Animal Legal Defense Fund

Big win: Tyson Foods has agreed to stop making misleading “net-zero” and “climate-smart beef” claims for five years. Thanks to legal action by ALDF, EWG, Earthjustice & FarmSTAND, Tyson can only use those labels again if verified by a mutually agreed expert. Tyson Foods alone has greenhouse gas emissions that  exceed those of Austria or Greece. This settlement is a significant milestone for advocates and consumers who demand honesty in climate-related marketing. Read more: https://lnkd.in/gWGtKckk

Teddy, a blind, deaf 13-pound Shih Tzu mix, was cruelly shot by a police officer in Sturgeon, MO. This never should have happened. Today, we can share at least one step toward accountability: the city has agreed to a $500,000 settlement. Teddy deserved safety. He deserved compassion. The DOJ estimates up to 10,000 dogs are shot by police every year. This crisis is unacceptable, and ALDF has been fighting to change it for years. Read more: https://lnkd.in/gKnuGery

We've joined a coalition to appeal a federal court decision upholding a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rule under the Trump administration that exempts factory farms from having to publicly report dangerous air emissions. The agricultural industry is still avoiding reporting dangerous gases like ammonia and hydrogen sulfide — even though these pollutants are linked to more than 12,700 deaths annually. https://lnkd.in/ger_TXGA

The Animal Legal Defense Fund’s Legislative Affairs team has been busy fighting for animals in Congress and across the states. 🐾 Join our free webinar to hear updates, celebrate wins, and see what’s next. https://lnkd.in/e55xWCX

California has officially banned cat declawing! 🙌 Thanks to the leadership of Assemblymember Alex Lee, AB 867 passed the Legislature and was signed by Governor Gavin Newsom — making California the latest state to enact this common-sense, humane law.

Good news! A judge in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia ruled that our lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) can continue. In the case, we are arguing that the government agency should not have issued an exhibitor license to Yellowstone Bear World, a roadside zoo with decades of known violations of state and federal law. Among the violations, this Idaho zoo prematurely tears months-old baby bear cubs away from their mothers to force them into stressful human interactions and bottle-feeding photo ops with tourists, causing the bears severe distress and harm. This positive ruling brings us one step closer to justice for these traumatized mother bears and their cubs. Read more about the ruling and stay tuned as this case proceeds: https://lnkd.in/gUTfb6qp

The California Legislature recently passed a bill that we co-sponsored to enact a total ban on cat declawing (except only when medically necessary for the cat’s health). 🎉 Now it goes on to the governor's desk for him to hopefully sign. Thanks to Assemblymember Alex Lee for championing AB 867 all the way through the legislature. Declawing isn’t a nail trim — it’s an amputation. Governor Newsom now has the power to make it so California cats won’t have to needlessly suffer for the sake of sofas.

Big First Amendment win for animals and advocates! A federal appeals court has ruled that the University of Wisconsin–Madison violated the Constitution when it censored comments on its social media accounts that criticized the university’s use of animals in research. This ruling affirms that public institutions can’t silence criticism, especially when it comes from those with firsthand knowledge of the suffering behind the scenes. Madeline Krasno, a former lab worker who witnessed the trauma experienced by primates at UW–Madison, was blocked from speaking out. But now, her voice and the voices of countless advocates has been vindicated. Free speech is vital to animal advocacy. Public universities must be held accountable when they try to hide the truth. Read more: https://lnkd.in/g7wNgaFi

ANIMAL LAW UPDATE: Effective October 2025, the D.C. Pets in Housing Amendment Act restricts “pet fees” and bans breed and size discrimination in pet-friendly rentals, supporting the policy goal of keeping companion animals with their families, regardless of socioeconomic status. This law is part of a nationwide trend to remove barriers to housing for the large portion of the population who are both renters and guardians of companion animals. Read our full legal analysis: https://lnkd.in/g_hxMWB7

Exciting news! The Pigs and Public Health Act has been reintroduced in the U.S. House! 🙌 This bill would prohibit the slaughter of downed pigs and willful abuse of downed pigs. It would also improve protections for pigs during transport, require testing of downed pigs for zoonotic diseases, and prohibit the sale of meat from downed pigs. Downed pigs suffer some of the worst treatment in the animal agriculture industry, often being dragged, kicked, or prodded to slaughter because they cannot walk. Protections for downed pigs, which would also benefit consumers and food safety, are long overdue. ALDF applauds Congresswoman Veronica Escobar for leading the way on this bill! Read more: https://lnkd.in/gEw3Wis6