An Overview of Companion Animal Legislation
Portland, OR-based attorney Maral Cavner received her juris doctor from Lewis and Clark Law School. During her time at the school, Maral Cavner served as the submissions editor of the Animal Law Review and was the first place recipient of the Animal Legal Defense Fund (ALDF) Advancement of Animal Law Scholarship. The ALDF operates with a goal of protecting the lives and best interests of animals through the legal system. The organization focuses on several areas of animal legislation, including laws regarding companion animals. Legally speaking, the term “companion animal” can generally only be applied to cats and dogs, though birds, horses, and other animals may qualify in specific jurisdictions. Whether or not an animal is classed as a companion animal is a decision made at the state level, as are most aspects of companion animal legislation, though federal regulations do exist. Cities and other judicial districts may elect to draft additional laws to further protect companion animals. The Animal Welfare Act (AWA), signed into law in 1966, is the most comprehensive federal law focusing on the treatment of companion animals. One important component of the AWA mandates that the secretary of the U.S. Department of Agriculture develop and implement minimum standards for the handling, care, treatment, and transportation of companion animals, though many of these standards pertain more to zoo and laboratory animals. That said, the AWA also addresses commercially bred animals, such as dogs bred in puppy mills. The ALDF strongly recommends citizens continue to support animal safety legislation, such as increasing the AWA's protection of animals kept in inhumane conditions as part of the commercial breeding industry. Companion animal legislation is particularly important, with nearly 70 percent of American households, or more than 84.5 million total homes, having at least one companion animal.