Press Releases

Washington, DC—Citing a pattern of chronic Animal Welfare Act (AWA) violations, an administrative law judge on Friday permanently revoked the dealer license of Dan Moulton, owner of Moulton Chinchilla Ranch (MCR), one of the nation’s...

Washington, DC—In honor of National Domestic Violence Awareness Month, the Animal Welfare Institute (AWI) released new research today that ranks states according to the number of safe havens available per capita.

Washington, DC—The Animal Welfare Institute (AWI) welcomes Friday’s reintroduction in the US House of Representatives of the Prevent All Soring Tactics (PAST) Act to combat the inhumane practice of “soring,” whereby individuals intentionally inflict pain...

Washington, DC—Conservationists and wildlife trade experts from nongovernmental organizations across the globe are calling for a halt to Namibia’s controversial capture and export of wild elephant family groups, including a unique, desert-adapted elephant population that...

Oslo, Norway—Norwegian whalers killed the highest number of minke whales this season in five years, despite dwindling public appetite for whale meat.

Washington, DC—The Animal Welfare Institute (AWI) is disappointed by a judge’s recent decision to recommend that a federal agency issue a waiver allowing the Makah Tribe to hunt gray whales.

Washington, DC—Today, a bipartisan group of federal lawmakers reintroduced legislation to permanently ban horse slaughter in the United States and end the current export of American horses for slaughter.

Washington, DC—From shuttling India’s street dogs to veterinary offices to writing a children’s book about how plastic pollution harms marine life, the winners of the 2021 “A Voice for Animals” contest show they not only...

Montreal, Canada—Mexico must respond to allegations that the government failed to enforce protections for the critically endangered vaquita porpoise, according to a decision by the Commission for Environmental Cooperation, an environmental review body under the...

Washington, DC—Today, the Animal Welfare Institute and other conservation groups petitioned the National Marine Fisheries Service to list the Atlantic humpback dolphin under the US Endangered Species Act (ESA). Atlantic humpback dolphin populations are in...

Washington, DC—Conservation groups petitioned the Commission on Environmental Cooperation (CEC) today to investigate Mexico’s failure to enforce its fishing and trade laws. Mexico’s enforcement failures violate the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) and if continued will...

Washington, DC—A bill introduced Friday by Rep. Peter DeFazio (D-Ore.) seeks to ban the use of wildlife-killing M-44 devices, commonly known as “cyanide bombs,” on federal public lands. These deadly devices—spring-loaded capsules armed with cyanide...

Washington, DC—The Animal Welfare Institute (AWI) commends House Judiciary Chairman Jerrold Nadler (D-NY) and Congressional Animal Protection Caucus Co-Chair Earl Blumenauer (D-OR) for reintroducing the Refuge from Cruel Trapping Act today. This bill would prohibit...

La Paz, Mexico—Mexico announced this week that it will ease fishing enforcement in the vaquita’s core Upper Gulf of California habitat at a time when only 10 of these tiny porpoises remain on Earth. The...

Billings, MT—The Global Indigenous Council today released “FAMILY,” a short film highlighting the deep cultural connection Indigenous nations share with wolves and the major threats currently facing imperiled wolves in the lower 48 states. The...

The International Whaling Commission (IWC) was founded to regulate whaling. Today, it increasingly focuses on the value of live whales for planetary health. A new workshop report confirms the great ecological value of whales to...

Washington, DC—The Animal Welfare Institute (AWI) and the American Wild Horse Campaign (AWHC) commend the US House Appropriations committee for advancing bipartisan language today that would require the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) to implement...

Washington, DC—The Animal Welfare Institute (AWI) applauds the US House of Representatives for passing the Horse Transportation Safety Act (HTSA) today as part of a massive infrastructure bill. The HTSA would ban the use of...

Washington, DC—The US House of Representatives yesterday passed the Carter-Fitzpatrick Amendment to the INVEST in America Act, which would ban the slaughter of American equines. Led by Reps. Troy Carter (D-LA), Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA), Steve...

Washington, DC—The Animal Welfare Institute (AWI) endorses Thursday’s reintroduction in the Senate of the Prevent All Soring Tactics (PAST) Act (S. 2295) to combat the inhumane practice of “soring,” whereby individuals intentionally inflict pain on...