Apr. 9, 2026
Claws, paws and laws: Trademark protection for animal names, images and likenesses
Human performers rely on privacy and publicity rights to control their brand. But when the performer is an animal, those doctrines fall away--leaving trademark law to fill the gap.
Lauren E. Hansson
Associate
Sheppard
Entertainment, Technology and Advertising Practice Group
Throughout the entertainment industry, protecting a performer's name, image and likeness (their "brand") is a top priority. The idea is simple: performers, along with their teams, work to build an association between their name, their body of work and certain sets of values or personas they want to be known for. But if they cannot protect against unauthorized commercial use of their brand, then it becomes difficult, if not impossible, for the performer to market themselves a...
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