Animal Litigation Network — Making the law work for animals

Using the law strategically, creating systemic change.

Our Board and Advisory Committee consist of lawyers, legal and policy experts, and enforcement specialists. Some of them are animal law practicioners or animal law experts, others are academics or founders/CEOs of national animal law NGOs.

Although the Animal Litigation Network foundation is registered in the Netherlands for efficiency reasons, our focus is international.

Many animal NGOs focus on rescue, care, public awareness or campaigning. That work is essential, but it does not always address the question of enforcement. The Animal Litigation Network occupies a different role. We are a legal and enforcement-focused organisation, dedicated to ensuring compliance with existing laws and creating real consequences for violations.

Our approach is strategic and systemic. We do not primarily address individual cases for their own sake, but use them to expose and change the systems that allow harm to persist.

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Mission

We make animal law work.

We strengthen enforcement, advance strategic litigation and build legal capacity so that animal protection laws deliver real change for animals.

Vision

A society where the law truly protects animals.

We envision a legal system in which animals' interests are taken seriously, their protections are enforced, and violations have consequences.

Our work.

01 / 04Systems perspective

The Animal Litigation Network operates at the intersection of law, enforcement and the animal protection movement. Rather than focusing on individual rescues or awareness campaigns, we concentrate on the systems that determine whether animals are protected at scale: legislation, oversight, enforcement practices and legal accountability. Our work is grounded in a systems perspective — looking beyond individual incidents to the structures that shape outcomes for animals.

02 / 04Strategic litigation

We coordinate and pursue strategic litigation, identifying cases where legal action can have structural impact: improving enforcement practices, influencing policy, clarifying legal standards or setting judicial precedents. Crucially, this litigation is animal-driven — the animal protection movement helps shape the agenda, ensuring legal strategies respond to real-world harms and systemic failures.

03 / 04Shared standard

We invest in building a shared practice around animal law enforcement. By connecting litigators, enforcement authorities, policymakers and researchers in a growing international network, and by sharing best practices, case law and enforcement models, we help develop a common professional standard — one that can be adapted and scaled across regions, particularly within a European context.

04 / 04Community of practice

Many NGOs have the knowledge, motivation and legitimacy to act, but lack access to legal tools, enforcement strategies or coordinated support. We bring organisations, lawyers, regulators and civil society actors together, enabling collaboration and shared learning. We develop practical toolkits, training programmes and guidance that help partners use the law more effectively — from understanding enforcement procedures to gathering evidence and initiating legal action.