HSUS videos cross 150 million views on YouTube

A chilling video that showed a father-son duo illegally slaughtering a mother bear and her cubs in Alaska outraged Americans and was our most watched video of 2019, with 2.6 million views. Photo courtesy USFS and Alaska Dept of Fish & Game

One of the most effective ways we communicate with the public about the animals we help is through the power of visual storytelling. The use of video makes it possible for the public to see the plight of animals while also learning how they can work with us to help them.

Over the years, the professionals in our video department have done it all, covering our work in situations that range from the uplifting to the heartbreaking to the downright dangerous.

They’ve walked through knee-deep waters after floods to film the rescue of animals stranded after a storm; they’ve traveled to South Korea to document the horrors of a dog meat farm; they have accompanied staff members and celebrities to Liberia, to bring to light the circumstances of chimpanzees used for years in laboratories and then left on islands in need of emergency care.

They’ve recorded the horrors of dogfighting and cockfighting rings and the squalor of puppy mills. They’ve compiled footage from undercover investigations exposing the abuse of animals at factory farms, pet stores and in wildlife killing contests.

And once animals are out of danger and thriving in their forever homes or new situations, our team members have also gone back to tell those stories of hope and redemption and the good that we can all accomplish for animals in the world.

Their storytelling helps us, every day, to share our work with countless stakeholders, from donors to lawmakers to veterinary and other professionals, to regular citizens who simply love animals and want to see the world change for them in better ways.

Ultimately, of course, these images help to transform the lives of animals for the better.

Recently, our video team celebrated an important achievement, as we surpassed 150 million views on YouTube. To celebrate this landmark, I’d like to share the five most successful videos our team has produced since it began making these in 2006.

Rescue of 200 dogs and cats living in squalor in Arizona:

Meet Billy, a puppy mill rescue

The face of dogfighting: One dog’s incredible journey

Help save dogs in the dog meat trade

Chimps: A new life, retirement

Ours is one of the leading non-profit channels on YouTube, with more than 360K subscribers, making it one of our most significant tools of communication. Please subscribe to the channel if you haven’t already done so, to keep up with the stories of the animals we help every day, and please share our videos with friends and family. Your support makes all the difference.