The Archaic Attempts to Protect Nonhuman Suffering: Suggestions for the Advancement of Legislative Regulation of Online Depictions of Animal Cruelty

Authors

Alana Van Gundy

First Page

139

Abstract

The Internet is often used to disseminate acts of cruelty to nonhuman animals through social media postings, live feeds, remote-controlled Internet hunting, and industry videos, such as dogfighting and crush videos. Some state and federal laws regulate the depiction of animal cruelty online, either directly or indirectly. However, current statutory regulations do not fully address or completely prohibit the viewing, promoting, and depicting of animal cruelty online. Preventing Internet animal cruelty requires new or revised legislation encompassing the marketing, promoting, and depicting of online animal suffering. While more specific laws are necessary, legislators must consider numerous issues and potential ramifications of creating prohibitive legislation directed at online depictions of animal cruelty.

Recommended Citation

Alana Van Gundy, The Archaic Attempts to Protect Nonhuman Suffering: Suggestions for the Advancement of Legislative Regulation of Online Depictions of Animal Cruelty, 26 Animal L. Rev. 139 (2020).
Available at: https://lawcommons.lclark.edu/alr/vol26/iss1/6