Citizens are subject to a variety of laws made by city, county, state and federal governments. In general, all laws are part of a hierarchy in which federal laws are at the top, local laws at the bottom, and state laws somewhere in between. In order for individuals to work effectively on behalf of animals, it is important to understand how these laws fit together. A brief summary follows of each of the different kinds of laws, with an explanation of how they are interrelated. (Please note that Tribal lands are sovereign nations, each with their own sets of laws.)
