Brooks Animal Law Digest - Issue No. 23 (March 30, 2020)

An animal rescue nonprofit has filed suit against a series of pet stores and the stores’ owners, alleging that defendants are violating California’s statewide ban on selling non-rescue dogs, cats, and rabbits.

A federal judge in Florida has ordered Dade City’s Wild Things, a roadside zoo, to allow for PETA to relocate all tigers in the zoo’s possession to qualified animal sanctuaries. The order, finding that the zoo and zoo’s owners violated the Endangered Species Act, also banned defendants from owning or possessing tigers.

The Environmental Protection Agency has announced a temporary policy without any set end date that suspends the agency’s enforcement of environmental law during the coronavirus outbreak.

Groups challenging Arkansas’ ag-gag law as unconstitutional have appealed the dismissal of their suit to the Eighth Circuit. The dismissal in February was based on the court’s finding that plaintiffs failed to adequately allege Article III standing.

An animal rescue nonprofit has filed suit against a series of pet stores and the stores’ owners, alleging that defendants are violating California’s statewide ban on selling non-rescue dogs, cats, and rabbits.

A proposed class action in California alleges that People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals and Beyond Meat violated the Telephone Consumer Protection Act by sending text messages that promoted the availability of the plant-based products using an automated system.

A federal judge in Florida has ordered Dade City’s Wild Things, a roadside zoo, to allow for PETA to relocate all tigers in the zoo’s possession to qualified animal sanctuaries. The order, finding that the zoo and zoo’s owners violated the Endangered Species Act, also banned defendants from owning or possessing tigers.

The National Marine Fisheries Service has announced it is extending the comment period for its 5 year review under the Endangered Species Act of 28 species of Pacific salmon and steelhead. The new deadline to submit comments to the agency is May 26, 2020.

The Fish and Wildlife Service has announced its 5 year review of fifteen species of animals protected under the Endangered Species Act, including two species of turtles, the black pine snake, and the dusky gopher frog. The agency is accepting comments on its review for these species until May 26, 2020.

The Environmental Protection Agency has announced a temporary policy without any set end date that suspends the agency’s enforcement of environmental law during the coronavirus outbreak.

The Fish and Wildlife Service has announced it has received permit applications under the Endangered Species Act to capture, wound, collect, and euthanize several species of sea turtles from multiple aquariums, including the National Aquarium, the Virginia Aquarium, and the New England Aquarium.

The Tennessee Valley authority has finalized its new procedures for implementing the National Environmental Policy Act. The proposed rule was criticized for its potential to cause adverse environmental impacts and limit public knowledge and participation in proposed actions by the agency. The rule is effective April 27, 2020.

A new PhD dissertation focuses on Muslim millennials’ cultural and religious understanding of cultivated meat products.

A group of investors are warning that without significant climate change plans, the world meat industry may be in serious trouble.