Whistleblower Protections & Confidential Disclosures

At Litigation for Animal Welfare (LAW), we are committed to protecting individuals who speak out against cruelty, misconduct, or unlawful practices affecting animals. If you are considering sharing information with LAW, it’s important to understand your rights and responsibilities.

Your Rights as a Whistleblower

Federal and many state laws protect individuals who report illegal or unethical conduct, including animal abuse, environmental violations, or fraud involving public funds. If you are a current or former employee, volunteer, contractor, or affiliate of an organization engaging in such practices, you may qualify for whistleblower protections under laws such as:

  • The Whistleblower Protection Act

  • The False Claims Act

  • State-level whistleblower statutes

  • Laws related to specific industries (e.g., USDA, EPA, or OSHA regulations)

These laws may protect you from retaliation, including termination, harassment, demotion, or threats, if you disclose information in good faith.

What You CAN Share with LAW

We welcome and protect information that relates to:

  • Animal cruelty or neglect (including factory farms, labs, rescues, shelters, zoos, etc.)

  • Regulatory violations (such as lack of veterinary care, illegal breeding, or slaughter practices)

  • Fraud or falsifying applications, records, and forms relating to the history, health, origin, or disposition of animals

  • Fraud or misuse of donations within animal-related nonprofits

  • Unsafe or illegal working conditions affecting employees or animals

  • Witness accounts, internal memos, photos, videos, or emails supporting a potential case

You may choose to remain anonymous or request attorney-client privilege, which may protect your communication under certain circumstances. We advise reaching out through secure means if anonymity is a concern.

What You CANNOT Share with LAW

While we encourage transparency and truth-telling, there are legal boundaries around what can be disclosed:

  • Privileged legal communications (i.e., emails or documents between your employer and THEIR attorney)

  • Medical or personal identifying information about individuals not involved in wrongdoing, unless redacted

  • Trade secrets or proprietary data unless the information exposes illegality or serious public harm

  • Information obtained through illegal means (e.g., hacking, theft, unauthorized wiretaps)

We are legally obligated to reject or delete material that violates privacy, confidentiality, or intellectual property laws unless it qualifies for whistleblower exceptions.

Non-Disclosure Agreements (NDAs)

Many whistleblowers worry that they’ve signed a Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA) that prevents them from coming forward. Here’s what you should know:

NDAs are NOT enforceable if they:

  • Attempt to prevent you from reporting illegal activity

  • Interfere with your rights under whistleblower laws

  • Try to silence disclosures to government agencies or law enforcement

  • Are overly broad and not specific in scope (eg “If you quit you can never speak to anyone ever employed by Company A again” or “If you quit you can never work in for an animal rescue again.”)

❌ NDAs MAY be enforceable if they:

  • Protect genuine trade secrets or intellectual property

  • Relate to client lists, proprietary methods, or non-compete terms

  • Are reasonably limited in duration and scope

  • Do not conflict with public interest or whistleblower protections

If you're unsure whether your NDA prevents disclosure, contact us confidentially and we will help assess your legal options with the guidance of our legal team or through a local legal referral.

How to Safely Submit Information

To submit a report or evidence to LAW:

  • Use our secure contact form with the option to remain anonymous

  • Avoid using your work devices or email addresses

  • Do not disclose information you obtained illegally

  • Clearly indicate if you are bound by an NDA or confidentiality agreement. This does NOT prevent you from speaking with us or sharing information, we just treat the information with a higher degree of protection for you.

Let us know if you wish your communication to be privileged and confidential

We’re Here to Protect You – and the Animals

LAW is a legal advocacy organization that stands beside those who speak up. Whether you’re a current or former employee, volunteer, rescuer, veterinarian, transporter, adopter, fosterer or bystander, your voice can help end cruelty, reform broken systems, and hold institutions accountable.

If you have questions or need guidance before submitting a report, contact us directly. All inquiries are treated with care and discretion.

Let’s work together to protect animals.

If you have information that may be relevant to a new or ongoing investigation, fill out some info and we will be in touch shortly.