More than 80 Teslas were damaged in Hamilton, Ontario, the police said, amid other acts of vandalism against the company owned by Elon Musk.

A substation in Hayes, in western London, caught fire and disrupted one of the busiest airports in the world.

Two years into a civil war, the military is closing in on the presidential palace in Khartoum, where its paramilitary foe is holed up. Civilians are trapped in the middle in a city with an apocalyptic air.

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2024: A Year of Impact

AWI Expands Directory to Help Unhoused People and Their Pets Niki Thu, 03/20/2025 - 14:13 Photo by Sonya Achny March 20, 2025 Safe Havens for Pets is now the most comprehensive directory of sheltering services available for domestic violence survivors and unhoused people with pets. Washington, DC—Today, Safe Havens for Pets, an initiative of the Animal Welfare Institute (AWI), launched an expanded online directory to include sheltering services that assist individuals who are experiencing homelessness with a pet.The listings, which are searchable by zip code and updated regularly, feature organizations that either provide sheltering services for the animals of unhoused individuals and/or domestic violence survivors, have a relationship with an entity that does, or provide referrals to such facilities. They include humane societies, veterinary offices, foster homes, and shelters that house humans and pets together.AWI established the Safe Havens for Pets database in 2011 to help domestic violence survivors with pets find sheltering resources for their companion animals while they seek safety for themselves. Since then, the directory has been accessed tens of thousands of times each year; it is also listed on the National Domestic Violence Hotline’s website.The link between interpersonal violence and animal abuse has been well established; it is estimated that tens of thousands of companion animals are injured, traumatized, or killed each year due to domestic violence. This year, Safe Havens for Pets expanded to include more than 200 sheltering resources in all 50 states for unhoused individuals and their pets. The Safe Havens website also includes information on funding sources for shelters that wish to become more pet-friendly, safety planning tips for survivors with pets, and guidance on including companion animals in personal protection orders, among other resources.“Domestic violence survivors and unhoused individuals with pets often face upheaval, uncertainty, and the unimaginable feeling of having to choose between safe shelter and their pet—a choice no person should have to make,” said Claire Coughlin, director of AWI’s Companion Animal Program. “AWI is proud to offer the most comprehensive directory of pet-friendly safe havens nationwide—totaling more than 1,200 entries—to help these individuals locate safe sheltering options, not only for themselves but also for their beloved companion animals.”The number of people experiencing unsheltered homelessness in the United States is steadily increasing, reaching a record 256,610 in 2023, according to federal data. Some research also suggests that up 25% of unhoused individuals have companion animals, which can create an additional barrier to locating secure housing.Among the safe haven models listed in the directory:Hale Mauliola on Oahu, HI, uses upcycled shipping containers, to provide temporary housing for up to 100 guests and their pets.The Alameda County, CA, Safe Parking Program offers secure parking for unhoused individuals living in their vehicles. The location welcomes pets and is equipped with essential amenities, including lighting, restrooms, and security patrols.Deep Roots, a homeless shelter in Earleville Maryland, recently became pet-friendly and provides apartments for up to 12 families with children at its Clairvaux Farm.While the Safe Havens for Pets directory is comprehensive, it is not necessarily exhaustive—it is a work in progress that must be updated continually. You can help! If you are aware of a safe haven that should be included, please contact safehavens@awionline.org or fill out the contact form here. Media Contact Information Marjorie Fishman, Animal Welfare Institutemargie@awionline.org, (202) 446-2128 The Animal Welfare Institute (awionline.org) is a nonprofit charitable organization founded in 1951 and dedicated to alleviating animal suffering caused by people. We seek to improve the welfare of animals everywhere: in agriculture, in commerce, in our homes and communities, in research, and in the wild. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Threads, Bluesky, and LinkedIn for updates and other important animal protection news.

Mink Legislation Reintroduced to Protect Public Health and Compensate Farmers Niki Wed, 03/19/2025 - 10:55 Photo by Jo-Anne McArthur Djurrattsalliansen March 19, 2025 Washington, DC—US Rep. Adriano Espaillat (D-NY) has reintroduced the Mink: Vectors for Infection Risk in the United States Act (Mink VIRUS Act), bipartisan legislation endorsed by the Animal Welfare Institute (AWI). This bill is a response to the urgent public health threat posed by mink farms, where mink incubate diseases such as COVID-19 and avian influenza.The Mink VIRUS Act (H.R. 2185) would phase out US mink farms within one year and establish a grant program to reimburse farmers for the full value of their operations, enabling them to successfully transition away from an increasingly unprofitable business.“Not only do mink suffer in cramped and crowded cages on fur farms, but we also cannot ignore the risk of disease proliferation and the possibility of human infection,” said Susan Millward, AWI’s executive director and chief executive officer. “Pandemic prevention requires a multifaceted approach and ending mink farming is a crucial component of that effort. It’s time to leave this declining industry in the past and provide farmers with the resources needed to transition to something safer and more sustainable.”Mink farms, which raise and slaughter animals to sell their pelts to the fashion industry, typically pack thousands of mink together into long rows of barren pens barely large enough for them to move around. The conditions not only are inhumane but also create an ideal setting for pathogens to circulate among and across species.The deadly H5N1 virus has infected tens of thousands of mink on dozens of fur farms since 2022. During an October 2022 outbreak on a mink farm in Spain, the virus gained at least one mutation that favors mammal-to-mammal spread, allowing it to spread from mink to mink. Scientists referred to this H5N1 mink farm outbreak as a “warning bell,” calling it a “clear mechanism for an H5 pandemic to start.” Given the potentially dire ramifications if H5N1 mutates into a form that could spread between humans, it is crucial to take every precaution possible.Mink are highly susceptible to SARS-CoV-2 (the coronavirus that causes COVID-19), with outbreaks on more than 480 known mink fur farms across 12 countries. Alarmingly, mink are already capable of passing a mutated form of the SARS-CoV-2 virus back to humans. Spillback from mink farms to humans could continue to introduce new variants, undermining the effectiveness of vaccines and jeopardizing efforts to contain the pandemic.Meanwhile, the fur industry is steeply declining because fur is not something that compassionate US consumers want to wear. Lack of consumer demand, coupled with state and local bans and fur-free commitments from major fashion brands, has shrunk profits. According to a July 2024 USDA report, 2023 was one of the fur industry’s worst years on record. The value of all mink pelts produced totaled $33.1 million, a 10% decrease from 2022. Overall mink pelt production in 2023 was also 28% lower than in the previous year. Many European countries have already banned, or are in the process of banning, mink farming, including Austria, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Czech Republic, Estonia, Ireland, France, Hungary, Italy, Latvia, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, North Macedonia, Norway, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, and the United Kingdom. The measures taken by these governments to address the serious public health risk posed by mink farms are appropriate and proportional to the scale of the crisis. Media Contact Information Marjorie Fishman, Animal Welfare Institutemargie@awionline.org, (202) 446-2128 The Animal Welfare Institute (awionline.org) is a nonprofit charitable organization founded in 1951 and dedicated to alleviating animal suffering caused by people. We seek to improve the welfare of animals everywhere: in agriculture, in commerce, in our homes and communities, in research, and in the wild. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Threads, Bluesky, and LinkedIn for updates and other important animal protection news.

AWI Mourns Congressman Raúl Grijalva, an Exceptional Champion for Animals aalberg Fri, 03/14/2025 - 14:39 Photo by natureguy March 14, 2025 Washington, DC—Rep. Raúl Grijalva (D-Ariz.), a staunch advocate for animals and the environment who dedicated half a century to public service, died Thursday at the age of 77.In response, Susan Millward, executive director and chief executive officer of the Animal Welfare Institute (AWI), issued the following statement:“Congressman Grijalva was a passionate supporter of the Endangered Species Act, defending it time and time again from attacks. As chairman of the House Committee on Natural Resources and co-chair of the ESA Caucus, he was tireless in his advocacy for this bedrock conservation law. Additionally, he sponsored important conservation bills such as the RESCUE Whales Act; Extinction Prevention Act; Ocean-Based Climate Solutions Act; and Tribal Heritage and American Bison, Grizzly Bear, and Wolf Restoration and Coexistence Act. “His compassion truly extended to all animals. He strongly supported protecting our nation’s wild horses and burros, championing the Wild Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Protection Act and other efforts to humanely manage herds. He also led the Traveling Exotic Animal and Public Safety Protection Act to end the use of wild animals in circuses.“AWI has deeply valued our partnership with Rep. Grijalva on these crucial issues over the years, and we are so grateful to have had the opportunity to work with such a principled and kind man. We send our condolences to his family and staff, and we will carry on his legacy of fierce and unyielding advocacy for all living beings.” Media Contact Information Marjorie Fishman, Animal Welfare Institutemargie@awionline.org, (202) 446-2128 The Animal Welfare Institute (awionline.org) is a nonprofit charitable organization founded in 1951 and dedicated to alleviating animal suffering caused by people. We seek to improve the welfare of animals everywhere: in agriculture, in commerce, in our homes and communities, in research, and in the wild. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Threads, Bluesky, and LinkedIn for updates and other important animal protection news.