Our Hen House

Animal Law Summer School

Posted on19. Apr, 2011 by Mariann Sullivan.

Once again I wish I could be in Portland, Oregon this summer for another of the offerings of the Center for Animal Law Studies at  Lewis and Clark Law School. Yet again, the Center will be presenting what looks to …

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Political Animals

Posted on11. Apr, 2011 by Mariann Sullivan.

It’s just possible that you are a bit dissatisfied with the work of elected officials at the moment. In fact, it sometimes seems like we elect the dopiest people we know to lead us. What’s the solution to this crazy …

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Focusing on Fur

Posted on06. Apr, 2011 by Jasmin Singer.

You might recall that we recently introduced a “Why?” section to our website, which offers a brief review of the issues underlying our work. Our Hen House’s goal is to help those who want to change the world …

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Animal Law Fellowship

Posted on16. Mar, 2011 by Jasmin Singer.

If you read this blog, you have already heard lots about the Animal Legal Defense Fund (we’ve interviewed Carter Dillard, ALDF superstar, and have talked all about the scholarships they offer to animal law students). Well, ALDF has yet …

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Book Review: “An Introduction to Animals and the Law”

Posted on14. Mar, 2011 by Nick Laccetti.

One of the main avenues that we, as animal activists, use to create change is legislation – but we are bound to be ineffective without a working knowledge of the laws that currently govern animals in our society. The task …

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Animal Law Scholarships

Posted on19. Jan, 2011 by Mariann Sullivan.

Here’s an exciting opportunity for law students. Now is the time to apply for next year’s Animal Legal Defense Fund Advancement of Animal Law Scholarships. These are significant scholarships, offering $2500 for 2Ls  and part-time students, and $5000 for …

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Mid-Atlantic Animal Law Conference

Posted on07. Jan, 2011 by Mariann Sullivan.

I heard nothing but good things about last year’s Mid-Atlantic Regional Animal Law Conference, sponsored by the Animal Law Section of the Maryland State Bar Association, along with its various partners. If, like me, you missed it, check out …

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An Introduction to Animals and the Law

Posted on30. Dec, 2010 by Mariann Sullivan.

Joan Schaffner is one of the most tireless spokespersons for animals that I know. And I couldn’t be happier about that because now the rest of us get to take advantage of her hard work by reading her brand new …

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Changemaking Tip: Citizen Lobbying (with Patrick Kwan)

Posted on19. Dec, 2010 by Visiting Animal.

Citizen lobbying is up there as one of The Most Important Tools for anyone who cares about animals and wants to influence legislation to help advance their cause. Case in point: Last year, the nearly two hundred 2010 New York …

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Any Competitive Law Students Out There?

Posted on23. Nov, 2010 by Mariann Sullivan.

Lots going on for law students at the Center for Animal Law Studies.

Every year in February, Harvard Law School hosts the Center’s three inter-law school competitions for students at accredited law schools in the United States. The Legislative …

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Want to Get On Law Review?

Posted on15. Nov, 2010 by Mariann Sullivan.

Here’s a great opportunity for law students. The Animal Law Review, which is a student-run journal at Lewis and Clark Law School, and was, incidentally, the very first law review devoted specifically to animal law, is holding its annual …

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I Can’t Wait to See The Elephant in the Living Room

Posted on05. Nov, 2010 by Mariann Sullivan.

How exciting to see the power of film being used to challenge the exotic animal trade! The Elephant in the Living Room (what a great title!) opens today in Cincinnati and it already promises to be a game-changer in the …

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Purchase ABA Animal Law Books and Benefit Our Hen House!

Posted on10. Sep, 2010 by Jasmin and Mariann.

Recently, Our Hen House became an affiliate with the American Bar Association. Through our partnership, when you purchase one of the animal law related books published by the American Bar Association through our affiliate site, Our Hen House will …

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Animal Law Positions

Posted on07. Sep, 2010 by Jasmin Singer.

For you law students out there: Meyer Glitzenstein & Crystal, a public interest firm in Washington, D.C. (and perhaps the best firm in the country for animal law), is now accepting applications for clerkships for the Spring 2011 semester and Summer …

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Continue Your Animal Law Education

Posted on03. Sep, 2010 by Mariann Sullivan.

The Animal Law Committee of the American Bar Association TIPS Section has two incredibly exciting upcoming CLE programs. The committee is trying out a new format — teleconferences — in hopes of reaching the widest audience possible. After all, lawyers …

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Volunteer Job of a Lifetime

Posted on17. Aug, 2010 by Jasmin Singer.

Four Feet Forward is an organization that you need to know about. Created to assist grassroots animal protection organizations with their legal and media campaigns, Four Feet Forward was founded by sister and brother team Courtney and Carter Dillard. It has since …

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Animal Cops

Posted on12. Aug, 2010 by Mariann Sullivan.

We all know that, when it comes to laws protecting animals, the problem isn’t only that the laws on the books aren’t strong enough. The other problem is that the laws that we do have are not adequately enforced. One …

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Are Pigeon Shoots Cruel?

Posted on09. Aug, 2010 by Mariann Sullivan.

One of the most frustrating things for lawyers in private practice who wish to help animals is the fact that cruelty laws, the basic animal protection statutes, are criminal laws. Thus, with a few exceptions, enforcement of the laws is …

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Calling All Lawyers (and Law Students)!

Posted on06. Jun, 2010 by Mariann Sullivan.

I may have an ulterior motive here (see below) but this is completely sincere nevertheless. If you are a lawyer, interested in animal law in any way, you need to join a bar association animal law section and/or committee. A …

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Opening the Courthouse Door?

Posted on26. May, 2010 by Mariann Sullivan.

An interesting lawsuit is playing out in Robeson County, North Carolina and animal lawyers might want to pay attention. The suit was brought by a local animal rights activist (sounds like the kiss of death already, right?) against the county shelter, …

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Vegan Rights

Posted on25. May, 2010 by Mariann Sullivan.

There are a limited number of arenas in which people can claim that they have been unfairly deprived of a vegan diet.  These, of course, all involve situations in which people do not, for whatever reason, have access to alternative foods and must eat …

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Summer Program in Animal Law

Posted on23. Apr, 2010 by Jasmin Singer.

Since you’re probably too old for day camp, you might instead consider spending your dog days at the only summer animal law intensive. The Center for Animal Law Studies in Portland, OR has an absolutely awesome intensive planned, with courses …

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Jasmin on Animal Voices Vancouver

Posted on18. Apr, 2010 by Jasmin and Mariann.

We at Our Hen House are big fans of Animal Voices Vancouver, a radio show based out of — you guessed it! — Vancouver, B.C. We are also big fans of Vancouver itself, which is bustling with vegan goodness. …

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Conference on Bioethics and Animal Rights, Salvador Brazil (and Call for Papers)

Posted on16. Apr, 2010 by Jasmin Singer.

Thanks to animal law professor David Cassuto (from Animal Blawg) for keeping us in the loop of all things animal rights — in Brazil. That said, the Second World Conference on Bioethics and Animal Rights is coming up this August, …

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Big Money

Posted on28. Mar, 2010 by Mariann Sullivan.

With stakes this high, the competition will no doubt be tough, but I know you are up to it. The Judge John R. Brown Scholarship Foundation is holding a legal writing competition for law students. There is no limit on …

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Telling the Truth Through Fiction

Posted on23. Mar, 2010 by Jasmin Singer.

A third of the way through reading the novel, PopCo, by Scarlett Thomas, I realized why my friend had told me that I absolutely had to read it. In addition to being a really compelling story about a young …

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Veganism to Activism

Posted on19. Mar, 2010 by Jasmin Singer.

This past Wednesday, I had the honor of presenting a workshop called “Veganism to Activism” at Georgian Court University’s vegetarian club in Lakewood, NJ. I was totally impressed with all the awesome advocacy coming out the vegetarian club, including their …

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Our “Health and Happiness” Interview

Posted on17. Mar, 2010 by Jasmin and Mariann.

We are honored to be spotlighted as part of the Health and Happiness Club‘s women’s history month series. Thank you to Danielle Azoulay for interviewing us. Below is the video interview where we talk about how we got involved …

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Upcoming Speaking Engagements

Posted on14. Mar, 2010 by Jasmin Singer.

I have two workshops coming up and I’d love for you to join me.

First, this week in Lakewood, NJ, I’ll be presenting “From Veganism to Activism” at Georgian Court University. About that workshop:

From Veganism to Activism with Jasmin

…

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Call for Papers: U.S. v. Stevens

Posted on08. Mar, 2010 by Mariann Sullivan.

The DePaul Center for Animal Law has issued a call for papers in conjunction with it’s upcoming symposium, entitled Revisiting the Line Between Free Speech and Obscenity: U.S. v. Stevens and its Implications for Animal Welfare. The one-day symposium will …

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The Smell of Money

Posted on07. Mar, 2010 by Mariann Sullivan.

It was intriguing to hear that plaintiffs in Gentry County, Missouri were awarded $11,000,000 by a state court jury in a nuisance action based on the stench from a local hog farm. It was even more fascinating to discover that …

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Humane, Factually Speaking

Posted on18. Feb, 2010 by Jasmin Singer.

One thing that we, as animal advocates, need to be armed with is cold hard facts. Lucky for us, there are myriad ways to come about these, since it not an opinion that animal exploitation is destroying the planet, …

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A Poisonous Trend

Posted on03. Feb, 2010 by Mariann Sullivan.

The meat industrial complex is causing damage on a lot of fronts. We are all pretty familiar with what they are doing to animals, but we also know it’s important to pay attention to what they are doing to the …

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