The Animal Law Podcast

Our Hen House Podcasts
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Join animal law professor and longtime activist Mariann Sullivan as she explores groundbreaking legal cases shaping the future of animal protection. Each episode features in-depth discussions with leading attorneys, scholars, and advocates about critical developments in animal law—focusing on significant court decisions and their enforcement. Whether you’re a legal professional, animal advocate, or concerned citizen, discover how case law is evolving to recognize and protect animals. From landmark litigation to emerging legal theories, the Animal Law Podcast makes complex legal issues accessible while examining their impact on animals and society.

  1. The Case of the Lobster, a “Living, Sentient Creature”

    3D AGO

    The Case of the Lobster, a “Living, Sentient Creature”

    In a bold legal challenge that could redefine animal protection law, PETA is taking on the Maine Lobster Festival for steaming 16,000 lobsters alive on public parkland. The case hinges on Maine’s unique animal cruelty statute that protects “every living sentient creature” – a definition that evolves with scientific understanding. PETA’s Director of Litigation, Asher Smith, explains their creative approach using…

    54 min
  2. Animals and the Constitution with Michael Dorf

    NOV 28

    Animals and the Constitution with Michael Dorf

    In this intellectually stimulating episode of the Animal Law Podcast, Mariann Sullivan speaks with constitutional law expert Michael Dorf about his innovative course “Animals and the Constitution.” Dorf shares how fundamental legal principles intersect with animal protection, revealing both the limitations and opportunities within our constitutional framework for advancing animal rights. This episode explores: Constitutional standing for animals: How courts determine…

    1h 3m
  3. The Case of the Overlooked Law: Challenging Animal Confinement Through Forgotten Legislation

    OCT 31

    The Case of the Overlooked Law: Challenging Animal Confinement Through Forgotten Legislation

    Attorneys Will Lowrey (Animal Partisan) and Jessica Blome (Greenfire Law) join Mariann to discuss their battle to use California’s century-old animal protection laws to help dairy calves confined in tiny hutches. Despite having clear evidence that a dairy farm was violating Penal Code Section 597t by denying calves adequate exercise, they encountered a frustrating maze of procedural obstacles that prevented them…

    49 min
  4. The Case of Banning the Truth in a Public Park | First Amendment, Animal Agriculture & Free Speech

    SEP 26

    The Case of Banning the Truth in a Public Park | First Amendment, Animal Agriculture & Free Speech

    In this thought-provoking episode of the Animal Law Podcast, we dive into a First Amendment case that cuts straight to the heart of animal advocacy: can the government prevent activists from showing the public what actually happens to animals in industrial agriculture? Mariann speaks with Sara Berinhout of FIRE (Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression) and John Greil of the University…

    1h 11m
  5. Animal Law Breakthrough: Court Recognizes Dogs as Family Members with Christopher Berry

    AUG 29

    Animal Law Breakthrough: Court Recognizes Dogs as Family Members with Christopher Berry

    This episode of the Animal Law Podcast features Christopher Berry, Executive Director of the Nonhuman Rights Project, discussing a groundbreaking court case that recognizes companion animals as family members in certain legal contexts. Mariann and Christopher explore how this New York decision challenges decades of precedent that treated beloved pets as mere property rather than family, potentially opening new doors for…

    1h 7m
  6. Challenging “Alligator Alcatraz”: The Legal Fight to Protect the Everglades with Elise Bennett

    JUL 25

    Challenging “Alligator Alcatraz”: The Legal Fight to Protect the Everglades with Elise Bennett

    In this compelling episode, Mariann Sullivan speaks with Elise Bennett, Senior Attorney at the Center for Biological Diversity, about the lawsuit challenging the controversial immigration detention facility in Florida’s Everglades. Bennett details how this hastily constructed center in Big Cypress National Preserve threatens endangered species, water quality, and the integrity of a crucial ecosystem that has received billions in restoration funding…

    55 min
  7. Redefining Democracy: How Constitutional Law Could Embrace All Sentient Life

    JUN 27

    Redefining Democracy: How Constitutional Law Could Embrace All Sentient Life

    In a groundbreaking episode of The Animal Law Podcast, we explored radical new concepts that could fundamentally transform how constitutional law treats animals. Host Mariann Sullivan welcomed Cambridge University’s Raffael Fasel and Queen Mary University’s John Adenitire to discuss their book “Animals and the Constitution: Towards Sentience-Based Constitutionalism” – a work that challenges centuries of legal tradition by proposing constitutional frameworks…

    1h 2m
  8. Is Ventilation Shutdown Legal? Private Citizens Fighting Factory Farm Cruelty

    MAY 23

    Is Ventilation Shutdown Legal? Private Citizens Fighting Factory Farm Cruelty

    In this episode of the Animal Law Podcast, Mariann Sullivan welcomes back Will Lowrey, legal counsel for Animal Partisan, alongside David Rosengard, managing attorney for the Animal Legal Defense Fund‘s Criminal Justice Program. They dive into an obscure but potentially game-changing legal tool: laws in certain states that allow private citizens to obtain search warrants when they have evidence of animal…

    51 min
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About

Join animal law professor and longtime activist Mariann Sullivan as she explores groundbreaking legal cases shaping the future of animal protection. Each episode features in-depth discussions with leading attorneys, scholars, and advocates about critical developments in animal law—focusing on significant court decisions and their enforcement. Whether you’re a legal professional, animal advocate, or concerned citizen, discover how case law is evolving to recognize and protect animals. From landmark litigation to emerging legal theories, the Animal Law Podcast makes complex legal issues accessible while examining their impact on animals and society.

Information

  • Channel
    Our Hen House Podcasts
  • Creator
    Mariann Sullivan, Law Professor, Pundit, Vegan
  • Years Active
    2015 - 2025
  • Episodes
    127
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2024 Our Hen House. All Rights Reserved.
  • Show Website
    The Animal Law Podcast

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