This week we had a chance to interview Scott Heiser of the Animal Legal Defense Fund. He'll be speaking at this year's Veg Fest, and from the sound of it you won't want to miss his talk. The Animal Legal Defense Fund has been fighting for animal welfare through the legal system for over thirty years.
You'll be able to hear Scott at our July 14 Twin Cities Veg Fest. Get to know Scott by reading below and the entire interview on the Twin Cities Veg Fest website.
CAA: What will you be speaking about?
Scott: I'm speaking about animal law in the context of food production. I'll be laying out some of the common practices employed in factory farming and explaining how and why existing animal cruelty laws are decidedly inadequate to address this conduct. I'll also touch on the ag industry's fear of undercover work and the industry's reaction to the disclosure of these practices (i.e., ag-gag laws).
CAA: How did you get involved in animal advocacy?
Scott: As a prosecutor I have always considered animal cruelty cases to be a top priority for the justice system. When I decided to leave the DA's office back in 2007, I joined ALDF to help law enforcement and prosecutors get better results in animal cruelty cases-the move was just a perfect fit for me, my skill set and my personal values.