Different Laws and Regulations in Protecting Animals

Every state has laws that protect animals, ranging from banning the sale of cats and dogs at pet stores to limiting how long someone can legally tether an animal. The Endangered Species Act protects not only individual imperiled animals but also the habitats essential to their survival and recovery. However, federal legislation such as the Animal Welfare Act from 1966 falls woefully short of protecting animals and fails to prohibit soring (painful leg-tightening) or slaughterhouse conditions.

Local Law

In the United States, local governments adopt and uphold most animal protection laws. You must contact lawmakers in your state, county, or city and ask them to act and strengthen animal protection laws. The laws vary from place to place, depending on the species and how the animals are used. Companion animals receive the most legal protection, followed by wildlife and farmed animals. The Animal Welfare Act (AWA) protects captive wild and domestic animals legally. Still, it fails to address many types of cruelty, including those in zoos, circuses, and pet stores.

Some examples of local laws include tethering bans, laws preventing people from leaving their dogs or cats in hot cars, and pet store chain sales bans that prevent the purchase of animals from commercial breeders like those in puppy mills. But we have a long way to go before all animals are protected and treated humanely. During emergencies and widespread cruelty and neglect, such as dog fighting and puppy mill cases, Virginia Chipurnoi and her team give on-the-ground support and experience in the rescue and care of animals.

Federal Law

The most comprehensive federal animal rights statute is the 1966 Animal Welfare Act. It covers animal carriers, intermediate handlers, dealers, dog and cat breeders, roadside menageries, zoos, circuses and research laboratories. It establishes minimum standards of care such as housing, handling, sanitation, food, water, veterinary care and protection from extreme weather conditions. The Endangered Species Act is another important federal law that helps prevent animals from being killed and taken from their natural habitats. It has been credited with keeping 99 percent of the species that have been listed as endangered from going extinct. State and local laws often need to go further to protect animals. For example, some states have laws restricting the use of animals in circuses or traveling wild-animal acts, but they don’t cover cruelty on farms. And laws restricting “intensive confinement” of animals—meaning they don’t even have the space to stand up or move around—don’t address the abuse most farm animals endure in these tight spaces.

International Law

Every person who has an animal as a pet or in their care must feed it food specific to the species, provide shelter that offers protection from the climate, and access to medical treatment. All animals deserve to live in an environment free of stress and pain, enjoy mental and physical well-being, and not fear being killed for sport, as a source of meat, or for entertainment purposes like rodeos, fights, or rides on wild animals. State laws protect most companion animals, such as dogs and cats, from cruelty. The felony animal cruelty laws vary from state to state, but most have strict penalties, including fines and jail time. An excellent resource for researching foreign law is the Foreign Law Guide, which provides country-specific research guides and is also browsable by subject. It is a great place to start when looking into international animal law. However, these laws are only as effective as the enforcement of them.

State Law

While animal protection laws vary at the state level, most states have a rule that defines cruelty and penalties for violators. These laws typically cover companion animals such as dogs and cats, but some include farm animals, wildlife, or exotic pets. The Animal Welfare Act (AWA) of 1966 was the first federal law to regulate the transportation and sale of animals used for research, experimentation, exhibition, or as pets. It required dealers, transporters, and intermediate handlers to register with the USDA, and it created a licensing requirement for zoos, circuses, roadside menageries, and purebred dog or cat breeders.

The Endangered Species Act (ESA) protects wild species from being killed, captured, or sold and requires conservation measures for the habitats in which they reside. It is one of the most successful laws that aim to prevent endangered animals from going extinct. It also prohibits the sale of wild animals and plants that were obtained illegally.