Articles

The following is a quick overview of the issues relating to cases involving police shooting of pets.

This article provides an overview of recently added or amended commercial breeder laws (from 2008 - 2010). On the whole, the new laws both mandate minimum standards of care for dogs at breeding facilities and place a limit on the number of dogs a breeder can maintain.

Over half of all households in America have at least one pet. While some of these animals are available for adoption at local humane societies, most people buy their pets from retail pet stores. Since there are so many animals being housed at retail pet stores, many welfare issues exist, including the availability of veterinary care, food and water, proper housing, and proper sanitation. This paper addresses what federal and state laws are in place to regulate these welfare issues.

This summary describes some of the basic features of state cruelty laws with links to further discussions.

Since 2005, major changes have been made to federal and state emergency planning laws with respect to animals. State laws require emergency plans to include steps to be taken during a disaster, including evacuation, rescue and recovery, shelters and tracking.

Animal swap meets are places where people buy, sell or trade animals in an open-air, flea-market-style setting. The most commonly sold animals are chickens and other birds, rabbits, pigs, reptiles, and dogs.

This overview of Texas animal cruelty laws summarizes the currently enacted laws, addresses the unique aspects of Texas cruelty laws, mentions current controversies, and introduces the new laws dealing with dangerous wild animals.

This overview of the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act provides annotations that link into a more detailed legal discussion of the Act. The summary reviews the historical underpinnings behind the passage of the Act and an examination of the major amendments to the original Act. Finally, the legal issues and controversies spawned by challenges to the Act are briefly summarized.

This summary explores the link between domestic violence and animal abuse. It explains the threats that animals in domestic violence situations face. Some states allow animals to be included in protection orders and several others have initiated bills in their legislatures.

This overview discusses the nature of the international trade in wild reptiles and the impediments to enforcing those laws that protect reptile species. The concerns of ownership, such as zoonotic disease, injury to the animal itself, and threats to public safety, are also presented.

This article provides a brief overview of the federal Lacey Act (16 U.S.C. §§ 3371-3378). Included is a brief historical discussion as well as an examination of the criminal and civil provisions under the Act. A link to a more complete discussion is provided.

This overview outlines the laws pertaining to zoo animals on the state, federal, and international level. It also discusses the importance of voluntary compliance by zoos to maintain appropriate standards, including membership in the American Zoo and Aquarium Association (AZA). Until the laws are improved, there is stricter control and more enforcement, then zoo animals will continue to suffer.

An overview of the state and federal laws that currently offer protection to the domestic chicken, whether used for food production, as pets or as research animals. The paper examines laws in the United States and Europe.

This document provides an overview of the UK's Pet Animals Act 1951. The Act establishes a regulatory regime for "pet shops" under which local authorities (district and borough councils) are responsible for inspecting and licensing premises.

The Migratory Bird Treaty Act (MBTA) was passed in 1918 to combat over-hunting and poaching that supplied the enormous demand for feathers to adorn women’s hats, when it was clear that the state-level hunting laws were insufficient and bird populations were being decimated.

This overview discusses the recent amendment to the Migratory Bird Treaty Act (MBTA). Under a bill introduced in May of 2004, all bird species not considered "native" to the United States would be excluded from protection. This new law, known as the Migratory Bird Treaty Reform Act, has been the center of much controversy, especially as it concerns the cause of mute swans in the U.S. It became law on December 8, 2004, as part of the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2005.

Overview of the offences of cruelty to domestic and captive animals in England and Wales. These offences are contained in the Protection of Animals Act 1911 and the Abandonment of Animals Act 1960. Similar legislation applies in Scotland.

The gray wolf was almost extinct in the lower 48 states of the United States by the mid 1900s. Thanks to the Endangered Species Act, the gray wolf may be well on its way to recovery. Issues still remain as the wolf's successful repopulation may signal an end to its full protection under federal laws.