Events
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Past Events
The Cutting Edge of Animal Activism
On September 9, 2021, we hosted Wayne Hsiung, co-founder of Direct Action Everywhere (DxE). Wayne discussed both his work with DxE along with the civil liberties and political concerns that are intertwined with animal activism in the United States.
Volunteering at Broken Shovels Farm Sanctuary
On September 12, 2021, students joined the DU Animal Legal Defense Fund and the Animal Law Program to kick off National Farm Animals Awareness Week by helping Broken Shovels Farm Sanctuary paint resident goat barns before winter.
Lunchtime Animal Law Career Talk with Jay Tutchton
On October 6, 2021, we hosted the first speaker of our Lunchtime Animal Law Career Talk series, Colorado Parks & Wildlife's Jay Tutchton. Jay discussed with students his work as the Preserve Manager for the Southern Plains Land Trust (SPLT). He manages SPLT’s reintroduced bison herd and works to improve its 32,000-acre network of protected lands for the benefit of all native wildlife species. Jay outlined his animal law path and offered advice for students pursuing a career in the public interest field.
Lunchtime Animal Law Career Talk with Amy P. Wilson
On October 14, 2021, we hosted the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA)'s Amy P. Wilson for our Lunchtime Animal Law Career Talk series. Amy discussed with students her work as the Brooks Institute Animal Law and Policy Fellow at UCLA School of Law's Animal Law and Policy Program. Her research focuses on the intersection of the rights of animals, humans, and the environment in law and policy. Amy gave a thorough explanation of animal law, outlined the many animal law career possibilities, and offered advice for students.
Lunchtime Animal Law Career Talk with Alene Anello
On October 25, 2021, we hosted Alene Anello for our Lunchtime Animal Law Career Talk series. Alene discussed her current work as the founder of Legal Impact for Chickens (LIC), a nonprofit aiming to make factory farm cruelty a liability. LIC intends to systematically develop, refine, and use doctrines that allow plaintiffs to sue in civil court for violation of a criminal law to fight factory farm cruelty, and it will bring strategic lawsuits for chickens and other farmed animals. Alene also described how her two beloved avian family members, Conrad and Zeke, inspired her career path and she offered students advice for pursuing a career in the animal law field.
A Dog's World: Jessica Pierce and Marc Bekoff Event
On October 27, 2021, we hosted Jessica Pierce and Marc Bekoff to discuss their recent publication, A Dog's World: Imagining the Lives of Dogs in a World without Humans. Drawing on biology, ecology, and the latest findings on the lives and behavior of dogs and their wild relatives, Jessica and Marc explained who dogs might become without direct human intervention into breeding, arranged playdates at the dog park, regular feedings, and veterinary care. They revealed how dogs are quick learners who are highly adaptable and opportunistic, and they offered compelling evidence that dogs already do survive on their own―and could do so in a world without us.
Hog Haven Documentary Screening with Filmmaker and Director Q&A
On November 4, 2021, the Animal Law Program and DU Animal Legal Defense Fund hosted the premiere screening of Hog Haven. Hog Haven is a documentary feature film about Erin, a Colorado woman who founded an animal sanctuary for pigs when her pet pig Pippy nursed her back to health after a car accident. We followed Erin and Hog Haven Farm’s 120 resident rescue pigs through several seasons and learned more about the events that profoundly changed her life. We also had the pleasure of hosting a resident therapy pig named Katie for the evening!
Lunchtime Animal Law Career Talk with Kristina Bergsten
On February 8, 2022, we hosted Kristina Bergsten for our Lunchtime Animal Law Career Talk series. Kristina discussed her current work as owner and founder of The Animal Law Firm, a Denver-based firm that specializes in pet custody, dog bite defense, service animal representation, veterinary malpractice, and more. Kristina also described what inspired her animal law path and she offered students advice for pursuing a similar path.
Animal Law and Environmental Law: Parallels and Synergies with Randall Abate
On February 23, 2022, we hosted animal law scholar, Randall Abate for our Lunchtime Animal Law Career Talk series. Randall also gave an evening talk – "Animal Law and Environmental Law: Parallels and Synergies." Animal law stands to gain valuable insights from the environmental law movement. Drawing on lessons from history, politics, and law, Randall's book, What Can Animal Law Learn from Environmental Law (2d ed.), examines how environmental law’s successes and shortcomings can inform animal law, and during his talk he explained how the two fields can work together to secure mutual gains in the future.
Effective Humane Education Panel Discussion
On March 3, 2022, we hosted leading experts for a discussion on how effective humane education means controversial reforms to our system, and how this is the best way to protect animals and ensure biodiversity and nonhuman autonomy.
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Lunchtime Animal Law Career Talk with Mike Harris
On March 7, 2022, we hosted Vermont Law School's Mike Harris for our Lunchtime Animal Law Career Talk series. Mike discussed his work as the prior Wildlife Law Program Director at Friends of Animals. He also gave a great explanation of what it means to advocate for animals and what students should consider if they plan to pursue a career in animal law.
Nature Day at Cherry Creek State Park
On April 2, 2022, we visited Cherry Creek State Park to hear from representatives of the Attorney General's office, the Department of Natural Resources, and Colorado Parks and Wildlife about their work and what opportunities exist for students interested in pursuing animal and environmental law. We also had the opportunity to participate in a cleanup of the park.
Tiger King Discussion with Jessica Blome
On September 9, 2022, we hosted Greenfire Law's Jessica Blome. In 2016, Jessica and her legal team won a precedent-setting victory establishing that Section 9 of the Endangered Species Act applies equally to privately possessed threatened and endangered wildlife. During her talk, she discussed how she established the applicability of Section 9 to captive species and what that precedent meant for the litigation against "The Tiger King” and his Greater Wynnewood Exotic Animal Park in Oklahoma.
The Wild Animal Sanctuary Visit
On September 10, 2022, the Animal Law Program and Jessica Blome visited The Wild Animal Sanctuary. Currently, there are over 25,000 tigers, lions, wolves, bears and other large carnivores living outside of the United States zoo system. These animals can be found in people's apartments, basements, garages, backyards, roadside zoos, and other unnatural places. The Wild Animal Sanctuary specializes in rescuing and caring for these large predators. During our visit, students learned about the residents and the situations that brought them to the Sanctuary.
Luvin Arms Animal Sanctuary Visit
Animal photojournalist and We Animals Media founder Jo-Anne McArthur visited the University of Denver as a Distinguished Practitioner in Residence September 24–30, 2022. She kicked off her visit on September 25 with a trip to Luvin Arms Animal Sanctuary to take photographs and learn about its residents.
Animals in the Anthropocene: A Journey with Jo-Anne McArthur into Animal Photojournalism
On September 27, 2022, Jo-Anne McArthur took us on a journey through animal photojournalism. During her discussion, she covered the history of this field and described how she documents our complex relationship with animals around the globe. Her latest book, HIDDEN: Animals in the Anthropocene, was awarded “Photography Book of the Year” by Pictures of the Year International. She is also the founder of We Animals Media, the world's leading animal photojournalism agency whose mission is to document the stories of animals in the human environment and to connect those stories to the individuals and organizations who can amplify their reach.
Lunchtime Animal Law Career Talk with Alex Cerussi
On October 26, 2022, we hosted Alex Cerussi for our Lunchtime Animal Law Career Talk series. Alex discussed her current work as a State Policy Manager for Mercy for Animals' Government Affairs and Public Policy team. She also described what inspired her animal law journey and offered students advice for pursuing a similar path.
Racial Equity and Animal Law
On November 2, 2022, Akisha Townsend Eaton discussed how racial, economic, and environmental justice are often viewed as tangential rather than an essential part of a sustainable animal advocacy movement. Her discussion provided a basic overview of how these issues are critically connected and interdependent. An emphasis was placed on the human and animal well-being movement as it applies to humans and companion animals. However, the themes covered could easily extend to many other areas of animal advocacy.
Colorado Wolf Reintroduction: Implementing Voters' Intent
On November 9, 2022, Lindsay Larris, Wildlife Program Director for WildEarth Guardians, and Aubyn Royall, Colorado State Director for the Humane Society of the United States, discussed both the Colorado wolf reintroduction and a conservation-backed wolf restoration plan that restores a self-sustaining population of gray wolves to the state – a place where they have been functionally extinct for 76 years. Lindsay and Aubyn informed students about what they could do to ensure that decision-makers follow the will of the Colorado public – who want to restore wolves to the state and aggressively oppose trophy hunting – in finalizing a wolf restoration plan.
Contact
Animal Law Program
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animallawprogram@law.du.edu
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303-871-6761
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Sturm College of Law, Room 465A
