Improving Humane Slaughter of Livestock under the Humane Methods of Slaughter Act
In early 2008, multiple instances of egregious cruelty to cattle at the Westland-Hallmark Meat Packing Co. in Chino, California, caught on videotape by animal protection advocates, resulted in widespread public outrage and eventually led to...
Increasing Transparency in Food Labeling
In 2014, AWI petitioned the USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) to amend labeling regulations under the Federal Meat Inspection Act (FMIA) and the Poultry Products Inspection Act (PPIA) to require independent third-party certification...
Protection of Canada Lynx
The Animal Welfare Institute and its co-plaintiffs brought claims against the US Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) for allowing trappers in Maine to seriously injure and kill Canada lynx ( Lynx canadensis ), a federally...
Protection of California Wildlife
In November 2014, the Animal Welfare Institute and its co-plaintiffs brought claims against Mendocino County, California, for violating the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). The lawsuit alleged that Mendocino County failed to conduct legally required...
Protection of Long Island White-Tailed Deer
The Animal Welfare Institute and its co-plaintiffs brought this suit under Article 78 of the Civil Practice Law and Rules in an attempt to enjoin the town of Southold from giving up to $25,000 to...
Protection of Ocelots
In May 2016, the Animal Welfare Institute and the Center for Biological Diversity filed a notice of intent to sue the US Department of Agriculture’s Wildlife Services program over the government’s failure to ensure that...
Protection of Beluga Whales
In June 2012, Georgia Aquarium, Inc., submitted an application to the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) for a Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA) permit to import wild-caught beluga whales, which would be divided up among...
Protection of Marine Mammals (HSTT)
AWI and its co-plaintiffs brought claims against the National Marine Fisheries Service and the US Navy over its five-year plan for testing and training activities in the Hawaii-Southern California Training and Testing (HSTT) Study Area....
Protection of Horses
The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) promulgated an Interim Final Rule regarding a horse slaughter inspection system. Specifically, the USDA had created a "fee for service" inspection system designed to facilitate the continued transport...
Protection of Wild Foxes and Coyotes
The Animal Welfare Institute and its co-plaintiffs have brought suit against the Indiana Department of Natural Resources over the Department’s decision to waive state permit requirements for a coyote and fox penning facility.