Farm Animals
Breaking news: Smithfield will complete transition to group housing for sows by end of 2017
Smithfield Foods, the world’s largest pork producer, has made more progress away from cruel gestation crates. The company announced today that it has converted 87 percent of its sow housing to group housing systems, and will be at 100 percent by the end of 2017. . . .
California, Oregon lead on animal welfare policies, while Mississippi and the Dakotas have the lowest ranks
Each year, The HSUS releases its Humane State rankings based on a wide set of animal welfare policies — covering a total of 93 policy ideas, from protecting farm animals to prohibiting bear and cougar hunting to regulating puppy mills. This year again, California occupies . . .
Top 10 victories for all animals in 2016
We’re operating in a time of punctuated change for animals. It hardly means that we’ve been on a glide path to reform. And it doesn’t mean that we haven’t had setbacks or that we don’t have immense challenges ahead. But what it does mean is . . .
Breaking news: Sodexo, Panera Bread announce major reforms for broiler chicken welfare
We’re building major momentum with our new campaign to improve the lives of broiler chickens, with Panera Bread and Sodexo this week committing to work with U.S. suppliers to implement on-the-farm reforms. These are big, powerful brand names in the food sales world, and they . . .
Major federal policy gains for animals in 2016
Since Donald J. Trump’s electoral college win in the presidential election, there’s been a lot of talk from him and from Republican leaders in Congress about rolling back federal rules and even repealing some existing statutes. If animal protection policies are targeted, we’ll be ready . . .
In 2016, HSI struck blows to dog meat trade, factory farming, and more
EDITOR’S NOTE: GOOD NEWS! The HSUS and the New York Blood Center have announced an agreement to provide long-term sanctuary for the Liberian chimpanzees. READ THE UPDATE » Just this week, I reported on our progress toward a federal dogfighting ban in Mexico and the . . .
Defending animals in the courts – key legal gains in 2016
At The HSUS, we don’t work only to pass laws but also to enforce them. And one of the best enforcement tools we have is our cadre of two dozen in-house lawyers who pursue a dizzying array of lawsuits and legal petitions in support of . . .
Rescues, key U.S. and global campaigns highlight our top videos of the year
The HSUS uses videos as a key instrument in our campaign to tell the story of our human relationships with animals. Nothing tells the story better. Some of these videos chronicle uplifting happenings – animals rescued and then placed in forever homes, or formerly abused . . .
Obama actions, SeaWorld, Harambe among most popular blogs of 2016
As part of my 2016 round-up of our accomplishments and activities, today I run through the 10 most popular blogs for the year – the ones that got the most page views (I write about 275 blogs a year, or one each weekday). These include . . .
Remarkable gains for farm animals in 2016
Each December, I write a series of blogs running through the big accomplishments of the year for The HSUS, Humane Society International, and other affiliates, by area of focus. Today, I offer the first in this series, covering the blaze of progress for farm animals. . . .
Advancing the cause through many channels, including the courts
Journalist Marc Gunther’s detailed profile of The HSUS and me in the current issue of the Chronicle of Philanthropy highlights our aggressive yet mainstream approach to driving transformational change for animals over the last decade. The HSUS and its affiliates have fortified the legal framework . . .
Happy Thanksgiving to all and happy birthday to The HSUS
Yesterday was the 62nd anniversary of The HSUS’s incorporation. The organization, founded in 1954, has changed the political, cultural, and economic landscape for animals in the United States and abroad. We’ve got so much more work to do, but this holiday is a good time . . .
