on his Virginia property, stories of his involvement continued to swirl around the Atlanta Falcons' franchise player. On July 17, 2007, Vick and three others were indicted by a federal grand jury for competitive dog fighting, procuring and training pit bulls for fighting, and conducting …


The New Jersey Supreme Court Distinguishes The Humane Treatment Of Animals And Routine Husbandry Practices In New Jersey Society For The Prevention Of Cruelty To Animals V. New Jersey Department Of Agriculture, Julie M. Mcgill Jan 2009

The New Jersey Supreme Court Distinguishes The Humane Treatment Of Animals And Routine Husbandry Practices In New Jersey Society For The Prevention Of Cruelty To Animals V. New Jersey Department Of Agriculture, Julie M. Mcgill

Kentucky Journal of Equine, Agriculture, & Natural Resources Law

No abstract provided.


Laws And Policy To Address The Link Of Family Violence, Joan Schaffner Jan 2009

Laws And Policy To Address The Link Of Family Violence, Joan Schaffner

GW Law Faculty Publications & Other Works

This chapter argues that there is a link between animal cruelty and physical abuse of humans and advocates for focusing on the link between the two behavioral patterns. I suggest that the law may capitalize upon this link to better address the violence by incorporating compassion into educational programs, enacting laws that properly indicate the seriousness of animal abuse, with stiff penalties, require cross-reporting of abuses among agencies, providing safe havens for all victims of family abuse, and more aggressively prosecuting and punishing abusers.


No Cracks In The Wall: The Standing Barrier And The Need For Restructuring Animal Protection Laws, Kristen Stuber Snyder Jan 2009

No Cracks In The Wall: The Standing Barrier And The Need For Restructuring Animal Protection Laws, Kristen Stuber Snyder

Cleveland State Law Review

American society's perception of animals has come a long way since the country was founded over 200 years ago. However, the court system has been slow to evolve along with these views, and the standing requirement maintains a barrier for those wishing to enforce protection through litigation. While protective legislation currently exists, it does not provide the necessary means of enforcement to accomplish its objectives. Thus, the enactment of new legislation is necessary to ensure animals in this country exist under decent and humane conditions.


A Call To Action: Concrete Proposals For Reducing Widespread Animal Suffering In The United States, Dana M. Campbell Jan 2009

A Call To Action: Concrete Proposals For Reducing Widespread Animal Suffering In The United States, Dana M. Campbell

Animal Law Review

No abstract provided.


The Environmental Effects Of Cruelty To Agricultural Animals, Kyle H. Landis-Marinello Jan 2008

The Environmental Effects Of Cruelty To Agricultural Animals, Kyle H. Landis-Marinello

Michigan Law Review First Impressions

Laws criminalizing animal abuse should apply to the agricultural industry. When we exempt the agricultural industry from these laws, factory farms increase production to unnaturally high levels. This increased production causes devastating environmental effects, such as climate change, water shortages, and the loss of topsoil. In light of these effects, the law needs to do much more to regulate the agricultural industry, and the first step should be to criminalize cruelty to agricultural animals. This would force the industry to slow down production to more natural levels that are much less harmful to the environment.


A Case Study On Cruelty To Farm Animals: Lessons Learned From The Hallmark Meat Packing Case, Nancy Perry, Peter Brandt Jan 2008

A Case Study On Cruelty To Farm Animals: Lessons Learned From The Hallmark Meat Packing Case, Nancy Perry, Peter Brandt

Michigan Law Review First Impressions

“I need the public to understand that my office takes all cases involving animal cruelty very seriously . . . [and i]t doesn’t matter whether the mistreated animal is a beloved family pet or a cow at a slaughterhouse. Unnecessary cruelty will not be tolerated and will be prosecuted to the fullest extent allowed by law.” San Bernardino County District Attorney Michael A. Ramos (February 15, 2008) One morning in January 2008, images of horrific animal cruelty were blasted by Internet, television, and print media throughout the country. The story was all the more shocking in that the animals at …


Animal Ethics And The Law, Bernard Rollin Jan 2008

Animal Ethics And The Law, Bernard Rollin

Michigan Law Review First Impressions

Everyone reading this Article is doubtless aware of the woeful lack of legal protection for farm animals in the United States. Not only do the laws fail to assure even a minimally decent life for the majority of these animals, they do not provide protection against the most egregious treatment. As both a philosopher who has helped articulate new emerging societal ethics for animals, and as one who has successfully developed laws embodying that ethic—notably the 1985 federal laws protecting laboratory animals—I will stress the direction we need to move in the future to enfranchise farm animals. I have seen …