John M. Simpson – Page 8 – Animal Law Developments

November 14, 2019 by John M. Simpson

Australian State Gets Tough With Animal Rights Trespassers

by John M. Simpson.

On November 13, 2019, the Parliament of New South Wales passed legislation aimed at dealing with the increasing threat to farmers and their operations posed by animal rights activists in Australia who have taken up physical property trespassing as a tactic to get their various points across. The measure, entitled the Right to Farm Bill 2019, increases the criminal penalties for aggravated trespass and creates a new offense for inciting aggravated trespass. Continue reading “Australian State Gets Tough With Animal Rights Trespassers”

October 23, 2019 by John M. Simpson

House Passes Bill Amending “Crush Video” Prohibition

by John M. Simpson.

On October 22, 2019, the U.S. House of Representatives passed H.R. 724, entitled the “Preventing Animal Cruelty and Torture Act” or “PACT Act.” The measure would retain the existing prohibition in 18 U.S.C. § 48 on the creation and distribution of “crush videos” but would also criminalize an intentional act of animal crushing. Continue reading “House Passes Bill Amending “Crush Video” Prohibition”

September 19, 2019 by John M. Simpson

Update on Elephant Habeas Corpus Case

by John M. Simpson.

We recently reported on a case in which an animal rights group, the Nonhuman Rights Project, sought habeas corpus relief for three Asian elephants maintained in a zoo in Connecticut. The Connecticut Appellate Court affirmed the lower court’s judgment and ruled that the plaintiff had no standing because the elephants themselves had no standing. Continue reading “Update on Elephant Habeas Corpus Case”

September 4, 2019 by John M. Simpson

UK Advertising Standards Authority Bans PETA Ad As “Misleading” and Lacking Substantiation

by John M. Simpson.

On September 4, 2019 the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA), which describes itself as “the UK’s independent advertising regulator,” upheld a challenge to an advertisement that had been displayed for People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) on the side of buses in February 2019. As the authority described it, the ad “included the text ‘Don’t let them pull the wool over your eyes. Wool is just as cruel as fur. GO WOOL-FREE THIS WINTER PeTA.’ Beside the text was an image of a woman with the neck of her jumper pulled over her face.” Ten complainants challenged whether the claim “wool is just as cruel as fur” was misleading and could be substantiated. ASA upheld the challenge and ruled that the ad “must not appear in its current form” and “told PETA not to use the claim ‘wool is just as cruel as fur’ in [the] future.” Continue reading “UK Advertising Standards Authority Bans PETA Ad As “Misleading” and Lacking Substantiation”

August 20, 2019 by John M. Simpson

Connecticut Appellate Court Denies Habeas Relief for Elephants

by John M. Simpson.

On August 20, 2019, a panel of the State of Connecticut Judicial Branch Appellate Court officially released a decision affirming the dismissal of an action that had been brought seeking habeas corpus relief for three elephants maintained at a zoo in Goshen, Connecticut. Nonhuman Rights Project, Inc. v. R. W. Commerford and Sons, Inc., No. AC 41464 (Conn. App. Aug. 20, 2019). The petitioner Nonhuman Rights Project sought to represent the elephants as their “next friend” seeking to vindicate what was described as the animals’ “common-law right to bodily liberty.” The lower court dismissed the case on the grounds that petitioner lacked standing and, alternatively, that the petition was “wholly frivolous.” Continue reading “Connecticut Appellate Court Denies Habeas Relief for Elephants”

August 16, 2019 by John M. Simpson

Bid By Humane Society International To Get Information On Sport Hunters Fails

by John M. Simpson.

On August 15, 2019, the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia entered a partial summary judgment upholding a decision by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) to withhold certain information pertaining to sport hunters from records produced pursuant to a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request by Humane Society International (HSI). Humane Soc’y Internat’l v. U.S. Fish & Wildlife Serv., et al., No. 16-720 (TJK) (D.D.C. Aug. 15, 2019). HSI is an organization related to the animal rights organization Humane Society of the United States (HSUS). HSUS has long been known for its opposition to sport hunting. Continue reading “Bid By Humane Society International To Get Information On Sport Hunters Fails”

August 13, 2019July 16, 2021 by John M. Simpson

9th Circuit Rejects Animal Rights Organization’s Claim That a Bengal Tiger is an “Individual” Under FOIA

by John M. Simpson.

Yesterday, in Animal Legal Defense Fund v. U.S. Department of Agriculture, et al., ___ F.3d ___, No. 18-16327 (9th Cir. Aug. 12, 2019), the U. S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit affirmed a summary judgment of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California holding that a Bengal tiger is not an “individual” within the meaning of the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). The case had been brought by the Animal Legal Defense Fund (ALDF) after the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) denied ALDF’s request for expedited treatment of its FOIA request for records concerning an inspection request regarding a tiger named “Tony.” Continue reading “9th Circuit Rejects Animal Rights Organization’s Claim That a Bengal Tiger is an “Individual” Under FOIA”

August 9, 2019August 13, 2019 by John M. Simpson

DOT Clarifies Enforcement Priorities Concerning Air Travel With Service Animals

by John M. Simpson.

On August 8, 2019, the U.S. Department of Transportation’s (DOT’s) Office of Aviation Enforcement and Proceedings (Enforcement Office) issued a Final Statement of Enforcement Priorities Regarding Service Animals (Final Statement). This action apprises the public of DOT’s “enforcement focus with respect to the transportation of service animals in the cabin of aircraft” which DOT regulates under the Air Carrier Access Act (ACAA). Last year, DOT initiated an advanced notice of proposed rulemaking under the ACAA to respond to concerns expressed by individuals with disabilities, airlines, flight attendants and other stakeholders about the need for a change in DOT’s service animal requirements. Recognizing that the rulemaking process can be lengthy, DOT also issued an Interim Statement of Enforcement Priorities to give notice of how the statute would be enforced during the rulemaking process. While “not legally binding in its own right,” the August 8 Final Statement provides the public with “greater transparency” with respect to the interpretation and enforcement of existing requirements by the Enforcement Office, based upon the comments that the agency has received from the public. Continue reading “DOT Clarifies Enforcement Priorities Concerning Air Travel With Service Animals”

July 27, 2019 by John M. Simpson

8th Circuit Reverses Restitution Order In Eagle Feathers Sale Case

by John M. Simpson.

On July 26, 2019, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit issued a decision in United States of America v. Sheldon Tree Top, No. 18-1816 (8th Cir. July 26, 2019), a criminal case that had arisen under the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act, 16 U.S.C. § 668(a) and the Lacey Act, 16 U.S.C. §§ 3372(a)(1), 3373(d)(2). Defendant pleaded guilty to selling eagle feathers in violation of the Eagle Protection Act, and the Lacey Act count was dismissed. Defendant was sentenced to six months imprisonment and one year of supervised release. As a condition of supervised release, the district court ordered that defendant pay $5,000 in restitution. Defendant appealed and challenged the restitution order, and the Eighth Circuit reversed. Continue reading “8th Circuit Reverses Restitution Order In Eagle Feathers Sale Case”

July 25, 2019July 26, 2019 by John M. Simpson

Baltimore Seafood Restaurant Continues to Needle PETA

by John M. Simpson.

We have reported previously (here and here) on an ongoing back and forth between animal rights group People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) and Jimmy’s Famous Seafood, a seafood restaurant in Baltimore, Maryland. PETA started it with a billboard advertisement in which a Maryland crab proclaimed “I’m ME, not MEAT. See the individual. Go Vegan.” Jimmy’s responded with its own billboard asserting: “SteaMEed crabs. Here to stay. Get Famous.” Jimmy’s also trolled PETA on Twitter with humorous effect with hashtags like “#SteamThemAll.” This tactic reportedly had the effect of boosting Jimmy’s sales. Continue reading “Baltimore Seafood Restaurant Continues to Needle PETA”