Animal Welfare Institute

AWI Recognizes Eight Wildlife Defenders with Prestigious Clark R. Bavin Wildlife Law Enforcement Award

The Animal Welfare Institute (AWI), in coordination with the Species Survival Network (SSN), today recognized eight ...
Animal Welfare Institute

2025 Clark R. Bavin Wildlife Law Enforcement Award Recipients

The winners of the 2025 Clark R. Bavin Wildlife Law Enforcement Award are: Anti-Smuggling Bureau of China Customs for continuing to strengthen its capacity to fight wildlife crime, including through ...
Animal Welfare Institute

Animal Protection Groups Call on USDA to Require Cameras Inside CO2 Stunning Areas of Pig Slaughter Plants

Washington, DC—Today, a coalition of animal protection groups submitted a rulemaking petition to the US Department of Agriculture to require pig slaughter plants to ...
Animal Welfare Institute

USDA Sued to Compel Humane Handling of Birds at Slaughter

Rochester, NY—Today, the Animal Welfare Institute (AWI) and Farm Sanctuary sued the US Department of Agriculture in federal court for failing to require humane handling of poultry at slaughter, ...
Animal Welfare Institute

Ejiao Act Reintroduced to Protect Donkeys from Dangerous Gelatin Trade

Washington, DC—US Rep. Don Beyer (D-VA) reintroduced the Ejiao Act Tuesday in the House of Representatives to ban the sale and trade of ejiao (donkey-hide gelatin) products in the United States. Ejiao ...
Animal Welfare Institute

SWIMS Act Reintroduced to Phase Out Public Display of Captive Whales

Washington, DC—The Animal Welfare Institute (AWI) applauds US Reps. Adam Schiff (D-CA), Jared Huffman (D-CA) and Suzan DelBene (D-WA), and US Sen. Ron Wyden (D-OR) for reintroducing the Strengthening ...
Animal Welfare Institute

President Trump’s Day-One Actions Will Decimate Wildlife Habitat

Washington, DC—On his first day in office, President Donald Trump signed multiple executive orders designed to advance policies that are disastrous to wildlife and their habitats. The orders expand ...
Animal Welfare Institute

House of Representatives Passes Funding Bill with Numerous Wins for Animals

Washington, DC—Animals saw important victories in a bill (H.R. 8294) passed yesterday by the House of Representatives to fund the US Department of the Interior, the US Department of Agriculture, and ...
Animal Welfare Institute

Japan’s Whale Meat Stockpiles Turned into Pet Food

Washington, DC—This year, as Japan struggles to recover from the economic slump caused by COVID-19, its government is spending more than 5 billion yen ($39 million) to support a whaling industry so ...
Animal Welfare Institute

The “Blackfish” Legacy: Captive Marine Mammal Industry Continues Decline

Washington, DC—A decade after the documentary “Blackfish” examined the ethics and consequences of keeping orcas in captivity, marine theme parks and aquariums that feature cetaceans are struggling to ...
Animal Welfare Institute

Ventilation Shutdown Used to “Depopulate” Farm Animals During Pandemic Causes Severe Suffering

Washington, DC—COVID-19 has shut down, at least temporarily, dozens of pig, chicken, and turkey slaughter plants in the United States, leaving millions of farm animals with nowhere to go. Some ...