In 2020, we brought food, essential services to hundreds of thousands of animals and people affected globally by the pandemic
The global pandemic posed immense challenges to the animal protection community this year. Around the world, people—and the animals who depend on them—reeled from the impact of illness, death, closures, job losses and difficulty in accessing the most basic services. We stepped in to try . . .
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 . . .
Mink living in the wild near Utah fur farm tests positive for coronavirus, increasing urgency to end fur farming
A mink living in the wild near an infected Utah fur farm has tested positive for the coronavirus, providing yet another pressing reason why the United States needs to end all mink fur farming without further delay. While it is not clear if the infected . . .
Breaking news: Missouri votes to open first black bear trophy hunt in decades
Missouri, a state that once nearly wiped out its black bear population, has clearly failed to learn from its mistakes. This morning, the four-member Missouri Department of Conservation Commission, made up of political appointees, voted unanimously to allow trophy hunters to kill its black bears . . .
In 2020, we helped disband a trophy hunters’ advisory panel, retained protections for grizzly bears and ended more wildlife killing contests
Trophy hunting is a cruel and dangerous pastime that is pushing some of the world’s most iconic animals closer to extinction, and the Humane Society family of organizations has put our might behind stopping it. In the past four years we have encountered tremendous challenges . . .
Missouri to vote this Friday on opening black bear hunt
The Missouri state wildlife commission will vote this Friday on whether to allow trophy hunters to target the state’s small and still-recovering black bear population. If the proposal passes, up to 500 individuals could get permits to kill bears, including cubs unaccompanied by their mothers. . . .
In 2020 we continued to make advances against puppy mills with new laws, enforcement and closures
Despite the pandemic, our fight against puppy mills continued full throttle in 2020. We won several important legal and legislative battles against these commercial enterprises that keep large numbers of dogs in sordid conditions, and we continued to raise awareness about problem mills through our . . .
Dropping demand put fur in free fall in 2020
The year 2020 has seen phenomenal progress in our work to end the use of fur. Nations moved to announce an end to fur production and/or sales, citing the “immoral” nature of this trade that results in the suffering and death of millions of animals . . .
U.S. House passes bill to prohibit keeping big cats as pets and for public contact
The U.S. House has just passed a bill to prohibit public contact with big cats like tigers, lions and leopards as well as ban the possession of these animals as pets. The measure, which now awaits action in the Senate, has the potential to stop . . .
Victory! New Department of Transportation rule says airlines cannot ban certain breeds of service dogs
The Department of Transportation has just finalized a rule that prohibits airlines from banning pit-bull-type dogs and certain other breeds from serving as service animals on flights. The Humane Society family of organizations has long opposed breed bans because they are unscientific and discriminate against . . .
Commercial fishing gear has driven right whales to the brink of extinction. We are asking the U.S. for emergency protections
With fewer than 360 North Atlantic right whales surviving on earth today, the clock is ticking for these marine mammals. Today, the Humane Society of the United States and Humane Society Legislative Fund, along with our coalition partners, asked the National Marine Fisheries Service to . . .
