Press Releases

Washington, DC —Today, 64 members of Congress sent a bipartisan letter to US Department of Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue and US Forest Service Chief Vicki Christiansen objecting to the Forest Service’s impending plan to sell...

Washington, DC —The Animal Welfare Institute (AWI) commends the US House of Representatives Natural Resources Committee for approving H.R. 1568, the SAVE Right Whales Act during their first committee markup of the 116th Congress. H.R....

Washington, DC —The Animal Welfare Institute (AWI) is grateful for today’s reintroduction of the Conserving Ecosystems by Ceasing the Importation of Large Animal Trophies Act (CECIL Act), named after the lion killed in 2015 by...

Washington, DC —The Animal Welfare Institute (AWI) is alarmed that the federal government has proposed allowing the Makah tribe of Washington to kill gray whales again. Yesterday, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration announced that...

Washington, DC —The Animal Welfare Institute (AWI) commends the 111 members of the US House of Representatives who recently signed a bipartisan letter in support of defunding federal inspections of horse slaughter facilities . Blocking...

Washington, DC –The Animal Welfare Institute commends today’s announcement by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Mathematics that the red wolf is a “distinct species.” As detailed in the National Academies’ report, “ Evaluating...

Washington, DC —The Animal Welfare Institute (AWI) strongly opposes President Trump’s nomination of former oil and gas lobbyist David Bernhardt to be the next secretary of the interior. Bernhardt spent years as a lobbyist on...

Washington, DC— Today, a group of prominent marine mammal biologists from across the globe, including Dr. Naomi Rose of the Animal Welfare Institute (AWI), sent a second letter requesting that Russia release the remaining 80+...

Washington, DC —The Animal Welfare Institute (AWI) is gratified to learn that the Bureau of Land Management has rescinded a controversial sales policy for wild horses and burros in the United States that could have...

Washington, DC —The Animal Welfare Institute (AWI) is dismayed to learn that 4,000 pigs perished Wednesday at Holden Farms in Naples, Wisconsin. While we are relieved that no humans were injured in this fire, the...

Washington, DC —The Animal Welfare Institute (AWI) supports the reintroduction of the Captive Primate Safety Act (CPSA), which addresses the cruel and dangerous problem of pet primate ownership in the United States. Sponsored by Reps....

La Jolla, CA — Scientists announced today that only 10 vaquita porpoises likely remain in the world and that the animal's extinction is virtually assured without bold and immediate action. The vaquita, the world's smallest...

Washington, DC —John Thompson, a seasoned public safety leader who has brought the hidden atrocity of animal cruelty to the forefront of law enforcement, was honored Thursday with the Albert Schweitzer Medal . This prestigious...

Washington, DC —The tide is turning in the West for captive marine mammals, yet live capture operations, traveling dolphin shows, polluted sea pens and needless deaths of animals continue to mar the captivity industry around...

Washington, DC —The Animal Welfare Institute (AWI) applauds Representatives Seth Moulton (D-MA) and John Rutherford (R-FL) for introducing the bipartisan Scientific Assistance for Very Endangered (SAVE) Right Whales Act. This legislation would provide sustained funding...

Washington, DC —The Animal Welfare Institute (AWI) condemns a proposed rule, announced today by the US Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), to eliminate Endangered Species Act (ESA) protections for gray wolves across the contiguous United...

Washington, DC —Today, the Animal Welfare Institute, Big Cat Rescue, Born Free USA, the International Fund for Animal Welfare, the Humane Society of the United States, Humane Society Legislative Fund and Performing Animal Welfare Society...

Washington, DC —The Animal Welfare Institute (AWI) strongly opposes Iceland’s decision Tuesday to establish a base whaling quota of 209 fin whales and 217 minke whales annually from 2019 to 2023. Due to this misguided...

Washington, DC —The Animal Welfare Institute (AWI) has confirmed from contacts on the ground that the last four remaining bottlenose dolphins at Dolphinaris Arizona were transferred out of the facility late last night. It is...

Burns, OR —Wild horse advocacy groups are hailing an announcement Friday by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) to officially abandon any plans to use mares rounded up from Oregon’s Warm Springs Herd Management Area...