Animal Law

We are the only major commercial litigation firm in the country with a practice group focused solely on animal welfare and animal protection. And we handle every aspect of animal law — litigation, legislation, and consultation — for clients ranging from individual pet owners to the world’s largest animal protection organization. We also provide full-service support to animal welfare groups, including shelters, sanctuaries, and nonprofit advocates.

RSHC lawyers have been at the forefront of the development of animal law for over 25 years, and we have unmatched experience on cases involving companion animals (such as dog-bite cases and pet custody), farm animals, animals used in entertainment, wildlife (both in the wild and in captivity), and animals in biomedical research. We are well-versed in both the particular characteristics of many species, as well as the legal tools and procedures needed to put our knowledge to work for our varied clients.

Our efforts have led to the protection and better treatment of dogs, cats, horses (wild and domestic), chimpanzees, chickens, cows, pigs, birds, and others, and we have been involved in educating lawyers, law students, and the public on the arc of this fascinating field.

Our team has helped shape the field through the publication of multiple texts and a long string of articles on animal law that have been disseminated widely. RSHC lawyer Bruce Wagman is the co editor of the Animal Law Casebook, which is used in over 100 law schools to teach the basic animal law course, and is also relied on as a treatise for practitioners nationwide.