2024 Animal Law Conference
The Realities and the Consequences of the Human-Companion Animal Bond
October 3, 2024
Agenda
8:30 Registration - Coffee and pastries available
9:00 – 9:15 Welcome by Interim Dean and Professor of Law Michael Sant'Ambrogio
9:15 – 10:45 Panel 1
Moderator: Amanda Houdeschell
J.D. Candidate and President of the MSU SALDF Chapter
Panelist 1: Dr. Theresa DePorter, D.V.M., D.E.C.A.W.B.M., D.A.C.V.B
Board-certified Veterinary Behaviorist
Presentation: What Would the Animals Say About Their Relationship with Humans?
Panelist 2: Panelist 2: Dr. Betz King, PsyD
Clinical Psychologist at King & Associates Psychotherapy and Saybrook University, expert on human-animal interactions, spiritually integrated psychotherapy, and women's issues.
Presentation: Existential Etymologies: Redefining our Linguistic Approach to Our Animal Companions
Panelist 3: Lexy Ritenburgh, M.A.
Capital Area Humane Society Community Relations Manager, Canisius University
Anthrozoologist
Presentation: Building New Bonds: Navigating the Pathway to Adoption in Animal Shelters
10:45 – 11:00 Morning Break
11:00 – 11:45
Moderator: Rebecca Wisch, J.D.
Associate Editor, MSU Animal Legal & Historical Center
Keynote Speaker: Dr. Andrea Laurent-Simpson, Ph.D.
SMU Professor of Sociology and Author of Just Like Family: How the Companion Animal Joined the Household
Presentation: Has the Family Gone to the Dogs? How the American Multispecies Family Grew and Thrives Today
11:45 – 12:45 Lunch with Guest Ambassador Dogs from Canines for Change, Inc.
12:45 – 12:55 Q&A Session with Hendrik Faller & Tom Miller,
Producers of the Film Dogs are People Too
Moderated by Professor David Favre, MSU College of Law
12:55 – 2:15 Panel 2
Moderator: Drew Bochte
J.D. Candidate and Executive Editor of the MSU Animal and Natural Resource Law Review
Panelist 1: Genevieve Frederick
Founder/President at Feeding Pets of the Homeless
Presentation: Pets of the Homeless
Panelist 2: Ann Griffin, J.D
Director of Advocacy for Michigan Humane
Presentation: Animal Sheltering and the Human-Companion Animal Bond
Panelist 3: Jackie Jacobs, Ph.D.
MSU Professor of Animal Science, expert on companion animal behavior and welfare, and topics related to the human-animal bond.
Presentation: Beyond the Leash: Exploring Evidence for the Human-Animal Bond in Non-Domesticated Pets
2:15 – 2:30 Break
2:30 – 4:00 Panel 3
Moderator: Colton Simpson
J.D. Candidate and Treasurer of the MSU SALDF Chapter
Panelist 1: Ginny K. Mikita, J.D, Animal Chaplain
Mikita Kruse Law Center, Experienced in animal, neglected/refugee children, LGBTQAI+ and incapacitated individuals law
Presentation: Estate Planning for Animal Companions: Creative Imagining for the Unthinkable
Panelist 2: Angie Vega, LL.M.
MSU Animal Law Fellow, expert on companion animal damages, Rights of Nature, and Animal Law in Latin America
Presentation: The value of the multispecies families in tort law
Panelist 3: Professor David Favre, J.D.
MSU Professor of Property Law, Animal Law, and International Environmental Law and author of The Future of Animal Law
Presentation: Companion Animals: Leading the Charge for Legal Change
4:00 – Concluding remarks
Presenters’ Bios
Dr. Theresa DePorter, D.V.M.
Animal Behaviorist, Oakland Veterinary Referral Services ·Theresa DePorter is a board-certified diplomate in the American College of Veterinary Behaviorists (ACVB) and the European College of Animal Welfare and Behavioral Medicine (ECAWBM). She received her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree from Purdue University in 1992. She has been seeing behavior consultations at Oakland Veterinary Referral Services in metropolitan Detroit, Michigan, since 2004. Presented to veterinarians in 10 countries, including France, Slovakia, China, Australia, and UAE. Mentored residents in Switzerland, UAE, and the US. Theresa DePorter has been a member of the “Voice of the Cat Advisory Panel” for Church & Dwight. She is also a member of the Fear Free Advisory Group. Dr. DePorter has authored chapters on feline aggression, car ride anxiety, pheromones, and psychopharmacology. Research interests include anxiolytic nutraceuticals, pheromones, and aggression between housemate cats.
David Favre, J.D.
MSU Law Professor of property and animal law
David Favre has been a law professor at Michigan State University College of Law for over forty-four years, serving as Dean of the College for five years and teaching in Property Law, Animal Law, and International Environmental Law. Professor Favre has written several articles and books dealing with animal issues, including such topics as animal cruelty, wildlife law, animal rights, ethics of animal use, and international control of animal trade. His books include the casebook Animal Law: Welfare, Interest, and Rights (3rd ed. 2020), the ethics book Respecting Animals (2018), a legal roadmap, and The Future of Animal Law (2021). He created and is editor-in-chief of the world's largest animal legal web resource, www.animallaw.info. Now residing on a farm in Lower Michigan, Professor Favre shares his space with sheep, chickens, and the usual assortment of dogs.
Genevieve Frederick
Founder and President of Feeding Pets of the Homeless®
Since 2006, Genevieve Frederick has researched homeless with pets and has spoken to homeless about their pets. The nonprofit she founded, in 2008, Feeding Pets of the Homeless®, is the first national animal organization focused completely on feeding and providing emergency veterinary care to pets of people experiencing homelessness.
Frederick is well versed on the topic of pets and their humans experiencing homelessness and the human/animal bond. Frederick, representing the nonprofit, has been interviewed on TV, as well as numerous radio shows and podcasts. She has been interviewed and quoted in numerous books, magazines, blogs and other news outlets in the US and abroad. She has been a speaker at several conferences.
During her time at Feeding Pets of the Homeless she was responsible for the acquisition and management of funding. She attained over $2 million in grants. And over $12 million in individual and business contributions. Over 30,000 pets have been treated across the country.
Ann Griffin, J.D.
Michigan Humane’s Director of Advocacy
Ann holds a B.A. from Wayne State University and a J.D. from the University of Detroit Mercy School of Law. After earning her J.D., Ann practiced law with Dykema in its Detroit office. Two years later, Ann returned to UDM Law, where she held both teaching and administrative positions over a 16-year period. Ann developed UDM Law’s first Animal Law class in fall 2011, and she taught the class each fall from 2011-2015.
Ann currently serves as Michigan Humane’s Director of Advocacy. Since January 2015, she has been involved in legislative advocacy and planning and delivering various education and training programs. Ann is a member of the State Bar of Michigan Animal Law Section Council and chairs the Section’s Legislative Committee.
Jacquelyn Jacobs, Ph.D.
MSU Professor of Animal Science, expert on companion animal behavior and welfare and topics related to the human-animal bond. Member of the Animal Behavior and Welfare Group in the Department of Animal Science.
Jackie Jacobs is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Animal Science at Michigan State University (MSU). She received a PhD from the University of Guelph in the areas of epidemiology, animal behavior, and animal welfare science. She also holds an M.S and BS in Animal Science from Michigan State University and the University of New Hampshire, respectively. After a two-year post-doc at Purdue University, she joined the faculty at MSU and spearheaded the first companion animal program in the Department of Animal Science. In her role at MSU, Dr. Jacobs teaches both introductory and advanced classes in companion animal biology, companion animal management, and animal welfare science. Her classes cover a variety of animal species commonly kept as pets, such as dogs, cats, small mammals, birds, reptiles, and fish. She has an active research program focused on companion animal behavior and welfare, namely through exploring the benefits of the human-animal bond and improving the welfare of shelter animals.
Betz King, PsyD
Clinical Psychologist at King & Associates Psychotherapy and Saybrook University, expert on human-animal interactions, spiritually integrated psychotherapy, and women's issues.
Dr. King is a licensed psychologist and core faculty member in Saybrook University's Clinical Psychology program. With over two decades of clinical experience, Dr. King has become a leading advocate for animal welfare considerations in animal-assisted therapies. Her research focuses on the intersection of existential-humanistic psychology, animal-assisted therapy, and the human-animal bond. Dr. King's notable contributions include research on the correlation between dog park membership and life satisfaction, the development of an existential-humanistic animal-assisted psychotherapy model, and the creation of a canine-assisted psychotherapy model. She is a frequent presenter regarding the emotional support animal designation and the human-animal bond. Dr. King's current scholarly work explores the application of German philosopher Martin Buber's I-Thou philosophy to human & companion animal relationships. As a founding member of Saybrook's Animal Care, Rescue, Education & Dignity (SACRED) Learning Community, Dr. King continues to advance the field through her research, publications, teaching, and clinical practice, establishing herself as a respected authority in both psychological and animal welfare domains. She shares her heart and home with her husband and their three canine companions.
Andrea Laurent-Simpson, Ph.D.
SMU Professor of Sociology and Author of Just Like Family: How the Companion Animal Joined the Household
Andrea Laurent-Simpson is currently a Research Assistant Professor and Lecturer of Sociology at Southern Methodist University. Her award-winning work engages identity theory, family and fertility, and human-nonhuman animal interaction. Her research uses original, qualitative research to examine how family membership is impacted by human-nonhuman animal relationships in the United States; how the multispecies family affects household structure; how this contributes to post-industrial, cultural definitions of who counts as family; and how dropping fertility rates and delays of age at first birth aid in the emergence of a “multi-species” family post-1970’s in the United States. Dr. Laurent-Simpson’s work has both appeared and been discussed nationally in outlets including Fox News Digital, KERA Think with Kris Boyd, Dallas Morning News, The New York Times, The Atlantic, and The Guardian.
Ginny K. Mikita, J.D, Animal Chaplain
Mikita Kruse Law Center, Experienced in animal, neglected/refugee children, LGBTQAI+ and incapacitated individuals law
Ginny Mikita, JD is a 1991 graduate of Notre Dame Law School and ordained Animal Chaplain. After serving as a federal law clerk for two years, she served as in-house counsel with PETA and as an intern with the Animal Legal Defense Fund Washington DC office. For 30+ years, she and her husband have had their own compassion- and social justice-based law practice, Mikita Kruse Law Center, in which they represent those whose voices have been silenced - animals and those who care for them, neglected/abused and unaccompanied refugee children and incapacitated adults. Ginny is also the founder of Animal Blessings, a nonprofit organization honoring the sacred worth of all beings through a variety of services, including blessings and grief support. Ginny and her husband have two grown children and share their hearts and home with two - six-year-old English Shepherd sisters, Blaze and Ember. Blaze is certified through West Michigan Therapy Dogs and works with children learning to read, navigating life with developmental disabilities, and suffering with burn injuries.
Lexy Ritenburgh, M.A.
Capital Area Humane Society Community Relations Manager, Canisius University
Anthrozoologist.
Lexy Ritenburgh is an accomplished animal welfare professional with eight years of experience in nonprofit animal shelters. Currently serving as the Community Relations Manager at the Capital Area Humane Society, Lexy specializes in humane education, volunteer engagement, and community outreach. Lexy holds a bachelor's degree in zoology from Michigan State University and a master's degree in anthrozoology from Canisius University. Her research primarily focuses on compassion fatigue in animal shelter staff and the role this plays in the welfare of shelter animals. Additionally, Lexy sits on the junior board of the Bissel Pet Foundation and is a founding member of the Capital Area Humane Society's Paws for Progress committee. Her passion for animal welfare and commitment to promoting the human-companion animal bond drives her efforts to advance the field, promote pet adoption, and inspire others to treat animals in a humane manner. Lexy is proud to share her home with two rescue dogs and three rescue cats, all adopted from the Capital Area Humane Society.
Angie Vega, LL.M.
MSU Animal Legal Fellow
Angie Vega is the MSU Animal Law Fellow. She holds a law degree from Colombia and an LL.M. in the American Legal System from Michigan State University. Her legal research and scholarship focus on companion animal damages, multispecies families, animal law in Latin America, Animal Rights, and the Rights of Nature. Angie has published law review articles on bullfighting and recovery of damages in companion animal cases. In addition, Angie developed the Latin American collection of the animallaw.info website, the largest collection of Latin American animal law materials in the world. On this website, she also has articles on various topics, including legal damages, veterinary malpractice, and the status of animal law in many countries within Latin America. Angie is the World Moot for International Law and Animal Rights (WMILAR) Regional Director for Latin America & the Caribbean, a UN Harmony with Nature expert, and a member of the Mercy for Animals Detroit Hub.
Abstracts
Dr. Theresa DePorter, DVM
What Would the Animals Say About Their Relationship with Humans?
Consider what the companion animals say to the people in their animal-human relationships. Animals communicate differently and largely through body language, which is commonly misunderstood. They perceive the world through their senses differently than we do. This can be illustrated by pictures and videos of the world through the animal's eyes. As a veterinarian specializing in animal welfare and behavior, Dr. DePorter will illuminate and demystify common misconceptions regarding how animals think, perceive their world, and communicate with us. From wagging tails to kisses or pups pleading for belly rubs. What is the animal's viewpoint and intent?
Sadly, even with the best of intentions, the benefits of the human-animal bond may be one-sided. Consider for a moment the welfare and the needs of the animals who cannot speak for themselves. While the topic may seem dog-centric, examples from a broad range of species should be considered. With understanding and knowledge regarding how animals communicate their needs, humans can build empathy and compassion to bridge the gap between animal welfare, human empathy, and the evolving field of animal law.
David Favre
Companion Animals: Leading the Charge for Legal Change
The issue around whether animals should have legal rights is very complex, often with strong feelings on both sides of the debate. First, it must be considered what is a legal right. Second is the issue of how these rights might be created. And, finally, do any animals have legal rights? A focus on dogs and cats within our families suggests some legal rights have been created, even though no one has put the tag of "animal rights" on these laws.
Ann M. Griffin, J.D.
Animal Sheltering and the Human-Companion Animal Bond
Michigan Humane, founded in 1877, is the oldest and largest nonprofit animal welfare organization in the state. How does the human-companion animal bond impact Michigan Humane’s work? With the understanding that sheltering and spay/neuter haven’t resolved the pet overpopulation issue, Michigan Humane has implemented many programs to support people and their pets and keep animals in their homes. Michigan Humane’s cruelty investigators evaluate alleged cases of cruelty and neglect and determine whether education and resources will resolve the problem or further intervention is necessary. In some instances, such as hoarding, the human-animal bond is broken, and suffering animals must be removed from an owner who is unable to properly care for them. The human-companion animal bond also forms the basis of much of Michigan Humane’s legislative advocacy work and is evident in recent improvements in Michigan animal protection laws and current advocacy efforts.
Dr. Betz King
Existential etymologies: Redefining our linguistic approach to our animal companions.
This presentation extends the application of 18th-century theologian Martin Buber's “I-Thou” philosophy to companion animals, animal-assisted therapy and support animal practices through an examination of three interconnected topics: 1. Existential-humanistic animal-assisted psychotherapy, an approach that elevates therapy animals from tools to co-therapists, fostering authentic therapeutic relationships in alignment with Buber's concept of genuine dialogue and encounter. 2. Relational anthroponymy, the legal and social implications of naming, as evidenced by the visceral distinction between "I-It" relationships often seen with 'pets' and the deeper "I-Thou" connection possible with animal companions, and 3. A respectful critique of the Emotional Support Animal framework and how it fails to consider the animals' needs and well-being. By weaving these themes together, current perceptions of animal-human relationships in therapeutic and support contexts are reconsidered, moving from objectification towards genuine mutual recognition. This exploration has profound implications for mental health practices, animal welfare, and our broader understanding of interspecies connections, potentially reshaping our approach to animal-assisted interventions and companionship.
Dr. Andrea Laurent-Simpson
Has the Family Gone to the Dogs? How the American Multispecies Family Grew and Thrives Today
The multispecies family is thriving in the United States today. Last year, Americans spent $147 B on their companion animals. Since the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic, people in the United States have increased spending on their companion animals by an astounding 35%, even in the face of record-high inflation. Almost half of American pet owners have pet health insurance; many are exploring options that allow “combined burial” in human cemeteries; and, in family court, multispecies families are increasingly engaged in “pet custody” disputes. Indeed, research shows that the vast majority of American companion animal owners consider their dogs and cats to be “family members,” with childfree treating their animals like furry children, grandparents sharing pictures of their grand dog, and children growing up with furry siblings afoot. Human victims of natural disasters, as well as victims of domestic violence, are known to refuse to leave hazardous conditions if they cannot take their companion animals with them. Indeed, the line between what it means to be a human versus a companion animal is increasingly being blurred culturally, economically, and legally. But how did we get here? Dr. Laurent-Simpson will explore the historical and demographic context in which this new family structure emerged and how it appears today both institutionally and across household structures in the United States.
Lexy Ritenburgh, M.A.
Building New Bonds: Navigating the Pathway to Adoption in Animal Shelters
The pathway to adoption in animal shelters is a complex process that directly impacts animal
welfare and community engagement. This presentation examines the critical stages of the
adoption journey, from intake and assessment to post-adoption support. Through case studies, we will highlight successful adoption stories using modified adoption pathways while ensuring the well-being of animals. Additionally, we will address common barriers to adoption, such as
misconceptions about shelter pets and the emotional challenges faced by potential adopters and shelter staff. By fostering a collaborative approach among shelter staff, volunteers, foster homes, and the community, we can create a more efficient and compassionate pathway to adoption. Ultimately, our goal is to identify the role of shelters in creating new human-animal bonds as animals move through the pathway to adoption.
Angie Vega LL.M.
The value of the multispecies families in tort law
There is no doubt that today’s families are multispecies! From buying toys to making living arrangements around the needs of their companion animals, humans are more willing than ever to go to great extents to ensure their animals are happy and healthy. This emotional bond has begun to gain recognition in some areas of the law. Yet, when a companion animal is killed or injured, they continue to be valued economically by the legal system. This presentation explores the dichotomies in the way companion animals are socially and legally valued. How can we strike a balance between the interest of families in their companion animals and tortfeasors who harm them? After all, torts law exists to provide adequate legal remedy. Is this goal being fulfilled? How can the legal system possibly determine emotional injuries in companion animal cases? And is it possible to avoid unrestrained damages if these are recognized?