Meredith Lee / Humane World for Animals
Understanding and Combating Animal Cruelty
Learn about the various forms of animal cruelty, their impact on society, and how Humane World for Animals works globally to prevent abuse and promote animal welfare.
Did You Know?
Humane World for Animals works locally and globally to train law enforcement and government officials on cruelty investigation and prosecution, lobbies for stronger anti-cruelty laws and helps rescue animals suffering from cruelty and neglect.
have laws to provide felony penalties for animal torture on the first offense, with Iowa as the outlier
report that their partners hurt or killed the family pet
ban dogfighting to some extent
Take a look inside the issue
Our toughest fights work to address the systemic cruelties embedded in factory farming, animal research and other industries that impact millions of animals. Many of them lack even the most basic legal protections.
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Meredith Lee/Humane World for Animals
Jay Kim
Meredith Lee/Humane World for Animals
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Mayur Waghela
Meredith Lee/Humane World for Animals
Our work around the world
Animal cruelty includes intentional, malicious acts of animal abuse and less clear-cut situations where the needs of an animal are neglected. We work to combat animal cruelty in all its forms everywhere.
The Animal Rescue Team is highly trained and ready to deploy at a moment’s notice. Before and after disasters, the team works with local agencies on pre-storm preparations, developing pet-friendly evacuation plans, securing food and other resources and emergency field rescue for animals caught in harm’s way.
Our undercover investigations, exposés and in-depth reports expose what really goes on behind the scenes at pet stores and puppy mills, and the industries that support them.
One way you can help reduce the number of animals without a comfortable home is to have your pets spayed or neutered. This will help reduce number of homeless pets and animals in shelters, which will lead to less animals euthanized each year. Spaying or neutering also has health and behavioral benefits for your pet.
No animal should have to suffer the barbaric practices of dogfighting and cockfighting. Humane World for Animals is working to end this cruelty.
Humane World for Animals India’s community-oriented approach goes beyond spay/neuter. Since its start in 2013, HSI/India’s street dog program has been working to humanely manage the street dog population, improve dog health and engage the community to reduce human-dog conflicts.
Humane World for Animals, previously called the Humane Society of the United States, has a Law Enforcement Training Center that provides training to thousands of law enforcement officers each year on investigating and prosecuting illegal animal cruelty and fighting. Trainers are former and current law enforcement with expertise in animal abuse crimes.
You can’t solve a problem if you can’t prove it exists. Through months of photos, videos and meticulous notes, our highly trained undercover investigators document abusive practices in the food, fashion, entertainment, commercial trade, pet and science industries so that they can’t be ignored by the public and lawmakers. The evidence collected helps to raise awareness, change policies and spur prosecutions.
Learn how Cleveland Amory founded what is now our flagship animal sanctuary and see the map of its habitats, pastures and more.
Take Action
We're fighting to stop cruelty worldwide, whenever they need us. Here are some ways you can help
End cruel and deadly fur farming worldwide
Farming cause immense animal suffering and appalling conditions make fur farms a breeding ground for pandemic disease spread from animals to humans.
End the cruel dog and cat meat trades in Viet Nam
Every year, millions of dogs and cats, including many stolen pets, are trafficked throughout Viet Nam to supply markets, slaughterhouses and restaurants.
Ban the fur trade in the UK
UK continues to allow fur to be imported and sold, effectively outsourcing fur cruelty overseas.
Urge the USDA to protect puppies
Puppies and mother dogs suffer in puppy mills. Join us in calling on the U.S. Department of Agriculture to enforce and raise their standards at all commercial breeding facilities.
Ban fur farms in Canada
Every year, more than two million animals are confined in tiny cages on factory fur farms in Canada, living in misery. You can help put an end to cruel fur farms in Canada.
Tell Petland to stop selling puppies
Petland is linked to the cruel puppy mill industry and is the last national chain of pet stores to still sell dogs and puppies. Urge Petland go humane and stop selling puppies.
Dig deeper
Humane World fights to end animal cruelty and neglect in every form. By understanding this issue, we can better recognize and combat animal abuse in our day-to-day lives.
Cold weather can be deadly for pets. As the temperature plummets in many parts of the country, Humane World for Animals sees a marked increase in the number of complaints about dogs and cats who have been left outside with no food or shelter. Here's what you can do to help a pet left out in the cold.
You can’t solve a problem if you can’t prove it exists. Through months of photos, videos and meticulous notes, our highly trained undercover investigators document abusive practices in the food, fashion, entertainment, commercial trade, pet and science industries so that they can’t be ignored by the public and lawmakers.
Cockfighting is an age-old practice in which two or more specially bred birds, known as gamecocks, are placed in an enclosed pit to fight for the primary purposes of gambling and entertainment. Humane World for Animals is working to end this horrific bloodshed and unnecessary cruelty.
The latest
The Humane Society of the United States is assisting the Hertford County Sheriff’s Office in rescuing nearly 100 dogs and puppies in a large-scale alleged cruelty situation at a breeder’s residential...
Photo by JP Bonnelly
The cat playing with a blue buoy in the video looks adorable and will put a smile on your face, but it is important to remember that Loki is no pet. The 300-pound tiger was, however, being kept as one
Photo by Juice Images/Alamy Stock Photo
Last year, Officer Stevie Hargenrater, a humane officer in Crawford County, Pennsylvania, was called to a property where she found a dead Rottweiler and a small sheltie mix in terrible condition. The
Your gift can do so much for animals in need
We never know where disasters will strike or when animals may be in need of rescue, but we know we must be ready. Donate today to support all our lifesaving work.
Meredith Lee/Humane World for Animals