Celebrating Ten Years of The Florida Bar Animal Law Section

By Gregg Morton

Ten years ago, the field of animal law was still a fledgling specialty in Florida. Today, it is a recognized and influential part of The Florida Bar because of the efforts of the Animal Law Section (ALS). The section grew from a small group of dedicated lawyers into a statewide voice for education, advocacy, and professionalism. The tenth anniversary of the Animal Law Section is more than a milestone; it is a testament to how a committed group of attorneys helped shape a field that many once viewed as niche into one that now touches courts, legislatures, families, businesses, and communities across Florida. ALS has been front and center with many of the developing and cutting-edge issues in animal law, working both on its own and partnering with others to improve the law as it relates to animals.

The story of the section begins long before its formal creation. In 2004, a group of attorneys approached The Florida Bar with the idea of forming a committee devoted to animal law. At the time, the concept was still unfamiliar to many in the legal profession, and the proposal was met some skepticism. Yet the group’s vision was clear: animals were increasingly at the center of disputes involving property, estates, veterinary care, cruelty enforcement, zoning, housing, land use, family law, and constitutional questions. As a result of this vision, Florida became one of the first states in the country to recognize that animal law deserved sustained attention within a bar association setting. That early commitment laid the groundwork for what would become the Animal Law Committee and, ultimately, the Animal Law Section.

When the section officially launched in 2016, it marked the culmination of over a decade of work. By then, the committee had already built a strong identity. It was one of the first organizations within The Florida Bar to embrace social media and other new tools to get its message out. It also had attracted broad interest from practitioners and grown into one of the larger Florida Bar committees, proving that animal law was not a passing trend. Instead, it was an expanding area of practice with real consequences for clients and for the public. The move from committee to section gave members greater flexibility to educate, advocate, and organize around the issues they cared about most. It also signaled that animal law had earned a permanent place in Florida’s legal landscape.

One of the most important accomplishments and continuing missions of the section has been education. From the beginning, the group made it a priority to inform lawyers and the public about developments in animal-related law, court decisions, and proposed legislation. That educational mission is important because animal law is rarely confined to one legal category. A single matter may implicate civil liability, criminal law, probate, constitutional law, local government rules, or landlord-tenant concerns. By creating a forum for discussion, the section has helped lawyers navigate an area that often crosses traditional boundaries into other established areas of law.

Moreover, the section is one of the most published when it comes to articles appearing in The Florida Bar Journal. Over its ten-year history, ALS has submitted close to fifty articles to the Journal on topics as diverse as alligator farming, building construction to prevent bird strike deaths, animal cruelty and hoarding, and cosmetic testing, just to name a few. Similarly, the section has been prolific in providing a wide range of legal seminars, webinars, practical resources, and continuing education opportunities to section members, members of The Florida Bar, and the public. Section members have access to many of these past seminars, as well as access to the section’s continually updated Animal Law Treatise, which covers a range of issues involving animal law with a Florida focus.

The section has also helped normalize the idea that animals are central to many legal disputes, even in situations where the law has not yet caught up with public sentiment. Florida cases have involved everything from dog bites and dangerous-dog ordinances to horse injuries, pet trusts, veterinary malpractice, and disputes over service animals in housing and condominium settings. The section has been especially valuable in bringing coherence to these varied issues. It has also encouraged lawyers to think more carefully about how the law treats companion animals, working animals, and animals involved in agriculture, recreation, and public service. In doing so, it has helped advance a more nuanced and modern understanding of the field and helped achieve more humane outcomes when traditional law and animals collide.

Another major achievement has been the section’s legislative and policy engagement. Over time, the Animal Law Section has developed a clear policy voice on issues affecting animals in Florida. Its legislative positions and advocacy have reflected concerns ranging from companion-animal protections to bear hunting, pet leasing, greyhound racing, domestic violence involving people and their pets, and the creation of a statewide animal abuse registry. More recently, the section’s priorities have aligned with laws that strengthen penalties for cruelty and improve protections for animals during emergencies and natural disasters. That advocacy has shown how even a smaller section of The Florida Bar can contribute to meaningful public policy and improvements in the law while remaining grounded in professional expertise. The section’s work on law and policy has also helped ensure that animal protection is not treated as a fringe concern, but as a serious legal and civic issue. One of the section’s proudest moments was the assistance it provided to the legislature, courts, and Constitution Revision Commission to end the cruel practice of greyhound racing. While some still question whether such a ban belongs in the Florida Constitution, it is telling that the ban passed with the overwhelming support of Florida voters who embraced the prefatory language of the amendment, which recognizes that “[t]he humane treatment of animals is a fundamental value of the people of the State of Florida.”

The section’s advancement of animal law is also evident in the recognition it has given to leaders in the field. Its awards and honors have highlighted attorneys, legislators, judges, law students, veterinarians, and animal advocates whose work has advanced the welfare of animals and the safety of communities. These recognitions matter because they help build a culture of professionalism around animal law. They remind members of the legal community and the public at large that excellence in this field includes not only litigation and legislation, but also compassion, public service, and practical problem-solving. In that sense, the section has helped establish a set of standards for what strong animal law practice can look like. And while the recognition of the people is important and should not be diminished, the section’s most popular award has undoubtedly been its annual Rikki Mitchell Memorial Annual Animal Achievement award which, since 2017, has been presented annually to an animal that has provided exemplary service to the people of Florida. The award is named for Rikki, who was a hurricane Katrina survivor and therapy dog. Among her many achievements, Rikki was the impetus behind the 2011 law that allowed therapy dogs to be used in court to help children and vulnerable adults testify.

Equally important has been the section’s ability to connect animal law with the broader work of The Florida Bar. Rather than remaining isolated, the section has worked with other sections and committees—such as family law, administrative law, appellate practice, environmental and land use law, probate and trust law, local government law, and solo and small-firm practice—on numerous issues that overlap with animal law. That collaboration has strengthened the section’s impact, broadened its reach, and also demonstrated that animal law is not a side topic. It is embedded in the daily work of many lawyers, whether they recognize it or not. In addition to the section’s serious work on legal issues, it also has embraced the fun aspects of its identity with support from The Florida Bar. The section’s Puppy Pit, which features adoptable dogs, has become one of the most popular events at the annual meeting of The Florida Bar. Goat yoga was also a section-sponsored favorite.

The section’s work and increased visibility over the past decade reflects a broader cultural change as well. Floridians increasingly view companion animals as family members, and courts, lawmakers, and local governments have responded accordingly. While animals are still treated differently from people under the law, animals are no longer viewed as simply a piece of property.  There is now greater sensitivity to the real human-animal bond. That shift has influenced disputes over custody, housing, trust planning, disaster preparedness, and cruelty enforcement. The section has played a meaningful role in this evolution by helping lawyers and judges think more carefully about the practical realities behind the clients they serve and the cases they hear.

As the section celebrates its tenth anniversary, it stands as proof that professional persistence can change the shape of a field of law. What began as an idea advanced by a small group of advocates has become an established section with statewide influence. Its members have helped educate the bar, inform public policy, support legislation, and expand understanding of legal issues involving animals. Just as importantly, ALS members have shown that animal law is not only about animals; it is also about families, communities, justice, and the responsibility humans bear toward the creatures that share their lives.

The next decade will likely bring even more complex questions to the field. Technology, disaster planning, housing pressures, veterinary medicine, public health, and evolving standards of care will all create new legal challenges involving animals. If the first ten years are any indication, The Florida Bar Animal Law Section is well-positioned to meet these challenges. Its history shows that when lawyers organize around an emerging need, they can create lasting institutions that educate, advocate, and lead.

On this anniversary, the section deserves recognition not just for surviving its first decade, but for thriving in it. It has helped elevate animal law from a curiosity to a respected discipline. It has strengthened the legal profession in Florida by adding expertise, energy, and perspective. And it has reminded everyone that the law, at its best, responds thoughtfully to the realities of life—including the lives we share with animals.