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 thinks it would be great to see some of California’s rather good laws protecting farmed animals actually enforced. For that reason, Legal Impact for Chickens, which is a legally constituted Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals in California, is seeking an injunction against Alexandre Family Farm, which sells its milk all over the country, to stop it from violating those laws. Alexandre says, no way, you are just a private entity and you cannot bring us into court for the way we treat our cows. The answer to which of these parties is correct hangs in the balance, and it just couldn’t be more important.

Key points from this episode:

• Legal Impact for Chickens is using its status as a legally constituted SPCA to enforce California animal cruelty laws through civil litigation
• Alexandre Family Farm, a dairy that markets itself as “regenerative,” faces allegations of serious animal welfare violations including pouring salt in cows’ eyes
• California Corporations Code sections 10404 and 14501 potentially allow SPCAs to bring civil cases enforcing animal protection laws
• Industry whistleblowers, not undercover investigators, provided much of the evidence about alleged cruelty at Alexandre
• The case could create a precedent for enforcing existing animal welfare laws when criminal prosecution is unavailable
• Civil injunctions focus on preventing future cruelty rather than punishment, offering a potentially more effective remedy for animals

ABOUT OUR GUEST

Alene Anello founded Legal Impact for Chickens. Before that, Alene graduated from Harvard Law School, clerked for a federal judge, and then started litigating for animals. She has worked at People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), the Animal Legal Defense Fund, and The Good Food Institute. Alene is committed to helping chickens to honor the memories of two beloved birds, Conrad and Zeke.

• Legal Impact for Chickens
• LIC v. Alexandre Family Farm
• Dairy Deception: Corruption and Consumer Fraud at Alexandre Family Farm
• Proposed Class Action Complaint

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