April 09, 2026 Clinic Inside Pam Bondi’s aggressive push to crack down on animal cruelty crimes
The Animal Welfare Act "is almost exclusively civil enforcement, because otherwise it is a misdemeanor," said Mary Hollingsworth [Animal Law & Policy Clinic Director at Harvard Law School], who previously worked on the civil part of the Envigo investigation during her time at the DOJ's Environment and Natural Resources Division. "Given that puppy mills are a priority, the fact that the civil component hasn't been emphasized — it's a missing piece."
March 11, 2026 Program The Trojan Hog in the Farm Bill
An analysis by Harvard Law School’s Brooks McCormick Jr. Animal Law & Policy Program found that the "Save Our Bacon Act" would “shift longstanding state authority to the federal government, raising questions about the balance of power between federal and state governments.” What’s more, the bill’s vague, undefined terms—such as “production” and “movement” of “livestock-derived products”—could nullify hundreds of state and local laws and regulations.
November 03, 2025 Clinic The Runaway Monkeys Upending the Animal-Rights Movement
The Animal Welfare Act almost entirely excludes rats and mice, the most common research animals. It outlines minimal standards for housing, food, and pain management—and is minimally enforced. “Facilities can get consistent warnings and violations, but it’s almost never followed up with any sort of action,” Mary Hollingsworth, a former senior trial attorney at the Department of Justice who now leads Harvard Law School’s Animal Law & Policy Clinic, said.
October 23, 2025 Program Advocates who rescue animals in grave danger should qualify for ‘necessity defense,’ argues Harvard Law expert
Professor Kristen Stilt says that California policy points to a view that ‘animals are sentient beings whose harm is something we want to avoid.’