New Poll: Consumers Overwhelmingly Support Meaningful Standards for “Humanely Raised” Food Label Niki Fri, 05/30/2025 - 12:56 Photo by Bob Nichols May 30, 2025 Washington, DC—Eighty-eight percent of American consumers believe that claims such as “humanely raised” or “sustainably farmed” on meat and poultry products should be based on meaningful, measurable standards, according to a newly released survey.The online survey of more than 2,000 US adults was conducted this month by The Harris Poll on behalf of the Animal Welfare Institute (AWI). Since 2010, AWI has commissioned five polls evaluating consumer attitudes about the claims used on meat and poultry packaging; in every survey, at least 80% of respondents agreed that food producers should not be allowed to use the claim “humanely raised” on their meat or poultry product labels unless the producers exceed minimum industry animal care standards.Surveys conducted by other organizations similarly have found that American consumers are increasingly aware of, and concerned about, how animals raised for food are treated.“Consumers overwhelmingly agree that the meat and poultry industry should no longer be allowed to set its own definition of ‘humanely raised’ and charge a premium for products that have not been independently verified as higher welfare,” said Zack Strong, director of AWI’s Farmed Animal Program. “Our survey results consistently show that the public demands stronger government regulation of animal-raising claims.”For more than a decade, AWI has been the leading national nonprofit organization that routinely monitors the use of animal welfare claims such as “humanely raised” on meat and poultry packages, documenting in multiple reports how the US Department of Agriculture is failing consumers by continuing to allow deceptive marketing practices.AWI’s most recent analysis, “Deceptive Consumer Labels,” found that 85% of the label claims reviewed by the USDA from 2019 to 2021 lacked meaningful substantiation, with inadequate or no evidence provided to support use of the claim. Other highlights of the May survey:More than 4 in 5 Americans (84%) agree that the government should not allow the use of claims like “humanely raised” on food labels unless producers are independently inspected and verified. A similar proportion (81%) believe that holistic animal-raising claims such as “humanely raised” should not be defined by a single factor (e.g., “vegetarian fed”), as currently permitted by the USDA.Seven in ten Americans (70%) agree that claims such as “humanely raised” or “sustainably farmed” found on meat and poultry product packages help them decide what products to purchase.To help consumers locate products from farms where animals are raised to higher-welfare standards, AWI provides a comprehensive guide to animal-raising claims commonly found on meat, egg, and dairy products. There is also an abundance of cruelty-free, plant-based options available to people and their companion animals.Survey Method:This survey was conducted online within the United States by The Harris Poll on behalf of AWI from May 8-12, 2025, among 2,087 adults ages 18+. The sampling precision of Harris online polls is measured by using a Bayesian credible interval. For this study, the sample data is accurate to within +/- 2.5 percentage points using a 95% confidence level. 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.

New Research: USDA Fails to Pursue Prosecutions of Slaughter Plants, Despite Repeat Violations Niki Thu, 05/22/2025 - 07:56 Photo by Farm Watch May 22, 2025 Washington, DC—Repeat violators of the federal Humane Methods of Slaughter Act (HMSA) continue to escape meaningful enforcement by the US Department of Agriculture, resulting in continued animal cruelty and suffering, according to a new report released today by the Animal Welfare Institute (AWI).The report, titled “Humane Slaughter Update: Federal and State Oversight of the Welfare of Livestock at Slaughter,” builds on previous AWI reports by analyzing federal and state slaughter plant inspection records from between 2019 and 2022, during which time an estimated 38.5 billion birds and 660 million livestock (cattle, pigs, sheep, and goats) were killed for food in the United States alone.The records offer a rare and important window into the myriad problems associated with US slaughter operations, including using excessive force to herd animals; mistreating disabled animals; failing to properly stun animals on the first (or even second, third, or fourth) attempt; and (consequently) shackling, hoisting, or cutting animals while they remain conscious.Despite this egregious abuse, the USDA has declined to initiate any criminal prosecutions for inhumane slaughter against any of the more than 800 licensed federal plants since at least 2007 and remains unwilling to report incidents to local law enforcement officials for potential prosecution under state anticruelty laws. No state has pursued criminal prosecution of an individual or company for engaging in inhumane slaughter during this period, either, according to AWI’s analysis.AWI worked diligently for passage of the original HMSA in 1958 and for a 1978 amendment that provided for enforcement, and has filed multiple petitions and lawsuits over the years to try to compel the USDA to properly enforce the law. Unfortunately, the USDA’s longstanding position is to encourage voluntary industry adoption of many of the best practices related to humane handling, which has proven to be ineffective. Shamefully, the USDA also interprets the law to exclude birds, despite the fact that these animals constitute the vast majority of animals killed for food in this country.“By keeping slaughter operations hidden, the meat and poultry industries can shield consumers from the horrific conditions endured by billions of farmed animals each year,” said Zack Strong, the report’s co-author and director and senior attorney for AWI’s Farmed Animal Program. “Our analysis shows a pattern of blatant disregard for animal well-being at slaughter and a lack of follow-through from the one federal department empowered to change it.”In one example, over the course of about a year and a half, federal inspectors documented 122 instances of dead “bob veal” calves (typically less than three weeks old) found in transport trucks arriving from California to the Ida Meats slaughter plant in Idaho. Inspection reports indicated that approximately 4,000 calves suffered and died during these incidents; yet, the records offer no evidence that the USDA initiated an investigation, attempted to contact the trucking company or calf supplier, or notified local law enforcement.In another example, over the course of about two years, USDA personnel in the Swift Pork Company slaughter plant in Iowa documented nearly 250 occasions of excessive use of electrical prods, paddles, pokers, and other animal handling implements. Inspection records indicate that the abuse was occurring both on-farm and at the slaughter plant, with tens of thousands of animals affected. While the USDA did report the situation to the Iowa state veterinarian, there is no evidence that the department or the veterinarian notified local law enforcement about the potential criminal mistreatment.Although the USDA has declined to pursue criminal prosecution, it has taken stronger administrative actions against slaughter plants. From 2019 through 2022, nine federal plants were suspended or threatened with suspension three or more times within one year: Abattoir Associates in Spring Mills, PA; Alaska Interior Meats in North Pole, AK; Bay Area Ranchers’ Cooperative in Petaluma, CA; Nelson’s Meat Processing in Milton, WV, Northwest Premium Meats in Nampa, ID; Powell Meat Company in Clinton, MO; Pudliner Packing in Johnstown, PA, The Pork Company in Warsaw, NC; and Working H Meats in Friendsville, MD.In theory, the economic consequences of a plant being suspended should serve as a deterrent to future offenses. Unfortunately, that is not always the case, since plants—particularly large ones—are typically shut down for only a short period of time, often less than one day.Other key findings in AWI’s report:Federal humane slaughter enforcement has remained relatively stable, while state enforcement continues to rise, but the level varies dramatically by state. For instance, 10 of the 29 states operating meat inspection programs issued no plant suspensions for humane slaughter violations from 2019 through 2022, while two states (Ohio and Wisconsin) issued more than a dozen suspensions. Alabama has not provided state enforcement records to AWI over the past decade.“Custom-exempt” plants, which kill and process animals for personal noncommercial use, are essentially excused from regular federal and state inspection. In fact, years may go by without a custom plant’s slaughter operations being observed for compliance with humane handling and slaughter requirements. In one example from 2020, an inspector at the custom Sanchez Slaughterhouse in Hawai’i documented a large hog being shot five time before the animal was rendered unconscious for slaughter. After each unsuccessful attempt, the worker prolonged the animal’s pain by leaving the stunning area to retrieve another cartridge from a nearby vehicle. The worker commented to the inspector: “It’s custom, guy. No need to worry about it.” The plant was issued a notice of suspension by the USDA, but the incident reveals a lack of worker knowledge about humane handling requirements.Similarly, federal and state inspection personnel continue to demonstrate unfamiliarity with the federal humane slaughter directive, as evidenced by their failure to consistently take appropriate enforcement actions (e.g., merely engaging in nonregulatory discussions with plants over federal humane slaughter violations).Among AWI’s recommendations:The USDA should revise the federal humane slaughter regulations, such as by requiring that all animal stunning devices be routinely tested, workers be formally trained in humane handling and slaughter, and functional backup stunning devices be available.To hold repeat offenders properly accountable, the USDA should establish a policy of escalating penalties, including longer suspension periods.The USDA and state departments of agriculture should cooperate with state and local law enforcement agencies in pursuing criminal animal cruelty charges for incidents of willful animal abuse. 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.

New AWI Grant Funds Analysis of Animal Cruelty Data to Better Protect Animals and Communities Niki Mon, 05/12/2025 - 15:08 Photo by Elya Vatel May 12, 2025 Washington, DC—The Animal Welfare Institute (AWI) has awarded an inaugural research grant to encourage the analysis of animal cruelty data to identify distinct characteristics of animal abusers, leading to more targeted intervention and prevention efforts.Abigail Schweiger, who is pursuing a doctorate in social work at Saint Louis University, will receive a $3,500 stipend to use data acquired from the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s National Incident-Based Reporting System (NIBRS) pertaining to sociodemographics and animal cruelty offenses to construct profiles of animal abusers in the United States. To inform both policy and practice, Schweiger plans to present her research findings in publications and at local or national conferences on social work, criminology, and/or animal welfare.Last year, AWI launched the Center for the Study of NIBRS Animal Cruelty Data to provide updated animal cruelty data through a condensed version of the NIBRS database. Law enforcement agencies throughout the United States use NIBRS to submit crime data to the FBI’s Uniform Crime Reporting Program.AWI was instrumental in convincing the FBI, in 2014, to include animal cruelty as a distinct crime category within NIBRS. Previously, animal cruelty incidents—to the extent they were reported at all by state and local law enforcement officials—were consigned to the “miscellaneous crimes” category in NIBRS, making retrieval and analysis of data on such incidents all but impossible. Reporting of animal cruelty crimes to NIBRS began in 2016.“AWI has actively encouraged policymakers, researchers, and advocates to analyze NIBRS animal cruelty data and identify trends to promote effective interventions that protect both animals and people,” said Claire Coughlin, director of AWI’s Companion Animal Program. “We were impressed by this proposal’s focus on examining animal cruelty crime patterns to build distinct offender profiles, which addresses a gap in existing research."I’m incredibly grateful to the Animal Welfare Institute for supporting my research in this understudied area of crime and proud to contribute to their mission,” Schweiger said. “This grant provides me with the opportunity to analyze animal cruelty offense patterns in hopes of informing more targeted prevention and intervention efforts that protect both animals and communities."The application deadline for the next NIBRS grant funding cycle is expected to be announced this fall. 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 Scholarship Winners Campaign for a Better World for Animals Niki Fri, 05/09/2025 - 14:35 Photo by Léa Jones May 9, 2025 Washington, DC—The Animal Welfare Institute (AWI) announced today the 12 winners of a scholarship designed to invest in future leaders who seek to improve the lives of animals—from advancing medical research techniques that don’t rely on animal testing to advocating humane agricultural practices.The Animal Welfare Institute Scholarship program, now in its sixth year, recognizes high school seniors in the United States who are actively involved in helping animals in their schools or communities and plan to continue working on behalf of animals in college and beyond. A dozen winners, selected from a record 930 applicants, will each receive $3,000 for application toward post-secondary education expenses, along with a free subscription to the AWI Quarterly magazine.“Our 2025 scholarship winners have demonstrated admirable leadership and technological prowess, launching successful high school clubs, fundraising events, and other major projects to better protect animals and improve their care,” said Susan Millward, AWI’s executive director and chief executive officer. “AWI is thrilled to support these exemplary students as they continue their studies to drive positive change in the animal welfare movement.”Scholarship recipients have launched a YouTube channel dedicated to ethical environmentalism, self-published a novel about the destruction of the Amazon rainforest, organized large-scale microplastic beach cleanups, and fostered dozens of dogs, transforming their home into a place of healing. The recipients include future pre-vet majors, nonprofit leaders, animal welfare inspectors, endangered species advocates, animal rescuers, and more.The 2025 Animal Welfare Institute Scholarship winners are:Violet Allori, Banks High School, Oregon; Hanna Juma, Glassboro High School, New Jersey; Colleen Kielbania, Essex North Shore Agricultural & Technical School, Massachusetts; Sania Lee, Heritage High School, Georgia; Blake Lugosi, William T. Dwyer High School, Florida; Kayla Mabry, Rockford High School, Michigan; Cora McCabe, Washington-Liberty High School, Virginia; Aashay Mody, Irvine High School, California; John O’Connor, Tenafly High School, New Jersey; Daniel Onwudinanti, South Grand Prairie High School, Texas; Madison Villafane, Wando High School, South Carolina; and Samantha Waldron, Highland High School, Idaho.In addition to the scholarship program, AWI, in partnership with the Humane Education Network, holds an annual “A Voice for Animals” competition. High school students from all over the world are awarded cash prizes for essays, photo essays, or videos that examine issues involving animal conservation and welfare and present viable solutions. The deadline for applications this year is May 31. 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.

Congress Launches First-Ever Wild Horse Caucus to Protect America’s Iconic Mustangs and Burros Niki Thu, 05/08/2025 - 12:45 Photo by Elizabeth Boehm/Danita Delimont May 8, 2025 Washington, DC—In a landmark move for America’s wild horses and burros, today US Reps. Dina Titus (D-NV), Jaun Ciscomani (R-AZ), David Schweikert (R-AZ), and Steve Cohen (D-TN) launched the Congressional Wild Horse Caucus. This is the first congressional caucus dedicated to supporting and safeguarding federally protected wild horses and burros across the United States.The Wild Horse Caucus will serve as a bipartisan forum to advance humane, science-based solutions for managing wild horses and burros. According to its mission statement, the caucus “exists to support, protect, and preserve wild horses and burros in their natural habitat across the United States,” and will focus on “strategic collaboration to develop ideas to humanely and effectively manage wild horse and burro populations.”“Nevada is home to more than 30,000 wild horses and burros—more than half of all the wild horses and burros in the United States,” Titus said. “These icons of the American West deserve to be treated humanely, and the bipartisan Wild Horse Caucus can lay the groundwork for better management of these herds by the Bureau of Land Management.”"Wild horses and burros embody the spirit and heritage of the West and deserve to be protected and treated humanely," said Ciscomani. "For too long, these animals have been subject to cruel and costly roundups that, at best, remove them from their natural habitat to be housed in warehouses, and at worse, result in the death of the animal. Caring for wild horses and burros is not a partisan issue, which is why I am proud to be named as co-chair of the bipartisan Congressional Wild Horse Caucus to promote humane policies, such as fertility control and habitat preservation, to manage and care for these iconic animals.""Growing up, I had the blessing of spending much time on several ranches and farms in Arizona,” Schweikert said. “These experiences have led me to serve as an advocate for humane treatment and protection of these majestic species. I'm looking forward to the conservation initiatives that will come out of the formation of this caucus.”“I’m proud to be a co-chairman of the bipartisan Wild Horse Caucus and to work to protect these iconic symbols of our country,” Cohen added. “Wild horses and burros are part of our national heritage. How we treat animals is a direct reflection of who we are, and I hold firm in the belief that all beings should be treated humanely.”The Animal Welfare Institute (AWI) and American Wild Horse Conservation (AWHC) applaud the formation of the caucus and the bipartisan leadership behind it.“Protecting America’s wild horses and burros has always been a bipartisan issue, in large part because these iconic animals hold an important place in our country’s history and because, for countless Americans, they continue to embody the spirit of freedom and resilience,” said Joanna Grossman, Ph.D., AWI’s equine program director and senior policy advisor. “We are grateful to Representatives Titus, Ciscomani, Schweikert, and Cohen for their outstanding leadership on this issue. The Congressional Wild Horse Caucus will help ensure these beloved animals will be protected for generations to come.”“This is an important step toward reforming a broken system,” said Suzanne Roy, executive director of AWHC. “For too long, federal wild horse policy has relied on costly and inhumane roundups that remove animals from the range, only to warehouse them in holding facilities. We commend the leaders of the Wild Horse Caucus for recognizing that there’s a better way to manage our wild herds that is rooted in humane treatment, science, and fiscal responsibility.”The launch of the caucus comes amid growing public concern over the Bureau of Land Management’s mass helicopter roundups and the record number of wild horses and burros—more than 65,000—confined in government holding facilities. Last fiscal year alone, this roundup and removal program cost taxpayers over $109 million.Last week, Reps. Vern Buchanan, Schweikert, Ciscomani, and Brian Fitzpatrick sent a letter to Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum calling for the increased use of humane fertility control methods over mass helicopter roundups and removals.The caucus aims to champion solutions such as humane fertility control and habitat preservation, which offer sustainable alternatives to roundups and removals. It is expected to play a vital role in shaping future federal policy to ensure that America’s wild horses and burros remain wild, free, and part of the nation’s natural heritage. Media Contact Information Marjorie Fishman, Animal Welfare Institutemargie@awionline.org, (202) 446-2128Amelia Perrin, American Wild Horse Conservationamelia@americanwildhorse.org, (919) 619-4913 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.American Wild Horse Conservation (AWHC) is the nation’s leading nonprofit wild horse conservation organization, with more than 700,000 supporters and followers nationwide. AWHC is dedicated to preserving the American wild horse and burros in viable, free-roaming herds for generations to come, as part of our national heritage. In addition to advocating for the protection and preservation of America’s wild herds, AWHC implements the largest wild horse fertility control program in the world through a partnership with the State of Nevada for wild horses that live in the Virginia Range near Reno.

Captive Primate Safety Act Would End the Cruel and Dangerous Primate Pet Trade Niki Tue, 05/06/2025 - 06:24 Photo by HollanderX2 May 6, 2025 Washington, DC—The Animal Welfare Institute (AWI) applauds yesterday’s reintroduction of the Captive Primate Safety Act (CPSA), which would end the cruel and dangerous pet primate trade in the United States. Nonhuman primates, including chimpanzees, capuchins, and lemurs, suffer enormously when kept as pets. They can also injure or spread disease to the people around them.Sponsored by Reps. Mike Quigley (D-IL), Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA), Julia Brownley (D-CA), and Nancy Mace (R-SC), and Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), this bill would ban the private possession of nonhuman primates. The prohibition is narrowly focused on pet primates and exempts zoos, research labs, sanctuaries, and universities. Current owners would be grandfathered in and simply be required to register their animals.“Primates are wild animals, not pets or playthings” said Susan Millward, AWI’s CEO and executive director. “Primates have natural instincts that can make them aggressive and unpredictable toward humans, and nobody wins when they’re kept inside a home. These animals suffer permanent physical and mental trauma when they are mutilated, isolated, caged, and malnourished. The Captive Primate Safety Act would protect primates from a lifetime of cruelty.”“Chimp Crazy,” the four-part docuseries that premiered last year on HBO Max, highlighted some of the heart-wrenching stories of chimpanzees caught up in the pet trade. Even the most well-meaning owner cannot provide the special care, housing, diet, socialization, and maintenance that these animals require. Many captive primates spend their entire lives in relative isolation, compared to living in the wild in large social groups. They experience physical and psychological suffering when confronted with unrealistic expectations that they will behave like perfectly trained pets or even “little humans.”Breeders generally sell primates as cute infants on the internet or through out-of-state dealers and auctions without disclosing that these baby animals have been forcibly removed from their mothers, often at only a few days old. As these animals reach sexual maturity, they become larger and more aggressive. They pose a serious threat to the people around them, as evidenced by the hundreds of reported injuries nationwide over the last few decades. Captive primates have mauled neighbors, turned on their owners, and endangered local police officers and emergency personnel, who must expend countless hours and resources responding to escapes, attacks, and cruelty cases.Primates pose a significant threat to public health because they can carry life-threatening diseases that are communicable to humans, including Ebola, tuberculosis, and the Herpes B virus.The pet primate trade also contributes to the illegal international wildlife trade. Demand for primates in the United States can incentivize the capture and trafficking of animals from the wild—many of them threatened or endangered species. Primates are smuggled into the United States to meet the demand, with trafficked animals suffering immensely and often dying along the way. While some primates are detected and confiscated at the border, there is no way to know how many more slip through and are sold as pets.“Monkeys and apes belong in the wild—not in living rooms. This bill will ban private possession of these animals, ensuring that we are safe and primates are able to live freely,” said Quigley, co-chair of the Congressional Animal Protection Caucus. “As the lead sponsor of the 2022 Big Cat Public Safety Act, I’m proud to sponsor the Captive Primate Safety Act to advance the same protections for primates.” 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 Supports Phasing Out Animal Use in Research and Testing, but Proper Planning is Essential to Protect Animals and Science Niki Thu, 05/01/2025 - 14:20 Photo by Te Protejo / We Animals May 1, 2025 Washington, DC—Last month, both the National Institutes of Health and the US Food and Drug Administration announced plans to phase out the use of animals in scientific research. The Animal Welfare Institute (AWI) strongly supports transitioning away from experiments on animals to cutting-edge non-animal models, but proper planning is essential to ensure the best outcomes for animals and science.Moreover, AWI is deeply concerned about the Trump administration’s recent moves to gut funding for scientific research more broadly.“Drastic, sudden, and arbitrary cuts to scientific research, coupled with federal workforce layoffs, are harmful to animals, people, and science,” said Dr. Joanna Makowska, director of AWI’s Animals in Laboratories Program. “In the short term, broad cuts to research on animals without allocating funding for rehoming eligible animals used in experimentation will result in compromised welfare or mass euthanasia for the millions of animals currently housed in laboratories. In the long run, research using animals will be reduced, but so will research on public health, medicine, and species and ecosystem conservation, which will affect an untold number of people and animals. This administration is taking a wrecking ball to science.”Earlier this week, the NIH announced a new initiative to “prioritize human-based research technologies” and “reduce [the] use of animals in NIH-funded research.” While the agency provided no comprehensive roadmap for achieving its goals, it did announce plans for a new Office of Research Innovation, Validation, and Application to coordinate agencywide efforts and expand infrastructure for non-animal research approaches.This initiative will face an uphill battle and additional funding for non-animal alternatives will be critical. Nevertheless, the administration appears to be working at cross purposes. Its recent decision to freeze more than $2.2 billion in federal funds to Harvard University, for instance, also affects Harvard’s Wyss Institute, which has pioneered the most promising non-animal research alternative: organ-on-a-chip technology.Most NIH-funded studies involve “basic” research, studies of an exploratory nature meant to advance general scientific knowledge or uncover the progression of disease, among other objectives. Unfortunately, non-animal models are still in the early phases of development for this type of research.Animal testing, by contrast, involves testing drugs or products to ensure their safety before they are used on humans. Non-animal methodologies are much more readily able to replace animals for regulatory testing requirements, such as those overseen by the FDA. On April 10, the FDA announced detailed plans to phase out its animal testing requirement for certain drug safety studies.The FDA’s roadmap, unlike the scant information provided by the NIH, outlines a six-prong approach to reduce toxicity testing in animals over the next three years and details six scientific and technical steps for the agency to adopt non-animal research models. AWI applauds the attention to detail evident in the FDA’s announcement and will closely follow how these plans move forward, given mass funding cuts at the agency.Importantly, neither the NIH nor the FDA have announced plans to retire existing laboratory animals. AWI urges the administration to allocate sufficient resources to guarantee humane outcomes for these animals while developing and advancing alternatives to their use. 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.

As Iceland Calls Off Fin Whale Slaughter, Japan and Norway Launch Cruel, Unsustainable Whale Hunting Seasons Niki Fri, 04/25/2025 - 15:38 Photo by iStock April 25, 2025 Washington, DC—Japan and Norway resumed slaughtering whales this month, while Iceland’s only fin whaling company has decided that it will not hunt this summer, citing a declining demand for whale meat products in Japan.Japan killed the first fin whale of the 2025 season today, after launching its whaling season on April 1. Kyodo Senpaku, Japan’s only factory ship whaling company, is expected to kill up to 56 sei whales, 153 Bryde’s whales and 60 fin whales (a threatened species that is the second largest animal on the planet). In addition, five small coastal whaling boats will kill up to 144 minke whales.Norway also launched its whaling season on April 1; two days later, the first minke whale was killed by Reinebuen, a ship linked to Lofothval, a company partly owned by Icelandic whaler Kristján Loftsson. Although Norway’s quota allows up to 1,406 minke whales to be killed by 14 registered whaling vessels this season, fewer are expected to be taken due to plummeting demand for whale meat in Norway. A 2024 analysis revealed the presence of contaminants in Norwegian whale meat that can lead to a range of harmful effects and health issues, including developmental problems, endocrine dysfunction, cancer, and kidney disease.Iceland was scheduled to begin its fin whaling season in June, with as many as 209 fin whales permitted to be killed in 2025. Earlier this month, however, Loftsson announced that for the second consecutive year, his company, Hvalur hf., will not hunt fin whales due to global economic conditions that make it unprofitable. Meanwhile, a smaller Icelandic company, Tjaldtangi ehf., is still poised to hunt up to 217 minke whales. If it proceeds, it will be the first time that minke whaling has occurred in Icelandic waters since 2021.Norway, Japan, and Iceland are the only countries that still permit commercial whaling in defiance of a four-decades-long ban implemented by the IWC. The Animal Welfare Institute (AWI) has long condemned commercial whaling as inherently cruel, unsustainable, and impossible to regulate, and continues to call for an end to the unprofitable and unnecessary whaling industry.“The whaling industrial complex is a sinking ship,” said Sue Fisher, senior policy advisor for AWI’s Marine Wildlife Program. “Although the government of Japan is prepared, for now, to continue propping up its own whalers, it no longer appears willing to also keep Iceland’s whaling industry afloat by subsidizing Kyodo Senpaku's purchase of Hvalur's meat.”“Hvalur had been hoping that its recent marketing efforts in Japan would boost consumer interest there, making it worthwhile for the company to go whaling this year,” Fisher added. “But Kyodo Senpaku simply cannot afford to buy Icelandic whale meat without financial support from Japan’s government.”In Japan and Norway, the market for whale meat is so low that stockpiles of unwanted whale meat have been repurposed for pet food. Whalers in Norway have even resorted to removing only the most valuable cuts of meat from carcasses and discarding the rest at sea.Yet taxpayers in these countries continue to bankroll government-sponsored marketing efforts to encourage whale meat consumption through whale burgers and tacos, whale meat vending machines, and a distribution system to make these products available in both local markets and national supermarket chains. 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.

Trump Administration Seeks to Slash Habitat Protections for Endangered Wildlife aalberg Thu, 04/17/2025 - 17:59 April 17, 2025 Washington, DC—Today the US Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) and the National Marine Fisheries Service (the Services) issued a proposed rule that would undermine protections for habitat that threatened and endangered species need to survive by rescinding the agency’s decades-old definition of “harm.” This would make protecting and recovering imperiled wildlife far more difficult, diminishing the effectiveness of the Endangered Species Act (ESA).One of the ESA’s primary protective measures is a prohibition on the “take” of species listed as threatened or endangered under the law. “Take” means to harass, harm, pursue, hunt, shoot, wound, kill, trap, capture, or collect such animals.Since 1975, the Services have defined “harm” in this context to include killing or injuring wildlife by significantly modifying or degrading habitat. Thirty years ago, in Babbitt v. Sweet Home, the US Supreme Court upheld this definition, finding it to be in accordance with the standard dictionary definition of the word, the broad purpose of the ESA, and the ESA permitting system enacted in the 1980s. “This definition of “harm” recognizes that wild animals cannot survive if the habitat they rely on for food, shelter, and raising young is obliterated,” said Johanna Hamburger, director and senior attorney of AWI’s Terrestrial Wildlife Program. “Under the proposed rule, destroying trees that birds need for nesting and rearing chicks, filling in wetlands that fish depend on for spawning, and paving over grasslands that reptiles require for foraging would no longer be prohibited.”Habitat loss due to destruction, fragmentation, and degradation is the leading cause of wildlife population declines. With more than 1 million species globally at risk of extinction in the next few decades, including 27 percent of the world’s mammals, 41 percent of amphibians, 21 percent of reptiles, and 37 percent of sharks and rays, protecting habitat is vital to stemming the tide of extinction. Media Contact Information Kim Meneo, Animal Welfare Institutekim@awionline.org, (202) 446-2116 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.

Department of Interior Weakens Migratory Bird Protections Niki Wed, 04/16/2025 - 08:24 Photo by Koji Hirano April 16, 2025 Washington, DC—Late last week, the Department of the Interior reissued a legal opinion that weakens the Migratory Bird Treaty Act (MBTA) by no longer penalizing individuals and corporations for the incidental killing of birds protected under the law. This reinterpretation reverses a decades-long interpretation that the MBTA prohibits both intentional take and incidental killing stemming from an otherwise lawful activity.Interior reissued this opinion in response to an executive order President Trump signed on his first day in office, directing agencies to suspend certain actions that impact energy development. This opinion was originally issued in 2017 during the first Trump administration. A federal court ruled this policy to be illegal, and it was subsequently rescinded by the Biden administration.The 1918 MBTA protects over 1,100 species of birds and their eggs from “take” (including killing, capturing, selling, trading, and transport) without a permit. Narrowing the MBTA’s scope to prohibit only intentional—not incidental—take is a drastic change in interpretation designed to shield the oil and gas industry and electric utilities from liability for the millions of birds their activities kill each year. Birds die from colliding with these operations’ buildings and infrastructure, being electrocuted by power lines, and being poisoned by oil spills and chemical holding ponds, among other hazards. These industries will now be allowed to forego reasonable and cost-effective precautions to avoid deaths.“The prohibition on incidental take is a critical aspect of the MBTA and has been enforced for decades to address birds’ deaths from routine industry operations, as well as major environmental disasters such as the Deepwater Horizon and Exxon Valdez oil spills,” said Johanna Hamburger, director and senior attorney of AWI’s Terrestrial Wildlife Program. “This policy removes the incentive for companies to adopt commonsense strategies to reduce threats that their operations pose to birds, and it will likely once again cause the deaths of millions of additional birds in the coming years.”This loss of protections comes at an already perilous time for birds. A 2019 study found that there are 3 billion fewer birds in North America today compared to 1970, largely due to habitat loss, climate change, pesticides, and other human-caused factors. Birds play an important role in ecosystems, and scientists cite an urgent need to address threats to birds to prevent population collapse and the associated loss of ecosystem integrity, function, and services.AWI consistently opposed moves to weaken the MBTA during the first Trump administration, and we will continue to do all we can to protect migratory birds from this unlawful policy change. We encourage you to take action to help birds, as well, by improving habitat, stopping window strikes, and adopting other practices around your home to protect our feathered friends. Media Contact Information Kim Meneo, Animal Welfare Institutekim@awionline.org, (202) 446-2116 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.