UCLA Animal Law Program

HIdden in Plain Bite: The Surprising Impact of our Food Choices. October 25th (Tuesday) from 2 pm in room 208 of Kaufman Hall on UCLA Campus.
This is the first event sponsored by a new group at UCLA called the UCLA Food and Social Justice Working Group. It is independent of any department on campus, and its membership is open to faculty, staff, and graduate students.
Please come to meet others who share your interests and to hear an informative presentation!

The Puppy Mills Amongst US

People often think of puppy mills as cruel dog breeding facilities somewhere far away, such as the midwest. They are, in fact, very much among us. They take root in backyard breeding operations and in companies offering to supply puppies for use at parties for kids. Lately there has been a trend to use puppies for “stress relief” on school campuses, where students may not realize that they are promoting and purchasing some of the worst cruelty around. We understand that just such a proposal has been made for a “student stress relief” event at UCLA Law School.

Party companies often keep breeding stock for the purpose of producing puppies exclusively to be passed around at kids’ parties. Those breeding conditions can be as bad as any breeding conditions in large scale puppy mill operations anywhere in the world; the animals kept there are no better than resources used to produce money-making opportunities. The breeding dogs and their puppies are not given the care and attention that dogs require to be healthy physically or psychologically. In particular, such puppies have utility only so long as they are puppies. As soon as they get “too old” they are dispatched in any number of cruel, but cheap, methods or they are sent to animal shelters. At such shelters these puppies stand only a dismal chance of being adopted because they have not been properly or lovingly socialized. They are often killed after any mandatory holding period has passed. What a sad life they have led for the sake of being living toys!

Our view is that schools should not be participating in the furtherance of cruel activities and purveyors of cruel abuses of animals. This is all the more sickening when there are so many loving, healthy rescue dogs yearning for an opportunity to spend time with people, including students.

Please, if you or any organization you know is considering the use of a “party company” to supply puppies or any living animal, opt for rescued animals. They are loving, generous in spirit, and more than happy to express love to people going through a period of stress, such as illness or final exams.

Prizes:
1st Place - $2500 cash prize (plus round-trip airfare, one-night accommodation and ground transportation) to attend the American Veterinary Medical Law Association's Annual Meeting in Boston, Massachusetts in July 2015
2nd Place - $1000 cash prize

Animal Law Writing Contest The AVMA and other associations offer law students an opportunity to engage in a scholarly discussion on two animal law topics

Free Screening of The Ghosts in Our Machine The Animal Legal Defense Fund-Los Angles (ALDF-LA) is hosting a free screening of the documentary The Ghosts in Our Machine on Thursday, April 3, 2014 at 7:30 p.m., which will be followed by a spec...