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Latest News
Bill to Protect Animals from Cruel Traps, Reform USDA's Wildlife Services Program
Thursday, September 08, 2016
The Animal Welfare Institute (AWI) welcomes the introduction of a new federal bill—spearheaded by Rep. Earl Blumenauer (D-OR)—that would restrict the use of body-gripping traps on public lands administered by the US Departments of Agriculture...
Global Experts Denounce Japan's "Scientific" Whaling Program
Wednesday, September 07, 2016
The World Conservation Congress today formally adopted a motion against Japan’s research whaling program, which is used as a front to kill whales for commercial sale. The motion calls on Japan to stop issuing “special...
New Report Reveals US Lags Behind Other Countries in Restricting Use of Cruel Traps
Thursday, September 01, 2016
Steel-jaw leghold traps, widely criticized for being indiscriminate and inhumane, are presently prohibited or significantly restricted in the majority of countries around the world. According to research released today by the Library of Congress...
California Legislature Approves Historic Legislation to End Orca Captivity
Friday, August 26, 2016
Washington, DC—The California legislature today sent historic legislation to Governor Jerry Brown that would prohibit the breeding and theatrical performance of captive orcas in California, as well as their export, consistent with federal law, out...
Animal Welfare Institute Announces 2016 Christine Stevens Wildlife Award Winners
Tuesday, August 23, 2016
Washington, DC—The Animal Welfare Institute (AWI) announced today the winners of its Christine Stevens Wildlife Award . Established in 2006, the Christine Stevens Wildlife Award provides grants of up to $10,000 to help fund studies...
Statement in Response to US/Mexico's Renewed Commitment to Imperiled Vaquita
Friday, July 22, 2016
Animal Welfare Institute, Center for Biological Diversity, and the Natural Resources Defense Council make the following statement regarding President Obama and President Enrique Pena Nieto of Mexico’s commitments on the imperiled vaquita, announced today http://bit.ly/2a6uP2R
Rebuttal to Georgia Aquarium's Beluga Import Project Media Kit, Released on June 22, 2016
Wednesday, July 20, 2016
On June 22, 2016, Georgia Aquarium announced that it will no longer acquire any cetaceans (whales, dolphins, and porpoises) for its exhibits from the wild. Along with this announcement, Georgia Aquarium released a media kit...
UN World Heritage Committee to Mexico: Save Vanishing Porpoise or Risk 'In Danger' Status for Gulf of California World Heritage Site
Thursday, July 14, 2016
At its 40th session this week, the United Nation’s World Heritage Committee (Committee) directed Mexico to take immediate action to save the imperiled vaquita porpoise, or risk “in danger” status for its “Islands and Protected...
Half a Million People Urge US Fish and Wildlife Service Not to Abandon Red Wolves
Wednesday, July 13, 2016
A petition including nearly half a million signatures was delivered to the US Fish and Wildlife Service today, urging the agency to fulfill its legal duty under the Endangered Species Act to recover the critically...
Groups Demand More Aggressive Action From Mexico to Save Vanishing Vaquita Porpoise
Thursday, July 07, 2016
Conservationists rallied outside the Mexican Embassy today to highlight the plight of the vaquita marina, the world’s smallest and most endangered porpoise, found only in Mexico’s Gulf of California. The species population has declined more...
Coalition, 120,000+ Supporters Band Together to Improve the Certified Organic Label
Wednesday, July 06, 2016
A coalition of animal, environmental, and consumer protection organizations submitted a joint comment today to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) on its proposed rule to amend animal welfare requirements under the Certified Organic label...
AWI Applauds Public Safety and Wildlife Protection Act Introduction
Monday, June 27, 2016
Representatives Alma Adams (D-NC) and Nita Lowey (D-NY) have introduced the Public Safety and Wildlife Protection Act (H.R. 5560), a bill that would curtail the use of steel-jaw leghold traps and Conibear (also known as...
Court Asked to Stop US Fish & Wildlife Service from Capturing, Killing Wild Red Wolves
Tuesday, June 21, 2016
Conservation groups late yesterday asked the US District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina to stop the US Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) from capturing and killing—and authorizing private landowners to capture and...
New Report Details Norway's Efforts to Promote Whaling
Monday, June 13, 2016
Norway is now the world’s leading whaling nation, killing more whales in the past two years than Japan and Iceland combined. A new report released today calls on the international community to respond to Norway’s...
AWI Statement in Response to False Online Petitions
Wednesday, June 08, 2016
Over the past few months, the Animal Welfare Institute (AWI) has been the target of several online petitions, circulated on Change.org and spread through social media networks, which falsely claim AWI supports the cruel killing...
Lawsuit Challenges Monterey County's Contract with Federal Wildlife-Killing Program
Wednesday, June 01, 2016
Animal protection and conservation organizations filed a lawsuit today challenging Monterey County’s contract renewal with the US Department of Agriculture’s Wildlife Services—a notorious federal wildlife-killing program that has killed more than 3,000 coyotes, bobcats, mountain...
Groups File Notice of Intent to Sue to Protect Ocelots from Controversial Wildlife-Killing Agency
Thursday, May 26, 2016
The Center for Biological Diversity and the Animal Welfare Institute today filed a notice of intent to sue the US Department of Agriculture to ensure that endangered ocelots aren’t inadvertently killed as part of its...
Emergency Petition Filed to Save Plummeting Red Wolf Population
Tuesday, May 24, 2016
Conservation groups submitted an emergency petition today calling on the US Fish and Wildlife Service to take immediate steps to bolster flagging protections for the world’s only wild population of red wolves—which has declined by...
Santa Cruz Biotechnology Agrees to $3.5M Fine, License Revocation
Friday, May 20, 2016
The Animal Welfare Institute (AWI) lauds the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) for reaching a settlement agreement in its multiple cases against Santa Cruz Biotechnology, Inc. (SCBT)—one of the world’s largest research antibody suppliers—resulting in...
Senate Appropriations Committee Votes to Block Horse Slaughter for Another Year
Thursday, May 19, 2016
Today, the Senate Appropriations Committee voice voted in favor of an amendment to the FY17 Agriculture Appropriations bill to prohibit the USDA from spending any funds to inspect horse slaughter facilities. The committee has approved...