Animal Welfare Institute

AWI Grant Helping to Expand Resources for Domestic Violence Survivors and Their Pets in Illinois

The Animal Welfare Institute (AWI) is pleased to announce Oasis Women’s Center as the recipient of its 2026 Safe Havens for ...
Animal Welfare Institute

Animal Protection Groups Call on USDA to Require Cameras Inside CO2 Stunning Areas of Pig Slaughter Plants

Washington, DC—Today, a coalition of animal protection groups submitted a rulemaking petition to the US Department of Agriculture to require pig slaughter plants to ...
Animal Welfare Institute

SWIMS Act Reintroduced to Phase Out Public Display of Captive Whales

Washington, DC—The Animal Welfare Institute (AWI) applauds US Reps. Adam Schiff (D-CA), Jared Huffman (D-CA) and Suzan DelBene (D-WA), and US Sen. Ron Wyden (D-OR) for reintroducing the Strengthening ...
Animal Welfare Institute

AWI Grants Support Humane Approaches to Resolving Human-Wildlife Conflicts

Washington, DC—Today, the Animal Welfare Institute (AWI) announced the nine recipients of its Christine Stevens Wildlife Award who are developing innovative, less intrusive wildlife study techniques ...
Animal Welfare Institute

Ejiao Act Reintroduced to Protect Donkeys from Dangerous Gelatin Trade

Washington, DC—US Rep. Don Beyer (D-VA) reintroduced the Ejiao Act Tuesday in the House of Representatives to ban the sale and trade of ejiao (donkey-hide gelatin) products in the United States. Ejiao ...
Animal Welfare Institute

Japan’s Whale Meat Stockpiles Turned into Pet Food

Washington, DC—This year, as Japan struggles to recover from the economic slump caused by COVID-19, its government is spending more than 5 billion yen ($39 million) to support a whaling industry so ...
Animal Welfare Institute

US to Ban Seafood Imports from 42 Nations to Protect Whales, Dolphins

Washington, DC—The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) determined today that 42 nations may not export certain seafood products to the United States because fishers in these countries catch ...
Animal Welfare Institute

New Research: USDA Fails to Pursue Prosecutions of Slaughter Plants, Despite Repeat Violations

Washington, DC—Repeat violators of the federal Humane Methods of Slaughter Act (HMSA) continue to escape meaningful enforcement by the US Department of Agriculture, resulting in continued animal ...
Animal Welfare Institute

The “Blackfish” Legacy: Captive Marine Mammal Industry Continues Decline

Washington, DC—A decade after the documentary “Blackfish” examined the ethics and consequences of keeping orcas in captivity, marine theme parks and aquariums that feature cetaceans are struggling to ...
Animal Welfare Institute

Biden Administration’s ESA Regulations Restore Important Protections to Imperiled Species, But Don’t Go Far Enough

Washington, DC—The Biden administration has released three Endangered Species Act regulations that reinstate some critical protections for imperiled species and their habitats, yet fail to reverse ...
Animal Welfare Institute

Landmark Legislation Introduced in California to Ban Orca Captivity

Santa Monica, CA—The Animal Welfare Institute (AWI) applauds California Assemblymember Richard Bloom (D-Santa Monica) for his introduction today of a bill (AB 2140) to end orca captivity in California ...