On this episode of the Animal Law Podcast, I speak with Christopher Berry, a managing attorney in the Animal Legal Defense Fund’s Litigation Program, where he oversees strategic impact litigation to protect the lives of and advance the interests of animals. Christopher and I speak about Caru SPCA v Anthony, in which a California backyard breeder/puppy mill was shut down by the Superior Court of California for Solano County under various sections of the Vallejo California Municipal Code, along with a California state law entitled the Pet Breeders Warranty Act (Health & Safety Code Sections 122045 – 122315).
In spite of complaints made for years to local authorities, this sub-standard breeding facility for Carolina Dogs had been permitted to continue doing business in spite of the poor treatment of the dogs. What changed? The Caru SPCA appeared on the scene with the mission of preventing “cruelty to animals by use of all legal means, by working cooperatively with law enforcement and humane agencies, by promoting the enforcement of animal protection laws, and by educating others about the laws that protect animals and humane standards of care for animals.” You will want to hear about how this organization came into being, the role of the Animal Legal Defense Fund in aiding in the creation of this independent entity with statewide jurisdiction, and what an SPCA can do that other individuals and organizations are unable to do to protect animals under California law. This could be a game-changing development for animals.
Christopher Berry is a managing attorney for the Animal Legal Defense Fund’s litigation program where he oversees and litigates strategic impact cases involving a broad range of animal protection issues. In the wake of government acquiescence of illegal activity, he has brought private enforcement actions in civil court to stop illegal puppy laundering, fur farming of a threatened species, and animal hoarding. He also leverages litigation against the government itself, thereby catalyzing revision of the USDA’s rubberstamp policy for Animal Welfare Act licenses, the USDA’s blackout of records generated under the Animal Welfare Act, and North Carolina’s approval of gas chambers for routine euthanasia at animal shelters.
Join Animal Law professor and longtime activist Mariann Sullivan as she unpacks the latest updates, cases, and news from the burgeoning world of animal law.
On this episode of the Animal Law Podcast, I am so pleased to welcome Brittany Peet, Deputy General Counsel for Captive Animal Law Enforcement for the PETA Foundation. We follow up on her appearance on Episode 42 when she told …continue
Proudly brought to you by: 27 January 2021
Alene Anello of Legal Impact for Chickens joins us once again, this time to talk, not about chickens, but about cows. Of course, the laws affecting farmed animals are often the same regardless of species and Legal Impact for Chickens …continue
Proudly brought to you by: 30 April 2025
FarmSTAND attorneys Kelsey Eberly and Skye Walker join us on this episode to discuss an absolutely infuriating case, Blumm v Northwest Natural Gas Company. They explain how an increasing number of dairy farms are more in the business of selling …continue
Proudly brought to you by: 26 March 2025
