It is the height of absurdity that, in 2023, animals continue to be born to be killed and skinned for a coat trim or a pom-pom on a hat. But we are heartened that with each year we see monumental progress toward our vision: a world in which not a single animal is killed just for fashion. The fight against the fur trade is at the heart of our humane movement and has been for decades. Every year that passes sees a heightened public awareness of the importance of this fight. In 2023, we’ve continued to put pressure on the industry, leading to a significant decline in fur production globally.

Some decades ago, when we first began our efforts to advance our animal protection campaigns outside the United States, I could only dream of the positive outcomes for animals we might witness in the broader world. Now, virtually every day, in country after country, we see the work unfold. We see our friends, colleagues and our partners in action—responding to animal-related emergencies, supporting humane street dog management programs, fighting the wildlife trade and working with food service providers to improve the welfare of farmed animals and promote plant-based options, to mention only a few priorities. 

At a time when bipartisanship can be unpredictable in politics, it’s particularly gratifying to recognize four lawmakers who have joined together to advance one of the most urgent animal protection measures in the Congress, the Shark Fin Sales Elimination Act. This week, we’re honoring Senate bill...

We always say that we cannot rescue our way out of the largest, toughest issues facing animals. That’s why we also work to change the system so that puppy and kitten mills are eradicated. As we were finishing writing this blog, a win came in from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 4th Circuit, which upheld Maryland’s statewide prohibition on the sale of dogs and cats in pet stores. The Humane Society of the United States filed an amicus brief in the case, supporting the state’s argument that the law is constitutional and its goals (stopping puppy mills, protecting consumers and reducing the burden on shelters) are legitimate. This decision is a major blow to the puppy mill industry.

Some threats facing animals can seem too gargantuan to fight. Those are precisely the issues we choose to pursue, and I am immensely proud of our commitment to exposing some of the cruelest practices facing animals all over the world. Canada’s commercial seal slaughter is one of these immense and...

Yesterday, we assisted federal and state law enforcement officers as they executed nearly two dozen search and seizure warrants at multiple properties in South Carolina in what is believed to be the biggest takedown of a suspected dogfighting network in the state’s history. When the day was over...

Update September 16, 2024: Last Friday, the U.S. Department of Justice announced that former Pentagon official Frederick Douglass Moorefield pleaded guilty to federal charges of conspiracy to engage in dogfighting and interstate travel in aid of racketeering. This case shows that dogfighting...

Disturbing as it was to learn last week that the British government is wavering on proposed bans on imports of fur and foie gras, it was heartening to see the reaction of a caring public outraged by this news and the firm resistance of politicians determined to see these animal protection laws...

COVID-19 has made the past year and a half challenging, difficult and painful for so many individuals and institutions across the world. The animal sheltering and rescue community is no exception. Last summer, as the pandemic worsened across the U.S., shelters responded by growing programs to keep...

It’s a gruesome topic that no one really likes to talk about but last week the methods for “depopulating”—killing—hundreds of thousands of pigs and chickens during a natural or manmade disaster, such as a pandemic like COVID-19, were front and center at a meeting of the American Veterinary Medical...

We’re fierce defenders of wildlife in the United States, and we made major strides on that front in 2018. We won major victories for grizzly bears and black bears, defeated attempts to remove federal protections for gray wolves, helped shine a spotlight on cruel wildlife killing contests, and...

During this past Election Day, which was filled with ups and downs for millions of Americans, we were watching closely for the results of Florida’s proposed Amendment 2. For months, we advocated strongly against the measure—and then it passed.

It’s no secret that puppy and kitten mills treat dog and cat mothers and fathers like moneymaking machines, bred over and over with little to no regard for their health or well-being. It is simply no way for a dog or cat to live. The suffering of these animal families is what drives us in our work...

The U.S. Department of Agriculture is one of the federal agencies with the most impact on animal protection issues. Who heads it can make all the difference to the wellbeing of millions of animals, including those in puppy mills, roadside zoos, factory farms, laboratories, horse show rings and in...

In a victory for wolves, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service recently denied two petitions filed by trophy hunting organizations aimed at removing federal Endangered Species Act protections for wolves in the Western Great Lakes region and reducing or removing protections for wolves in other areas of the lower 48 states.

The World Health Organization is calling on nations to end wildlife markets because of the high risk they pose for the spread of pathogens like the coronavirus that can jump from animals to humans. This week, David Nabarro, a medical doctor and the special envoy on COVID-19 and special...

Once again, we are seeing heartbreaking visuals from Yulin, China, in the run-up to the annual dog meat “festival” there this Sunday. A video recorded by Humane Society International’s partners on the ground shows rows and rows of dog carcasses lying on tables or being butchered with cleavers, all...