Press Releases

Washington, DC—The Animal Welfare Institute (AWI) endorses today’s reintroduction in Congress of the Captive Primate Safety Act (CPSA), which would end the cruel and dangerous pet primate trade in the United States. Nonhuman primates are...

Washington, DC—Today on Earth Day, Representatives Gregorio Kilili Camacho Sablan (I-MP) and Michael McCaul (R-TX) reintroduced the Shark Fin Sales Elimination Act. The bill, which is endorsed by the Animal Welfare Institute (AWI), would prohibit...

Washington, DC—Conservation groups filed a petition today urging the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) to ban the import and sale of threatened Banggai cardinalfish from Indonesia. The Banggai cardinalfish—a coral reef inhabitant noted for its...

Washington, DC—The Animal Welfare Institute commends today’s reintroduction of the Big Cat Public Safety Act in the US Senate. Championed by Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Susan Collins (R-ME), Tom Carper (D-DE), and Richard Burr (R-NC)...

Washington, DC—NOAH, Norway’s largest NGO for animals, the Animal Welfare Institute (AWI), and WDC (Whale and Dolphin Conservation) are urging Mattilsynet, the Norwegian Food Safety Authority, to revoke its approval of a potentially cruel and...

Washington, DC—The Animal Welfare Institute (AWI) and Project Coyote commend the Maryland legislature for passing a bill today banning wildlife killing contests that target foxes, coyotes, and raccoons. Once the bill is signed by Gov...

Washington, DC—The Animal Welfare Institute (AWI) announced today the 13 winners of a scholarship designed to support high school seniors who are pursuing post-secondary education to better the lives of animals. In its second year...

Washington, DC—In a series of letters delivered today, conservation groups urged the United States and international authorities to use sanctions to pressure Mexico to save the vaquita, whose population has dwindled to just 10 remaining...

Washington, DC—The Animal Welfare Institute (AWI) applauds the Senate’s decision today to confirm U.S. Rep. Deb Haaland of New Mexico as Secretary of the Interior. Haaland, a member of the Pueblo of Laguna, is the...

Washington, DC—In defiance of a global moratorium on commercial whaling, Norway has again issued an annual kill quota of 1,278 minke whales for the 2021 whaling season. On Friday, Odd Emil Ingebrigtsen, Norway’s Minister of...

Washington, DC—The Animal Welfare Institute (AWI) challenged Boar’s Head today before the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) for using deceptive advertising practices in promoting its “humanely raised” chicken sausage and Simplicity All Natural turkey products. There...

Washington, DC—On the eve of U.S. Rep. Deb Haaland’s historic confirmation hearing for Secretary of the Interior, the Animal Welfare Institute (AWI), the American Wild Horse Campaign (AWHC), and several other leading wild horse advocacy...

Washington, DC—The Animal Welfare Institute (AWI) commends Representatives Steve Cohen (D-TN), Dina Titus (D-NV), and Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA) for reintroducing the Horse Transportation Safety Act (HTSA) on Monday. The HTSA, which has already attracted an...

Washington, DC—The Animal Welfare Institute (AWI) endorses the Child and Animal Abuse Detection and Reporting Act, reintroduced today by Representatives Ann McLane Kuster (D-NH) and John Katko (R-NY), along with 22 original cosponsors. This legislation...

Chapel Hill, NC—The US District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina ruled on Friday that the US Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) must develop a plan by March 1 to resume its longstanding...

Washington, DC—The Big Cat Public Safety Act, which passed the US House of Representatives by a strong bipartisan majority last month, was reintroduced today by Representatives Mike Quigley (D-IL) and Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA). This bill...

Update: On Feb. 9, the new leadership of the US Fish and Wildlife Service formally reopened public debate on a Trump-era regulation that weakens the Migratory Bird Treaty Act. Comments will be accepted until March...

Columbus, OH—Today, Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine signed into law HB 33, a bill to expand the cross-reporting of abuse of both animals and people. The legislation requires veterinarians, social service professionals, and counselors who encounter...

Washington, DC—Sunday, on the first day of the 117th Congress, the Preventing Future Pandemics Act was reintroduced in the House of Representatives to address the spillover of emerging infectious diseases from wildlife to humans. The...

Washington, DC—Thanks to the hard work of the many members of Congress who support animal welfare, the $1.4 trillion omnibus appropriations bill for fiscal year 2021, which was signed by the president on Sunday, includes...