Guides: Animal Law Research Guide: Primary Law

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General Federal Law Resources

Animal Legal & Historical Center
Michigan State University College of Law. Provides information on Federal and State Laws.
Animal Law Resource Center
Provides access to legislation, laws, and cases relating to animals, concerning animal cruelty, animal control, laboratory animal welfare, and other issues. They also provide model laws which can serve as a template for drafting legislation.
Congress.gov
By searching current legislation, you can find any bills related to animals in the current Congress.
Current Legislation
Humane Society Legislation Fund. Provides information on current legislation in Congress regarding animals in research, equines, wildlife, and other current issues.
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service: Laws & Regulations
A portal for U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service rulemaking activities. Laws, agreements, and treaties related to conservation are listed here.
Federal Laws and Guidelines
National Agricultural Library. Provides information on Federal laws regarding animals such as the Animal Welfare Act, Horse Protection Act, and other laws.
Federal Wildlife and Related Laws Handbook
Provides an overview of Wildlife Laws and Issues along with Statutes and Related materials. (Note: This is no longer updated.)

General State Resources

The following resources provide information on current State laws:

Breed-Discriminatory Legislation (BDL/BSL) Fiscal Impact
Best Friends Animal Society. Provides the fiscal impact of Breed-Discriminatory Legislation on States, Cities, and Counties. Users can download data tables, local talking points, general talking points, and opportunity cost talking points.
Comparative Laws Across the U.S.
Michigan State University's Animal Legal & Historical Center provides comparative table of laws at the state level for specific topics. They cover topics such as mandatory reporting laws, humane society enforcement powers, dog leash laws, and others.
Maps of U.S. Laws
Michigan State University's Animal Legal & Historical Center provides access to maps on specific animal law topics, showing which states have laws on that topic and which states do not.
State and Local Law and Guidelines
National Agricultural Library. Provides links to compilation of state laws regarding different topics such as euthanasia, assistance animals, animal cruelty, and other topics.
State Legislation
Animal Welfare Institute. Provides citations for state laws and whether or not the law is active, currently being challenged, or unconstitutional.
U.S. Animal Protection Laws State Rankings (2019)
Animal Legal Defense Fund. Ranks the 50 states based on their laws for animals and provides a report covering major trends, improved states, an overview of the top five best and worst states, and other information.

Animal Welfare Related Federal Acts

This section focuses on the Laboratory Animal Welfare Act of 1966 (P.L. 89-544), better known as the Animal Welfare Act (AWA), and related acts such as the Horse Protection Act of 1970 (P.L. 91-540). The following links include the relevant regulatory agency and related materials on animal welfare related laws:

APHIS Center for Animal Welfare
United States Department of Agriculture. Charged with monitoring and enforcing the Animal Welfare Act, the Horse Protection Act, and Animal Care Emergency Programs.
Environmental and Natural Resources Division (ENRD)
Department of Justice. Responsible for prosecuting cases against those who violate the nation's environmental laws and defending the Federal government. ENRD's jurisdiction includes wildlife and marine resources, animal welfare, and wildlife trafficking.
Office of Laboratory Animal Welfare
Provides guidance on the Public Health Service Policy on Humane Care and Use of Laboratory Animals. Also support educational programs and monitors compliance with the Policy by assured institutions.
Animal Welfare
The National Agricultural Law Center. Provides information on major statutes, regulations, case law, publications, and other related resources on animal welfare.
Animal Welfare Act and Animal Welfare Regulations: The Bluebook
United States Department of Agriculture. Provides information on the sections of the United States Codes for the Animal Welfare Act and the sections of the Code of Federal Regulations for Animal Welfare. Current as of January 1st, 2018.
Animal Welfare Act
USDA National Agricultural Library. Provides links to the Animal Welfare Act History Digital Collection, a Legislative history of the Animal Welfare Act, and other related documents.
Horse Protection Act.
USDA National Agricultural Library. Provides links to the text of the Horse Protection Act, regulations, the Horse Protection Act Fact Sheet, and other related documents.
Horse Protection Regulations (eCFR)
Covers the regulations for Horse Protection. Also available on Westlaw and Lexis.

Endangered Species Act (ESA)

The Endangered Species Act of 1973 (P.L. 93-205) protects critically endangered species from extinction and helps those same species recover. The following links provide access to the relevant regulatory agencies and related information.

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Enforces federal wildlife laws, protects endangered species, manages migratory birds, restores significant fisheries, conserves/restores wildlife habitats, and other duties.
National Wildlife Health Center
U.S. Geological Survey. Monitors the impact of disease on wildlife populations, defines ecological relationships leading to the disease, provide guidance and training for reducing wildlife losses, and other duties.
U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Endangered Species Regulations & Policies
Includes Federal Register notices and citations for regulations related to general policies, habitat conversation, recovery progams and other topics.
Endangered Species Act (NOAA)
Provides information on NOAA Fisheries' shared responsibility to implement the ESA, Regulations, and other related documents.
Endangered Species Act
The National Agricultural Law Center. Provides Regulations, Case Law, Reference Resources, and other related resources.

Wild Horses and Burros

In 1971, the Wild Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Act of 1971 (P.L. 92-195) was passed and signed into law. This law determines how wild horse and burros on federal lands will be managed. The following links contain information regarding the relevant regulatory agencies and the relevant resources:

Bureau of Land Management (BLM)
U.S. Department of the Interior. Manages public rangelands for various use such as livestock grazing, and wildlife habitats. Also, BLM protects and manages wild horses and burros on public lands, and puts up wild horses and burros for adoption.
Wild Horse and Burro Program (BLM)
In-depth information about the Wild Horse and Burro program from the Bureau of Land Management. Includes info about the program's history, herd management, adoptions and sales, etc.
The Wild Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Act of 1971
Last updated in 2006. Provides the text of the act as amended by other laws and includes which laws amended the text and the parts of the text they amended.
Protection, Management, and Control of Wild Free-Roaming Horses and Burros (eCFR)
Contains regulations for wild free-roaming horses and burros. Also available on Westlaw and Lexis.

Animal Drug Related Acts

Like human medications, animal drugs and medicated feeds are regulated by the government as well. The following links include relevant regulatory agencies and related materials:

The Center for Veterinary Medicine (CVM)
Food and Drug Administration. Protects human and animal health by assuring animal drugs and medicated feeds are safe and effective and food from treated animals is safe to eat.
Animal Drug Availability Act of 1996 (ADAA)
CVM Page on the ADAA. Provides information on the changes made by the ADAA, the related CFR sections, and a link to the ADAA on Govinfo.
Animal Medicinal Drug Use Clarification Act of 1994 (AMDUCA)
Provides information on AMDUCA, the relevant CFR parts, a link to the text of AMDUCA, and more information on Extralabel Use and Antimicrobials.
Generic Animal Drug and Patent Term Restoration Act (GADPTRA)
Provides information on the GADPTRA, a link to the text of the law, and related information.
Animal Drugs, Feeds, and Related Products (e-CFR)
Contains regulations for feed, drugs, and other products related to animals. Also available on Westlaw and Lexis.

Marine Related Laws

The Magnuson-Stevens Act, the Marine Mammal Protection Act, and other related laws protect and regulate the marine fisheries in U.S. waters. The following links include the related regulatory agencies and relevant materials:

National Marine Fisheries
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Ensures the productivity and sustainability of fisheries and recovers and conserves protected resources including whales, turtles, and salmon.
Marine Mammal Commission
An independent oversight agency, which works to further the conservation of marine mammals and their environment as part of the Marine Mammal Protection Act.
Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conversation and Management Act (MSA)
Provides information on the MSA, which aims to prevent overfishing, rebuild overfishing stocks, increasing long-term economic and social benefits, and ensure a safe and sustainable supply of seafood. Includes links to the MSA text, information on the reauthorization act, and related documents.
Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA)
Provides information on the MMPA, which created a national policy to prevent marine mammal species and population from declining beyond a point where they cease to be a functioning element of their ecosystem. Also, includes information on the amendments in 1992 and 1994, and other related documents.
National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA)
Provides information on NOAA's actions related to NEPA and some related documents.
NOAA Additional Laws
Provides information on other laws related to NOAA, such as the American Fisheries Act, Billfish Conservation Act, Fur Seal Act, Lacey Act, and other related laws.

Case Law

The following resources may be helpful in researching case law in this area. For an overview of case law research, see our Case Law Research Guide and Tutorial.

Animal Law Cases
Lists the most recent cases involving animal law. Students can use the Advanced Search feature to find additional cases.
Animal Welfare Cases
The National Agricultural Law Center. Provides a compilation of reported and unreported Federal and State court decisions involving animal welfare. Links to the Google Scholar text of the opinion.
Cases
Animal Welfare Institute. Provides information on current and past cases litigated by the Animal Welfare Institute.
Case Archive
Animal Legal Defense Fund. Provides information on cases taken on by the Animal Legal Defense Fund. Each summary provides a basis of the case, who is being sued, and why the case is important.
Case Law
Animal Law Resource Center. Searches federal and state case law on agriculture, companion animals, law enforcement, and other related issues. Users can also search by keyword.
Endangered Species Act Cases
Provides a compilation of reported and unreported Federal and State court decisions regarding the Endangered Species Act. Links to the Google Scholar text of the case.
Federal Cases
Animal Legal & Historical Center. Provides the name of the case, citation for the case, and a summary of the case.
Prior Animal Law Cases of the Month
Animal Legal & Historical Center. Provides summaries and citations of highlighted cases, regarding animal cruelty, wildlife, and other issues on animal rights. The current cases of the month are on the front page of the Animal Legal & Historical Center.

Animal Law Research Guide

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