Maryland to Become Eighth State to Ban Cruel Wildlife Killing Contests
Friday, April 09, 2021
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...
AWI Scholarships Support Young Humanitarians
Thursday, April 01, 2021
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...
Global Leaders Urged to Sanction Mexico to Save Critically Endangered Porpoises
Thursday, April 01, 2021
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...
AWI Celebrates Confirmation of Haaland as Secretary of the Interior
Monday, March 15, 2021
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...
Norway Continues Whale Slaughter with 2021 Hunting Quota
Tuesday, February 23, 2021
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...
FTC Challenge: Boar’s Head “Humanely Raised” Labels Deceive Consumers
Tuesday, February 23, 2021
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...
Wild Horse Advocacy Groups Urge Haaland to Promote Safe Management Methods
Monday, February 22, 2021
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...
House Revives Legislation Banning Unsafe Horse Transport
Tuesday, February 09, 2021
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...
House Renews Effort to Protect Children and Animals from Abuse
Wednesday, February 03, 2021
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.
Court Rules for Rare Wild Red Wolves against USFWS
Monday, January 25, 2021
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 and successful...
AWI Applauds Reintroduction of Big Cat Public Safety Act
Monday, January 11, 2021
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 gained...
Fish and Wildlife Service Weakens Migratory Bird Protections
Thursday, January 07, 2021
Today, the US Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) published a new regulation that weakens the Migratory Bird Treaty Act (MBTA) by no longer penalizing individuals and corporations for the “incidental” killing of birds protected under...
Ohio Governor Signs Bill Requiring Cross-Reporting of Animal and Child Abuse
Wednesday, January 06, 2021
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 abused...
AWI Welcomes Swift Reintroduction of Legislation to Curb Wildlife-Human Disease Transmission
Monday, January 04, 2021
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.
Omnibus Spending for Fiscal Year 2021 Includes Gains for Animals
Wednesday, December 30, 2020
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 some...
Congress Passes Historic Legislation to Protect Racehorses
Tuesday, December 22, 2020
The Animal Welfare Institute (AWI) applauds the passage of the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act (H.R. 1754/S. 4547) late Monday. This bill, approved by Congress as part of the fiscal year 2021 omnibus spending package...
Report: Tokay Gecko Among 10 Species Threatened by Wildlife and Plant Trade
Friday, December 18, 2020
Wildlife trafficking and the unsustainable wildlife and plant trade is a multibillion-dollar industry and a major threat to species in the United States and worldwide, according to a new report released today that highlights 10...
In Waning Days, Trump Administration Releases Another Rule Undermining ESA
Thursday, December 17, 2020
Only two days after finalizing a rule undermining the protection of critical habitat under the Endangered Species Act (ESA), the US Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) has published another final rule further weakening implementation of...
Trump Administration Finalizes New Rule that Weakens Endangered Species Act
Tuesday, December 15, 2020
Tomorrow, the Trump administration is slated to finalize a rule that further erodes the Endangered Species Act (ESA), one of the nation’s most effective and most popular laws. Under the new rule, the administration has...
1.6+ Million Farm Animals Died in Barn Fires in 2020
Tuesday, December 15, 2020
More than 1.6 million farm animals, including nearly 1.3 million cage-free hens, have perished in potentially preventable barn fires so far this year, according to an Animal Welfare Institute (AWI) analysis of media reports released...