Animal Legal Defense Fund

Home
United States
Washington D.C., DC
Animal Legal Defense Fund

Call Directions Website

Help ALDF grow by telling your friends why you support the Animal Legal Defense Fund! http://aldf.org

Since 1979, the Animal Legal Defense Fund has fought to protect the lives and advance the interests of animals through the legal system. Founded by attorneys active in shaping the emerging field of animal law, ALDF has blazed the trail for stronger enforcement of anti-cruelty laws and more humane treatment of animals in every corner of American life.

09/24/2026

This is what 'take' means under the Endangered Species Act now: a vessel strike on a whale doesn't count. Killing roosting bats by cutting down their tree doesn't count — unless killing them was the explicit intent. An internal memo dated Sept. 14 confirms field offices are already applying this standard.

Protecting wildlife means protecting the habitats they depend on.

Contact your member of Congress and urge them to fight back against the decimation of one of America’s strongest statutes for the protection of endangered and vulnerable wildlife.

09/23/2026

New Animal Law Update ⚖

With the Companion Animal Custody Equity Act (aka "Rosie's Law"), Illinois is the first state to let courts weigh a companion animal's well-being in possession disputes, no marriage required. Unmarried couples, roommates, and domestic partners are now covered too.

Courts can consider things like emotional bonds, daily caregiving, and stability of routine, with special protections for senior animals. It's a small but meaningful shift toward recognizing animals as more than just property in the eyes of the law.

read our full legal analysis: https://aldf.org/article/illinois-law-expands-pet-custody-principles-beyond-marriage/

09/19/2026

Over the past two years, the Endangered Species Act (ESA) has faced numerous legislative and regulatory attacks. This July, the Trump administration severely weakened the ESA by rescinding the definition of “harm." The rule went into effect on September 14.

This change will limit the law’s ability to protect threatened and endangered animals from industrial habitat destruction that could injure or kill them by disrupting essential activities such as breeding, feeding, and sheltering.

The Safeguarding Endangered Species Act (H.R. 9011) would invalidate this change, restore the definition of “harm” and ensure that habitats essential to the survival and recovery of ESA-listed species remain protected.

Red wolves, Florida manatees, and Southern Resident orcas are just a few of the species who will be impacted. Urge your representative to support this bill and the cherished species a strong ESA helps protect.

Take action now: https://aldf.org/article/urge-your-u-s-representative-to-support-the-safeguarding-endangered-species-act/

09/17/2026

The Senate is back in session this week and the Senate Agriculture Committee resumes work on the Farm Bill.

Like the House version, the Senate Farm Bill includes language that would repeal long-standing restrictions on federal funds being used to promote mink fur farming. Last week, we shared that captive mink in Utah tested positive for H5N1 (avian flu), the first case of its kind in the United States. Public records have now confirmed this outbreak happened on a mink farm.

Propping up an industry that serves as a breeding ground for dangerous viral outbreaks isn't just cruel. It's dangerous.

Tell your senators to oppose this Farm Bill: https://aldf.org/article/tell-the-senate-oppose-a-farm-bill-that-harms-animals/

09/16/2026

Cascade County, Montana has been selected for ALDF's Collaborative Response Project! This year-long intensive partnership addresses animal cruelty cases in the county and helps ensure better prevention.

In 2025, Cascade County Animal Control evaluated 11,000 calls involving animals. This program brings law enforcement, veterinarians, and prosecutors together with training, funding, and lasting tools to close the gaps.

Animal cruelty doesn't happen in isolation — it proliferates alongside domestic violence, child neglect, gang activity, and mental illness. A proactive, comprehensive response, including resources for prevention, is foundational to building healthier communities and restoring public trust.

Read more about our Collaborative Response Program: https://aldf.org/article/cascade-county-montana-selected-for-animal-cruelty-response-and-prevention-program/

09/13/2026

A coyote and badger going on an adventure together❤️

All animals form deep emotional bonds with one another, even with animals very different from themselves.

We’re dedicated to pursuing better legal protection for wildlife so that friendships like this one can continue to thrive.

video credit: Peninsula Open Space Trust

09/01/2026

Calling all scholars and advocates! The Animal Law Education & Scholarship Program is awarding five $5,000 grants to support bold, advocacy-driven research that moves animal law forward.

Have a research idea that could make a real difference? A panel of internal and external experts will review proposals — and yours could be one of five funded this academic year.

Applications due October 1, 2026. Apply today and help shape the future of animal law! aldf.org/advocacygrants

08/29/2026

Mink farms are hotspots for zoonotic disease — we saw it with COVID-19. Now, for the first time in the U.S., captive mink in Utah have tested positive for H5N1 bird flu.

Since 2022, H5N1 has torn through mink farms across Europe, infecting tens of thousands of animals. In one outbreak, the virus mutated to spread mink-to-mink — something scientists called "a clear mechanism for an H5 pandemic to start" and "a warning bell."

The emergence of H5N1 in captive mink in the U.S. should be treated as exactly that: a warning bell.

Congress can act. Urge your representative to support the Mink VIRUS Act (H.R. 2185) to phase out mink fur farms and help farmers transition out of the industry.

https://aldf.org/article/urge-your-rep-to-co-sponsor-the-mink-virus-act/

08/26/2026

What happens to animals inside laboratories?

In 2025, 31% of animals covered by federal protections were used in studies that intentionally caused physical pain or distress — and in some cases, that suffering was deliberately left unrelieved.

These numbers don’t reflect the psychological suffering caused by confinement, isolation, and being denied the ability to engage in natural behaviors. These conditions can cause lasting harm, including anxiety, abnormal behaviors, and self-injury.

Matt Rossell, ALDF Campaigns Manager, has seen these conditions firsthand. As an undercover investigator, he spent two years documenting conditions inside a primate laboratory — and used that evidence to help force changes in government oversight.

What did he witness? What did he learn? And what needs to change?

Read our full interview with Matt here: https://aldf.org/article/fighting-for-animals-used-in-research/

Address

PO Box 96041
Washington D.C., DC
20077

Telephone

+17077952533

Website

https://linktr.ee/animallegaldefensefund

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Animal Legal Defense Fund posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.