Farm Animals
Court clears way for lawsuit against USDA policy of rewarding factory farms that spread bird flu
A federal district court has cleared the way for our lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s irresponsible and dangerous plans for responding to outbreaks of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza, commonly known as the “bird flu.” The agency’s current plans, which we and our allies . . .
Breaking news: Utah becomes eighth state to prohibit cages for egg-laying hens
Utah has just passed a law prohibiting the confinement of egg-laying hens in tiny wire enclosures known as “battery cages,” becoming the eighth U.S. state to do so. Just moments ago, Gov. Spencer Cox signed the bill—which the state’s legislature passed earlier this month—marking another . . .
Bill in Congress would reverse dangerous increases to slaughterhouse line speeds
Slaughterhouses are hotspots for the coronavirus, with tens of thousands of infections reported among American workers since the onset of the pandemic last year. Yet, appallingly, at the height of the crisis last spring, the Trump administration ordered that these facilities should remain open. To . . .
With a second turn at USDA, Tom Vilsack would have an opportunity to continue progress for animals, correct missteps
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 . . .
Major corporations, including Nestle and Arby’s, confirm they now use 100% cage-free eggs in U.S.
Confining chickens in cages where they cannot even spread their wings is one of the cruelest practices in industrial factory farming. That’s why we have made it our mission to free every last hen from such confinement. Recent announcements from some of the biggest corporations . . .
Biden administration withdraws Trump-era plan for higher line speeds at chicken slaughterhouses
The Biden administration has withdrawn a deplorable pending rule that would have allowed qualifying chicken slaughter plants in the United States to permanently dial up line speeds from an already inhumane and lightning-fast 140 birds per minute to 175 birds per minute. The U.S. Department . . .
Greyhound racing has ended in Florida. 49 states say animal torture is a felony. In 2021, we will continue to win more battles for animals on the state and local levels
On Dec. 31, Florida’s greyhound racetracks closed for good as a result of a ballot measure we helped pass with our partner groups in 2018. That win brought down what was once the stronghold of this “sport” and effectively sounded the death knell for greyhound . . .
Breaking news: Congress’s omnibus package includes big wins for animals
The appropriations bill and accompanying coronavirus relief/stimulus package for fiscal year 2021 now advancing through Congress will bring critical and much-needed support to millions of Americans. We are also pleased to report that the package, which funds federal agencies, includes a number of wins for . . .
Factory farms are baking pigs alive during the pandemic. Veterinarians call for changing guidance on this barbaric killing method
As a result of slaughterhouse closures during the pandemic, some producers have used a cruel method called “ventilation shutdown,” or VSD, to kill whole herds of pigs. Ventilator shutdown involves locking a flock or herd of animals in a building and turning off the ventilation . . .
In 2020, we dismantled more cruel cages on factory farms and set new records for egg-laying hens
We have made remarkable progress in our work to end cruel cage confinement of farm animals during 2020. As a result, millions more animals around the world will no longer face lives of abject misery in tiny cages and crates on massive factory farms that . . .
In historic decision, federal court upholds verdict that Smithfield’s factory farming practices made its neighbors miserable
A federal court has ruled that a jury was right in holding Smithfield responsible for creating a nuisance for a community in the vicinity of a pig growing facility in North Carolina. Neighbors of the Smithfield-affiliated facility, which held 15,000 pigs, had alleged that the . . .
Senate appropriations package has both good and bad news for animals
The Senate Committee on Appropriations today released a package of 12 appropriations bills for fiscal year 2021, and it is a mixed bag for animals. The House has already approved its appropriations bills, which fund federal government agencies, and they include significant protections for animals, . . .
