"The Animal League Defense Fund ranked Illinois as the top jurisdiction in the United States for animal protection for the eighth consecutive year in 2015," Chicago lawyer Ken Stalkfleet reports in the May issue of Animal Law, newsletter of the ISBA Animal Law Section. Other top states are Oregon, Maine, California, and Michigan.

Which is not to say there isn't room for improvement. "Illinois was the only state in the top five without an affirmative duty for police officers to enforce animal protection laws," Stalkfleet wrote. "The report also listed several potential improvements, including stronger felony provisions for neglect and abandonment, mandatory forfeiture of animals following conviction, and the institution of an animal abuser registry." Read his article to learn about animal protective legislation introduced in this session.