Winning! U.S. Government Advises Supreme Court Against Hearing Lawsuits Threatening Animal Welfare

It’s not every day that you hear good news about government, but the U.S. federal government has advised the Supreme Court against hearing a lawsuit from 12 major egg-producing states that would challenge state bans on the sale of eggs from caged hens. Missouri and other states sued California over such measures in a federal district court and lost back in 2014. Instead of initiating a new suit in district court, the plaintiffs asked the Supreme Court to hear their case.
The Supreme Court’s refusal to hear the lawsuit would mark the second big defeat for Missouri and its coalition. The stakes for this and similar lawsuits are higher than ever, in light of November’s passage of California’s groundbreaking ban on the production and sale of eggs, pork, and veal from caged animals.
“Each year, hundreds of millions of egg-laying hens in the U.S. suffer in cages so small they can’t even spread their wings, Leah Garcés, president of Mercy For Animals, said in a statement. “California rightfully banned this practice and required egg producers from other states to meet its own standards. We applaud the solicitor general for discouraging the Supreme Court from hearing this lawsuit that would threaten this modest, compassionate law.
The federal government also asked the Supreme Court not to hear the two other big cases threatening recent animal welfare reforms—one filed by Indiana and other states against Massachusetts over its cage-free measures and one filed by a foie gras producer against California over the state’s foie gras ban. Hopefully the Supreme Court will heed that advice and protect these states’ rights. If you’d also like to help animals, join the millions around the world fighting to protect them by choosing vegan meals and spreading the truth about factory farming.