On this site you will find a comprehensive repository of information about animal law, including: over 1200 full text cases (US, historical, and UK), over 1400 US statutes, over 60 topics and comprehensive explanations, legal articles on a variety of animal topics and an international collection.
The Animal Law and History Web Center is a project of the Michigan State University College of Law, under the editorship of Professor David Favre and Rebecca Wisch. It first opened in August of 2002. While a number of good sites about animal issues exist on the web, there is no one place that brings together, in a comprehensive manor, all pieces of the legal puzzle in useable formats.
The goals of this Center are:
- To provide a Web Library of legal and policy materials as relates to animals.
- To provide expert explanation of the materials for both the lawyer and the non-lawyer.
- To provide an historical perspective about social and legal attitudes toward animals, and how we got to our present perspective.
While this Web Center may have a dash of science about animals, and a gallery of pictures, this is primarily a legal policy library. The focus is on what the law is now and what the law ought to be. It is not presently the focus of this Web Center to provide extensive coverage of proposed legislation.
We seek to be the world web destination for people seeking legal information about animals. This will ultimately require the coordination of dozens of editors around the world. Lawyers and law students who want to be part of the process can contact us for additional information. As with the hardbound library in the Law College, we seek to develop a comprehensive set of materials for each topic that we address. Besides the reprinting of materials published elsewhere, the site will provide the opportunity for the publication of new materials. While this is not an advocacy site, the expression of opinions in a free and open discussion of all issues is the best path to good policy adoption and implementation.
It should be noted that Professor Favre has been advocating increased legal protection for animals for over 25 years, but this does not diminish the goal this Web Center to have all views present and to allow an open debate. None of the materials on this site should be construed as representing an opinion or position of Michigan State University College of Law. The College takes no position on any animal issue, but has adopted this project to provide information to the legal community and society in general. The College does not advocate any political position or political candidate as a result of the existence of this Center.
While many lawyers have come together to create this Web Center, it is not a law firm and cannot provide legal advice on specific issues. Nor do we have a referral method for finding lawyers.
While we are under the umbrella of Michigan State University College of Law, it is a necessary goal of this endeavor to be financially self-sufficient. You can help assure the future of this site by making a direct deductible donations. Please spread the word to others and feel free to make suggestions about how to improve the site.