WHAT WE DO

Animal Law Associates is a law firm devoted exclusively to the practice of animal law. Founded in 2002 in Berkeley, California, ALA litigates on behalf of animals whenever the need arises, regardless of the financial situation of their ‘guardians.’ ALA is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt nonprofit organization.

ALA represents animals in all situations, including the following areas:

COMPANION ANIMALS

1. Willful Injury One day a neighbor of Denice Baltrons brought her tragic news. A man had beaten her cat with a golf club, leaving it to slowly die over the next few hours. This case, now pending, may present an opportunity to test a little-used section of California law which allows for punitive damages when someone willfully injures an animal. This type of injury is surprisingly common, with neighbors and strangers killing animals with no fear of consequences. This area of law not only sends a message, but it can also spur the district attorney to take action, as it did in the Baltrons case.   2. Negligence When Andrew Wysotski and Lori Learmont moved to San Francisco from Toronto, they entrusted four of their cats to Air Canada. When they arrived in San Francisco, they were horrified to see that one of the crates was smashed and the cat Fu was missing. After months of searching the runway area, Fu was never found. The lawsuit against Air Canada has drawn national and international media attention. It could well lead to an overhaul of the way animals are handled by airlines, which kill or lose an estimated 5,000 dogs and cats annually.   3. Vet malpractice When Larnita Pette brought her dog Monte in for a physical exam, the vet recommended a teeth cleaning. When Ms. Pette returned hours later, her dog was in distress, and no one was attending to him. He died at the emergency clinic hours later Cases of negligence are often compounded by the seeming indifference of many vets. In the above case, the failure to attend to Monte was gross negligence. It is only through high jury awards or settlements that such vets will be held accountable.   4. Dog Bites Dog biting cases are ubiquitous in California, and in today’s climate the odds are stacked against the dog, even for seemingly innocuous incidents. However, proactive representation has led to favorable settlements as well as legal victories. The dog Cody was impounded after he nipped a boy who had put his arms around the dog. Despite causing only minor injuries, the hearing officer inexplicably ordered that Cody be killed. Fortunately, aggressive negotiations led to the ultimate release of the dog. In a case involving Rocky, the judge completely violated his rights, allowing hearsay and other impermissible evidence to convict the dog and then order his execution. The case was appealed, and the Court of Appeal threw out the conviction and ordered a new trial. On the trial date the city attorney failed to present any evidence, and Rocky was released. The city of San Francisco is perhaps the worst offender in this area. Due process violations are the norm, and the hearing officer is a member of the police department. In a case receiving intense national coverage, the defects in the procedure were highlighted. Through the litigation process, ALA is working towards an overhaul of these procedures.

CAPTIVE ANIMALS In 1985 California passed remarkably progressive legislation concerning captive wild animals. However, the Department of Fish and Game failed to implement many of the regulations, and it refused to negotiate. Through the filing of a Writ of Mandate on behalf of Animal Protection Institute, CDFG was forced to negotiate a settlement that committed them to implement all of the regulations required by law.

RODEO ALA has brought a suit to prevent school districts from bringing students to the rodeo. If successful, it will be a large step towards the eventual banishment of the rodeo from San Francisco. Also, it may set a precedent throughout California, effectively stopping schools throughout the state from taking their students to the rodeo.

ANIMAL EXPERIMENTATION In the first case of its kind, ALA has filed a Whistleblower suit against a vivisector in Phoenix. The suit alleges that Michael Berens, of St. Joseph’s Hospital, made false and misleading statements in order to receive federal funding for an experiment involving beagles. After seven years of failure, Berens falsely claimed that the experiment was a success. This lawsuit is a classic example of how, through innovative action, animal law can have a real impact.

FIRST AMENDMENT Every year Alfredo Kuba of South Bay IDA demonstrates against the rodeo and circus at the Cow Palace. However, he is confined to three small zones, located over 200 feet away from the main entrance, and his message is heard by virtually no one. This suit, now before the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, aims to give Kuba and other demonstrators reasonable access to people attending these events.

Who We Are »