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The Animal Law Podcast

The Animal Law Podcast

Hosted by Mariann Sullivan, Law Professor, Pundit, Vegan

Episodes

132

Latest episode

May 2026

Language

EN-US

About the show

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.

Listen to episodes

60 recent
May 29, 202657 min

When the Law Fails Farmworkers: J-1 Visa Exploitation, Labor Trafficking, and the Hidden Cost of Cheap Meat

In this episode of the Animal Law Podcast, host Mariann Sullivan speaks with Amal Bouhabib, senior staff attorney at FarmSTAND, about a landmark federal lawsuit involving three young men from Guatemala who were recruited to the U.S. on J-1 cultural exchange visas and subjected to dangerous working conditions, fraudulent promises, substandard housing, and coercive threats at an industrial swine operation in…

April 24, 20261 hr 7 min

Court Strikes Down Trump ESA Regulations — A Win for Endangered Species

In a landmark ruling, a federal court in the Northern District of California struck down four of six challenged Trump administration regulations that had significantly weakened the Endangered Species Act’s core enforcement mechanisms. Host Mariann Sullivan speaks with Noah Greenwald, Endangered Species Program Director at the Center for Biological Diversity, about the case — what was challenged, what the court decided,…

March 27, 20261 hr 5 min

Canada’s Live Horse Exports: Fighting for Animal Transport Law Enforcement w/ Camille Labchuk

When Canadian animal rights lawyer and Animal Justice Executive Director Camille Labchuk discovered that a Manitoba horse exporter had shipped 97 horses to Japan in December 2022 — on a rerouted flight projected to exceed Canada’s 28-hour transport limit and without a legally required contingency plan covering the full journey — she did something almost unheard of in Canadian animal law:…

February 27, 20261 hr 5 min

Understanding EU Farmed Animal Welfare with Dr. Neil Dullaghan

In this episode of the Animal Law Podcast, Mariann Sullivan sits down with Dr. Neil Dullaghan, political scientist and author of The Compassion Mandate: Remaking the European Union’s Leadership on Farmed Animal Welfare. Together, they explore the complexities and challenges of EU farmed animal policies. This episode explores: The historical progress and current state of farmed animal welfare in the EU.…

January 30, 20261 hr 19 min

A Case of Significant Evil: Animal Law, Activism, and Constitutional Rights

In this compelling episode, Mariann Sullivan interviews Wayne Hsiung and attorney Steffen Seitz about Wayne’s conviction following animal rescues at factory farms in California. The case hinges on several groundbreaking legal arguments, including the judge’s refusal to allow a necessity defense for rescuing suffering animals, constitutional concerns about the treatment of veganism as a belief system, and First Amendment implications for…

December 26, 202554 min

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…

November 28, 20251 hr 2 min

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…

October 31, 202549 min

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…

September 26, 20251 hr 10 min

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…

August 29, 20251 hr 7 min

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…

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