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Animal Law: Journals, Databases and Government Publications

The field of law dealing with vertebrates other than humans. The field cuts across many traditional doctrinal areas (e.g., contracts & torts) as well as jurisprudence. Topics include wildlife-management law and laws concerning the treatment of domestic an

Journals

Animal Law.  1995-present. A student-edited law journal at the Lewis & Clark Law School (also referred to as the Animal Law Review).  It was the first journal dedicated to animal law issues and is widely recognized for publishing articles on all aspects of animal law. 

Animal Law eJournal.  An online journal by Syracuse University College of Law available via the Social Science Research Network. SSRN provides access to working papers and pre-publication versions of journal articles.

Global Journal of Animal Law. 2013-present. Åbo Akademi University (Finland)

Journal of International Wildlife Law and PolicyA journal of the Stetson University College Of Law.

Journal of Animal and Environmental Law. A student-run, peer reviewed legal academic journal based at the University of Louisville Louis D. Brandeis School of Law.

Journal of Animal & Natural Resources Law (formerly the Journal of Animal Law).  A student-edited law journal at the Michigan State University College of Law.  The journal publishes articles addressing the local, state, national, and international laws and policies relating to animals and natural resources. 

Journal of Animal Ethics. University of Illinois Press

Journal of Animal Law and Policy (Stanford) (SJALP) founded in August 2007 to provide a high-quality, widely accessible forum for the publication and discussion of animal law scholarship

Journal for Critical Animal Studies (formerly Animal Liberation Philosophy and Policy Journal).  A scholarly journal published by the Institute for Critical Animal Studies (ICAS) that focuses on the opposition to animal studies and research and examining the policies, concerns, and activities of the animal liberation movement.  While articles appearing in the journal are frequently authored by academics, the journal's editorial philosophy is aligned with the ideals of the Animal Liberation Front, an organization that critics have compared to a terrorist organization for its member's often violent attacks on animal testing laboratories and farms.

Databases

Animal Law Commons of the Digital Commons Network. Brings together over 900 free, full-text scholarly articles by more than 800 authors on animal law from hundreds of universities and colleges worldwide. Curated by university librarians and their supporting institutions, the Network includes a growing collection of peer-reviewed journal articles, book chapters, dissertations, working papers, conference proceedings, and other original scholarly work

Google Scholar Search Results on "Animal Law," sorted by Date

HeinOnline Law Journal Library on Animal Rights. A collection of full-text law journals in HeinOnline on the subject of Animal Rights

Government Publications

Government Reports

Government reports are a great source of current information. Typically the people testifying before a Congressional committee file reports and the committees file their own reports to explain the intent of a particular bill. The following reports are some examples:

  • Humane Methods of Slaughter Act: Actions are Needed to Strengthen Enforcement (2010) PDF online
  • Humane Methods of Slaughter Act: Weaknesses in USDA Enforcement PDF online
  • Prevention of Interstate Commerce in Animal Crush Videos Act of 2010 : report (to accompany H.R. 5566)(2010) PDF online

Look for government reports in these databases: