Animal Law Commons^™

Ctr. For Biological Diversity V. United States Fish & Wildlife Serv., Ali Stapleton

Public Land & Resources Law Review

The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed the District Court of Arizona’s decision to deny a proposed mining plan becuase the operations exceeded the boundaries of a valid mining claim. The issue the court addressed is whether a permanent occupancy of waste rock and tailings on land, absent the discovery of valuable minerals, is a reasonable use related to mining activities. The Ninth Circuit decision effectively prevented mining companies from amending the 1872 Mining Law on the administrative record. Motions for a rehearing and a rehearing en banc were denied.

Species Survival Or The “3s Method”? How The Endangered Species Act Disincentivizes Landowner Cooperation And Threatens The Species It Supposedly Saves, William Edward Mahaffy

Texas A&M Journal of Property Law

The Endangered Species Act (ESA) places restrictions on landowners when their property harbors endangered species. Though well-intentioned as a method of promoting species recovery, these restrictions actually have the reverse effect. Instead of accepting ESA regulations, landowners secretly eliminate endangered species from their property in what is colloquially known as “shoot, shovel, and shut up.” Collaboration between landowners and agencies is essential for species preservation. This Article illustrates the collaboration options, some within the limits of the ESA and others requiring its reform. The four options analyzed are (1) landowner peer review of species listing procedures, (2) congressional clarification of …

Following The Framework: Intentional Genomic Alterations In Animals, Sarah Copper

Journal of Food Law & Policy

Intentional genomic alterations in animals or genetically engineered animals have existed in their modern form since the 1980s. However, the introduction of these animals into our food supply has been a more recent development. The federal government has taken steps in an attempt to regulate these products in a streamlined and efficient manner but has faced criticism in their approach. While the Food and Drug Administration (“FDA”) is currently responsible for the regulation of intentional genomic alterations (“IGAs”) in animals, there is significant effort behind transferring that oversight to the United States Department of Agriculture (“USDA”). However, in the meantime, …

The Cost Of Compassion: Why State Ballot Initiatives Complicate Farm Animal Welfare And Overlook The True Problems In Modern Agriculture, Seth Victor

Journal of Food Law & Policy

Farm animal welfare is a concern for many Americans, both among those who value a higher standard of care for the animals’ own sake, and those concerned with food safety. Industrial agriculture has become the dominant form of animal production to satiate a daunting demand for meat, eggs, and dairy products. Industrial animal-raising facilities, also known as concentrated animal feeding operations (“CAFOs”), prioritize volume and efficiency and are a key factor in keeping consumer prices low. CAFOs are highly specialized and excel at production by minimizing inputs, maximizing confined animals, and externalizing environmental costs. This production method comes at the …

A Uniform Approach To Farm Animal Welfare Laws: Thought For Our Food Instead Of Food For Our Thought, Channing Burd

Journal of Food Law & Policy

We have all seen the commercials and know “Happy Cows Come from California,” but there is a larger issue hidden inside the phrase. Why should not all farm animals be happy, regardless of which state they were raised in? Why are only the cows in California happy, but not the chickens and the hogs as well? Farm animal welfare in the United States needs regulatory overhaul, and we needed it decades ago. This article will illustrate why regulatory overhaul is needed. First, we will examine how a new system of laws, which are part of a uniform code enacted by …

Justice For Dogs, Alexander J. Lindvall

Arkansas Law Review

This Essay summarizes the Fourth Amendment’s protection of dogs. The Fourth Amendment protects people from unreasonable seizures. And nearly every circuit has held that it is unreasonable (and therefore unconstitutional) for an officer to shoot (seize) a dog without a very good reason. Killing a nonthreatening family pet is one of the most egregious forms of police misconduct. The courts rightfully recognize that the unjustified harming of a dog violates the Fourth Amendment.

Man's Best Friend? Fda Adopts New Rule In Wake Of Pet Deaths, But Will It Have A Significant Impact On The Pet Food Industry?, Amanda Paige Marcum

Journal of Food Law & Policy

Eight years after the largest pet food recall in U.S. history,' pet owners are still grappling with mysterious pet illnesses and deaths associated with commercial pet food. This comment discusses a number of issues related to the Food Safety Modernization Act ("FSMA") . First, it looks at a brief history of pet food industry regulation. Second, it examines the mystery of pet deaths related to jerky treats made in China. Third, it discusses recent developments in the law in response to those pet deaths. Fourth, it considers the implications of the rule and how it will affect the standards applicable …

Jurisprudence And Animal Protection, Carlos Montemayor

Animal Sentience

Jurisprudence is based on normative principles that go beyond instrumental reasoning and practical goals concerning what is convenient. It concerns justice and truth. The empirical evidence justifies the legal protection of various species on legal grounds. Given the risks we face regarding climate degradation, international legal agencies must expand the framework of human rights and environmental law in order to effectively protect animals and their environments.

Looking A Gift Horse In The Mouth: Working Students Under The Fair Labor Standards Act, Lara Morris

Washington and Lee Law Review

Internships have skyrocketed in popularity as they become the new entry-level position for professional careers across the country. Despite their popularity, the legality of internships falls in a gray area created by a vague statute and a flexible, factor-based judicial test. The Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), which regulates employment relationships and importantly mandates a minimum wage and hour requirements, was written long before internships became commonplace and provides little direction for how to regulate these positions. In this void, both the Department of Labor and federal courts have developed guidance, the ultimate culmination of which is the modern primary …

Puppy Yoga, Cardozo Wellness Society, Cardozo Student Animal Legal Defense Fund

Flyers 2022-2023

No abstract provided.

Demons & Droids: Nonhuman Animals On Trial, Gerrit D. White

PANDION: The Osprey Journal of Research and Ideas

Nonhuman animal trials are ridiculous to the modern sensibilities of the West. The concept of them is in opposition to the idea of nonhuman animals—entities without agency, incapable of guilt by nature of irrationality. This way of viewing nonhuman animals is relatively new to the Western mind. Putting nonhuman animals on trial has only become unacceptable in the past few centuries. Before this shift, nonhuman animal trials existed as methods of communities policing themselves. More than that, these trials were part of legal systems ensuring they provided justice for all. This shift happened because the relationship between Christian authorities and …

Blocking Nature's Vulnerable Calls For Help: The Tenth Circuit Dials Into The Telecommunications Act's Federal Environmental Preemption Clause In Santa Fe Alliance V. City Of Santa Fe, Samantha Speiss

Villanova Environmental Law Journal

No abstract provided.

A Pact For The Future: Improving Animal Protection Legislation For Captive Orcas, Emily Lively

Pace Environmental Law Review

Using SeaWorld as a case study, this Note will argue that existing federal and state legislation fails to protect captive orcas from cruel and harmful treatment while in captivity.

Part I of this Note will address the gaps in federal and state animal welfare and cruelty legislation relevant to captive orcas. Part II will discuss the enactment of the Preventing Animal Cruelty and Torture Act of 2019 (“PACT Act”), the first federal animal cruelty statute. Part III will use SeaWorld as a case study to test the effectiveness of the PACT Act in criminalizing animal cruelty at the federal level. …

Local Action For Animals As A Stepping Stone To State Protections, Jo Anderson

Law

Municipal ordinances can be an effective way to create animal protection laws at the local level, and could lead to great success at the state level. Passing laws at the local level allows people to help animals in their communities, while providing a model for other cities and jurisdictions. Local laws can also create momentum for statewide initiatives, which demonstrates a state’s strong commitment to protecting animals.

Legislation is a key avenue animal advocates use to effect change at scale, but there is not much research about how to choose tractable issues and lobby for them successfully. The goal of …

Municipalities Could Provide Valuable Second-Life Uses Of Electric Vehicle Li-Ion Batteries While Legislators And Manufacturers Refine Safe Recycling And Disposal Practices, Heather D. Stewart

Environmental and Earth Law Journal (EELJ)

As consumers are embracing emerging electric vehicles (EVs) as an important step to take in combating climate change, the reality is that the EV solution has some serious short-term issues to address, especially when evaluating the lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) that power most EVs. This comment first discusses the potential problems associated with the lack of recycling and disposal technology as well as regulations that are available for EV LIBs. Even though consumers and regulators alike are supportive that fossil fuel-burning internal combustion engines need to be replaced with cleaner transportation options such as EVs, policies, and proclamations are still subject …

Addressing The Disproportionate Adverse Health Effects Among Bipoc Communities As A Result Of Environmental Racism, Lindsay M. Farbent

Environmental and Earth Law Journal (EELJ)

This article examines factors that contribute to the negative health impacts on Black Americans, other minorities, and low-income communities that are living in areas with high levels of air pollution, toxic waste, and environmental hazards. First, this article assesses the role of historical residential redlining on the segregation of BIPOC neighborhoods. Furthermore, the article addresses gaps in both federal and state environmental laws that allow facilities to keep obtaining permits and polluting in BIPOC and primarily low-income neighborhoods. Moreover, the article explains the higher rates of trauma, stress, and stress-related illnesses among BIPOC communities exposed to high levels of environmental …

Is Bitcoin The New Gold? The Two May Be More Similar Than You Think, Including Their Value, Uses, And Deleterious Effects On The Environment, Justin Allen

Environmental and Earth Law Journal (EELJ)

In the 1850s, the Gold Rush started in the United States, and in 2010, an analogous phenomenon, the Cryptoboom, began. Similar to the Gold Rush, Bitcoin’s initial boom was marred by the deleterious effects that mining for valuable coins had on the environment, but there are steps that can be taken to mitigate the negative effect cryptocurrencies have on the environment. Cryptocurrencies, including Bitcoin and the blockchain technology that powers cryptocurrencies, have been widely embraced by many people, corporations, and even entire governments for a multitude of reasons. Some have embraced the fruits of blockchain to use as a decentralized …

Miami Is Setting The Expectation On How Coastal Communities In Florida Should Respond To Protect Homeowners From The Sinking State, Dayana B. Blanco

Environmental and Earth Law Journal (EELJ)

This note begins by explaining what environmental factors are causing the sea level rise to increase at just a rapid pace and how coastal communities are ultimately affected. Because Florida is a slice of paradise within the states, it causes the population to increase vastly. Thus, millions of homeowners could face tragic consequences, such as total inundation of residential homes, flooding within the community, and a drastic decrease in home value. In response to this natural disaster, in 2021, Governor Ron DeSantis passed Senate Bill 1954 into law, which requires the Department of Environmental Protection to complete a statewide flood …

Congress Invests In A New Generation: The Future Of Commercial Fishing Is Supported By The Implementation Of The Young Fishermen’S Development Act, Shayla Alltop

Environmental and Earth Law Journal (EELJ)

This note speaks to the importance and potential impact of the Young Fishermen’s Development Act. This ongoing, historical legislation, ultimately signed into law on January 5, 2021, will establish funds over several fiscal years to support the future of commercial fishing. The Alaska and New England regions are discussed briefly to show the significance of the commercial fishing industry to those areas. An overview of the Act is provided, and the context for its need is explained as it relates to the industry’s entrants. Further, the phenomenon known as “graying of the fleet” is examined, as well as some of …

Novel Food Ingredients: Food Safety Law, Animal Testing, And Consumer Perspectives, Taimie Bryant

Marquette Law Review

In recent years, some major food companies have publicly stated that they will no longer test their product ingredients on animals. Yet despite the availability of more reliably predictive non-animal toxicity tests, some companies continue testing novel food ingredients on animals. This Article uses the lens of a particular innovative plant-based food company’s decision to test a novel food ingredient on animals as a means of considering more generally whether any food producer has rational legal reasons for testing on animals. The Article explores FDA requirements, consumer food safety litigation, and judicial evaluation of animal test data, all of which …