This Research Guide owes its existence and much of its excellent content to Research Assistant Andrea McMillan, VLGS '24.
Starting your animal law research depends largely on the species of animal, industry, or jurisdiction you’re working in. Research in animal law is rarely restricted to a single topic. Finding related material is often necessary. Starting broad is a good idea at the beginning of your research. But the sooner you can narrow your search terms, the more quickly you’ll be begin to find meaningful sources related to your topic.
Some suggested search terms are noted below. Synonyms are also helpful.
Secondary Sources: Always a good place for finding search terms. Once you find a book of interest in a library catalog, make note of the Subjects listed for the book to assist you in identifying related search terms. Use these search terms to identify even more resources!
You may also wish to consult a Glossary of Terms such as: Elevated Vegan Health - Glossary of Animal RightsTerms
You may wish to move on to the Statutes, Regulations, Case Law, or State Resources sections. etc. of this Guide, but consulting books, articles, and web sites will provide background information and context. See below:
In addition to books accessible through Julian, and the resources on Westlaw and Lexis, other secondary sources should be used, including the following databases: Animal Studies: Law, Welfare and Rights in HeinOnline, Environment Complete, JSTOR, EBook Central, GreenWire, Agricultural & Environmental Science Collection, Gale OneFile Agriculture.
These and additional resources are listed in the Databases section of this Guide.
For locating relevant free web sites the use of a resource that focuses on carefully selected web sites organized by topic is recommended.
One such source, listed by topic in the Web Sites / ELRS section of this Guide, is the Vermont Law and Graduate School Library’s Environmental Law Research Sources. This is a collection of more than 500 websites with descriptions, selected in consultation with Vermont Law and Graduate School faculty, students and alumni. Topics include: Animal Law, Endangered Species/Wildlife Biodiversity, Oceans/Marine Law, Agriculture Law, Science Sources, Environmental Justice, Climate Change, Land Use, Environmental Dispute Resolution, Water Law and Policy, International Environmental Law, etc.