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Wednesday, July 21, 2010
House Overwhelmingly Approves Bill to Ban Animal Crush Videos
Washington, D.C. -- The Animal Welfare Institute commends the U.S. House of Representatives for its overwhelming bipartisan vote today - 416-3 - in favor of H.R. 5566, a bill to outlaw trafficking in “crush videos,” a particularly depraved product that depicts women in stilettos or their bare feet literally crushing, stomping on, or impaling small helpless animals to satisfy sadistic viewers with a bizarre sexual fetish.
Tuesday, July 13, 2010
Wild Horse Advocates Call for Suspension of All Summer Roundups, Full Transparency in Agency Operations
Washington, D.C. -- Philanthropist and businesswoman Madeleine Pickens was joined today by the ASPCA, the American Wild Horse Preservation Campaign, the Animal Welfare Institute and many other organizations expressing their outrage over the deaths of at least seven mustangs in a Bureau of Land Management (BLM) roundup conducted Saturday in the Owyhee Complex in northeastern Nevada.
Friday, July 2, 2010
BP Agrees to Measures to Prevent Burning of Endangered Sea Turtles
New Orleans, LA -- BP and the United States Coast Guard, defendants in a lawsuit filed by the Animal Welfare Institute (AWI) and other animal protection and conservation groups, agreed today to measures designed to prevent the burning of endangered sea turtles during efforts to remove oil from  the massive spill in the Gulf of Mexico. "We are pleased that BP and the Coast Guard have agreed to take a variety of actions to prevent the horrific burning alive of endangered sea turtles," says AWI President Cathy Liss.
Wednesday, June 30, 2010
The Animal Welfare Institute Files Suit Against BP for Burning Endangered Sea Turtles Alive
New Orleans, LA -- The Animal Welfare Institute (AWI) and other animal protection and conservation organizations have filed suit in federal court today against British Petroleum America, Inc., British Petroleum Exploration & Production and British Petroleum PLC ("BP") for burning critically endangered sea turtles in the Gulf of Mexico, in violation of the Endangered Species Act and other federal laws.
Monday, June 28, 2010
The Animal Welfare Institute Mourns the Passing of Senator Robert C. Byrd (D-WV)
Washington, D.C. -- The Animal Welfare Institute mourns the passing of Senator Robert C. Byrd (D-WV) and praises his long history of staunch support of animal protection legislation and the numerous impassioned speeches he delivered on the Senate floor on behalf of animals. From his forceful condemnation of dog fighting as brought to light by the case of Michael Vick, to his call for increased enforcement of humane slaughter laws, Senator Byrd was perhaps the most eloquent voice for animals in the U.S. Senate.
Thursday, June 24, 2010
Victory Declared for Wildlife in Florida
Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission votes UNANIMOUSLY for immediate ban on Coyote and Fox Penning Lake Mary, FL -- Project Coyote and the Animal Welfare Institute (AWI) declared a victory for wildlife, after the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) voted unanimously today to ban coyote and fox pens statewide. Penning involves sending packs of domestic dogs into a fenced-off enclosure to chase to exhaustion and often tear apart a captive coyote or fox.
Wednesday, June 23, 2010
Congress Moves to Restore Ban on Animal Crush Videos
  UPDATE: On June 23, 2010 the House Judiciary Committee unanimously approved H.R. 5566, Prevention of Interstate Commerce in Animal Crush Videos Act of 2010.  The bill now moves to the floor for consideration by the full House of Representatives. AWI will continue pushing for immediate action on this important legislation.    
Tuesday, June 8, 2010
Official Whaling Stats Expose the Danger of Lifting Commercial Whaling Ban
On-line resource illustrates success of ban in saving lives of hundreds of thousands of whales
Monday, May 24, 2010
Oklahoma Horse Trailer Accident Highlights the Need For Federal Legislative Action
Washington, D.C. -- The need for federal legislation ending the slaughter of and providing safer transportation for American horses came to the forefront again last Tuesday, as we witnessed another horrific accident involving an overturned cattle trailer carrying 30 horses.
Friday, May 14, 2010
Equine Welfare Advocates Convene for Homes for Horses Coalition Conference
Annual conference raises awareness for horse rescue and adoption Nashville, TN -- Equine welfare advocates from around the country gathered this week in Nashville to discuss horse rescue outreach at the fourth annual conference of the Homes for Horses Coalition. Sponsored by The Humane Society of the United States and the Animal Welfare Institute, the conference attracted more than 40 individuals representing 25 equine welfare organizations from 18 states.
Wednesday, May 12, 2010
Animal Welfare Institute Calls on Perdue to Remove Misleading 'Humanely Raised' and 'Raised Cage Free' Claims from Chicken Packaging
Washington, D.C. -- In a letter to Perdue CEO Jim Perdue released today, Animal Welfare Institute (AWI) President Cathy Liss demanded that the company end its use of a misleading label claiming that certain of its chicken products are 'Humanely Raised' and 'Raised Cage Free.' This February, Perdue introduced new product packaging bearing these claims for release in grocery stores.
Wednesday, May 12, 2010
100+ Environmental Groups Sign on to No Drilling Letter to US Senate
Washington, D.C. -- The devastation caused by the explosion and sinking of the BP oil rig in the Gulf of Mexico will likely unfold as the worst environmental disaster in US history. Though wildlife rescuers are hard at work, many animals are expected to die, including highly vulnerable species such as the brown pelican, manatee, Kemp’s ridley sea turtle, and bluefin tuna. Financial support for clean-up efforts is not needed at this time since BP is, rightly, covering all expenses related to this tragedy.
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