Humane World for Animals Mexico

In the past decade, Mexico has made great strides in its approach to animal welfare. Animal abuse is being criminalized across the country, and state laws are being introduced to protect animals. In 2017, the Constitution of Mexico City recognized animals as sentient beings who must be protected. That same year, dogfighting was classified as a crime in the Federal Penal Code. In 2024, the country’s constitution enshrined animal protection as a fundamental value and in 2025, Mexico City revised its Animal Welfare law to officially recognize community animals—dogs and cats who live in public or communal spaces and are cared for by residents. In 2026, Humane World for Animals signed an MoU with Mexico’s Federal Attorney for Environmental Protection (PROFEPA) to strengthen wild animal protection and welfare across the country.

Yet millions of dogs and cats roam the streets, suffering from cruelty, disease and neglect. Billions of animals kept for food here spend their lives in cramped cages or crates. And as one of the most biodiverse countries in the world, Mexico is also a hotspot for illegal wildlife trade. Half of the wildlife seized at U.S. borders comes from Mexico, which supplies illegal markets in Europe and Asia as well.

Humane World for Animals pushes for change across the country. We’re working with stakeholders throughout the food supply chain to drive higher welfare for farmed animals and a more plant-forward food system. We’re finding non-animal ways to test cosmetics products, and we’re managing street dogs with compassion. We’re also sharing our expertise with authorities, providing training and assisting with disaster response, investigating animal mistreatment and more. 

Beyond field operations, our Companion Animals program is helping drive a lasting cultural shift toward more humane care of animals. Complementing education in schools and services delivered through mobile clinics, strategic media engagement has expanded the program’s influence—reshaping the collective mindset and promoting compassionate treatment as an everyday social norm.

We’re there for animals who are suffering in Mexico today. And we’re confronting the root causes of that suffering for a kinder tomorrow.​