Animal Welfare Institute

CO RESIDENTS: This Election Day, Coloradans will cast their vote on Amendment 83, a dangerous ballot measure that would enshrine the right to hunt, fish, and harvest using “traditional methods” in Colorado’s constitution.

“Traditional methods” include cruel methods like steel-jaw leghold traps, strangling snares, luring animals with bait and chasing them with hounds, and killing mother bears emerging from dens in the spring with cubs in tow.

A disastrous new Senate bill could cripple the Endangered Species Act’s capacity to prevent extinction. The bill guts evaluation of projects’ impacts, skews how scientific evidence is weighed, and hinders court review.

Election Day is November 3—just two weeks away! This year's midterm elections will impact animals and the environment we all share—and your voice matters.

For 75 years, AWI has worked to improve the lives of animals through science, advocacy, and lasting policy change. Our founder, Christine Stevens, had a defining role in passage of the 1966 Laboratory Animal Welfare Act—the first federal law regulating the treatment of animals used in research.

The New York City Council is set to pass Romanch’s Law on October 22—finally banning horse-drawn carriages in the city. AWI strongly supports this long-overdue bill and efforts to ensure that retiring carriage horses are safely rehomed.

You may know Denali as the star of AWI's newest children's book—but did you know she is also an ambassador for our Safe Havens for Pets project, which helps individuals who are experiencing domestic violence and/or homelessness with pets locate pet-friendly sheltering services?

Good news: The Save America’s Forgotten Equines (SAFE) Act has reached a record number of cosponsors in the US House! 🐎 This bipartisan bill would prohibit horse slaughter for human consumption in the US and outlaw the export of horses to be slaughtered for the same purpose.

Primates have complex social and emotional needs, yet US welfare standards continue to lag behind those in the UK and EU, leaving significant room for improvement in how these animals are treated in laboratories.

Thanks to everyone who joined us for the official launch of our new children’s book, “Denali’s New Life,” in Florida last weekend! Check out these happy smiles and meaningful moments from the event. 💜

OHIO RESIDENTS: Shockingly, animal sexual assault is still only a misdemeanor in 17 states—including Ohio, where multiple individuals have recently been investigated, charged, or pleaded guilty in cases of animal sexual abuse.

For more than 70 years, AWI's Schweitzer Medal has been awarded to individuals who demonstrate outstanding achievement in the advancement of animal welfare. Learn more about the medal and its storied list of recipients: awionline.org/about-us/the...

TAKE ACTION: AWI is deeply disappointed by the US House of Representatives' recent passage of H.R. 9436, a bill that would delay much-needed action to protect critically endangered North Atlantic right whales.

Entanglements in commercial fishing gear are killing North Atlantic right whales at an unsustainable rate. Further delaying action to prevent entanglements could result in the imminent extinction of this unique and beloved species.

Earlier this year, the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) sent a letter to Congress expressing "strong support" for a provision in the Farm Bill aimed at nullifying existing state laws protecting animals from cruel confinement, including gestation crates.

In the letter, the AVMA claims to speak for its 111,000+ member veterinarians nationwide. However, as noted in our own letter to AVMA officials in May, AWI has found no evidence that AVMA members were consulted or even notified of the organization's letter.

In August, AWI staff observed a Bureau of Land Management roundup in western Colorado, where we witnessed panicked horses being chased by low-flying helicopters and foals struggling to keep up with their families. Many of these horses will live in holding facilities for the rest of their lives.

Nearly 900 horses were permanently removed over the course of this roundup, while zero horses received fertility control—the proven, scientifically backed approach to ethical wild horse management.

It’s officially #BacktoSchool season! 🖍️🎒 As students prepare for the year ahead, promote compassion in your child’s classroom by encouraging educators to replace the outdated practice of animal dissection.

AWI is saddened to learn that two more beluga whales from Shedd Aquarium have died. One beluga, Rain, was recently transferred to the aquarium from Marineland of Canada, while the other, Beethoven, was part of the facility’s resident pod.