We’re launching a Book Club!

The ALDF is proud to announce the launch of its SALDF Book Club! This book club is designed for law students and SALDF chapter members to participate in as a year-event. For its first year, we will read Lab Dog: A Beagle and His Human Investigate the Surprising World of Animal Research by Melanie D.G. Kaplan. This book, and the discussions centered from it, provides a powerful and eye-opening look behind the closed doors of animal research facilities. We will explore the complex legal, ethical, scientific, and social challenges surrounding animals in research and the advocacy tools available for animal protection and liberation.

Please review the objectives, expectations, and schedule before submitting the survey. A select number of spots are available for a complimentary eBook copy and will be considered on a first-come first-serve basis. As always, we will do our best to fund as many spots as possible.

Book Selection: When journalist Melanie D.G. Kaplan adopted her beagle Hammy, all she knew was that he had spent nearly four years in a research lab. Curious to know more about this gentle creature’s past, as well as the broader world of animal research, Kaplan—with Hammy in tow—embarks on a quest for answers. How did Hammy end up in a research facility? Why are we still using millions of animals a year in experiments? What have we learned from them? Is there another way? In Lab Dog, Kaplan investigates the breeding and use of beagles for biomedical research, drug and product testing, and education. She takes readers on a journey, peeking behind laboratory doors and visiting with researchers, activists, ethicists, veterinarians, lawmakers, and innovators. Along the way, she finds thoughtful and caring humans on all sides of the debate, explores promising developments in nonanimal testing, and discovers puzzle pieces from Hammy’s past. Equal parts journalism and love story, Lab Dog offers a nuanced view on our relationship with a species that we both love and exploit, and a reason to hope for a better future for all.

• Objectives:
  • Gain critical thinking and analysis skills as they relate to animal protection topics and discussion.
  • Develop skills in reading comprehension, specialized vocabulary, communication, and listening.
  • Broaden your perspective, understanding, and breadth of knowledge on the topic of animal testing in the United States.
  • Meet and foster a supportive network of fellow students across the country engaged in animal protection work.
  • Meet and engage with leaders and experts in vast interdisciplinary fields, including animal law and the sciences.
  • Have fun, of course!
• Expectations:
  • Please attend at least two sessions per semester (September, October, November (2026); February, March, April (2027)).
  • Arrive to sessions prepared, having read the chapter(s) to be discussed.
  • Sign-up to help facilitate at least one of the sessions. Students will have ample support from ALDF staff and fellow students in facilitating discussions and will not be alone in doing so.
• Schedule:
  • Please note that all meeting times are from 12 – 1 p.m. PST / 3 – 4 p.m. EST
    • Wednesday, September 16, 2026: Meeting Hammy and Learning about Biomedical Research
      • Chapters 1-3: “Snoopy, Darwin, Linus, and Hammy,” “Where Do Beagles Come From?” and “Biomedical Research: Sniffing Out Answers.”
    • Wednesday, October 21, 2026: Public Health, Education, and Hidden Systems
      • Chapters 4-6: “The Food, the Drugs, and the Administration,” “The Chemicals: On Our Skin, in Our Bodies, Around Our Homes, on Our Pets,” and “Companions and Cadavers in the Classroom.”
    • Wednesday, November 18, 2026: Adoption, Liberation, and Life After the Lab
      • Chapters 7-9: “Adoptions: A Kinder Place to Animals,” “Liberation,” and “This is Where You Were Born.”
    • OFF December 2026 and January 2027
      • Please continue to read chapters for February.
    • Wednesday, February 17, 2027: Harmful Practices and “Necessity”
      • Chapters 10-11: “The “Good” Research” and “Revisiting.”
    • Wednesday, March 17, 2027: Reform, Accountability, and Advocacy
      • Chapters 12-13: “Agent Hamilton, Transparency, and the Troubled Middle” and “The Surrogate.”
    • Wednesday, April 21 2027: Final Thoughts with Author Melanie D.G. Kaplan
      • This will include wrap-up of any outstanding discussions and a Q&A with author Melanie D.G. Kaplan. We will also hear from the ALDF Legislative Affairs Team on follow-up action items students can take.

NOTE: ONLY LAW STUDENTS ARE ELIGIBLE TO RECEIVE A COMPLIMENTARY eBOOK