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Update 3/15/2022: President Biden signed the appropriations package into law. Humane advocates often look to the passage of animal-friendly legislation as the strongest measure of progress in our work at the federal level, and clearly, good laws are important. But a nation that cares for animals

As Russia continues its deadly assault on Ukraine, humanitarians and animal advocates from around the world are banding together to provide urgent relief to those imperiled by the fighting, and to help people fleeing the war zone with their beloved pets. Indeed, the situation inside Ukraine grows

On Monday morning in San Miguel County, our Animal Rescue Team members were up with the sun, watching it rise over a picturesque New Mexico mesa as they met up with local authorities getting ready to serve a search-and-seizure warrant. But in stark contrast to the beautiful landscape, a chaotic

After more than two years of the pandemic testing our patience and resolve, forcing us to find new ways of working and socializing, and making us long for normal life, there are finally signs of spring—among them, our return to holding Animal Care Expo in person this year. We’re so excited to be

Spring is a crucial time for black bears: After emerging from their dens following months in winter hibernation, many spend the first few weeks building up strength by eating mainly grasses and other plants. Mother bears are especially weak, having spent the last few months nursing cubs hungry for

With their barrel shape, huge teeth and jaws that can open to almost 180 degrees, hippos are characteristically unique and one of the world’s most recognizable animals. Hippos are also a keystone species: As “ecosystem engineers,” their behavior helps shape and maintain landscapes and habitats and

The U.S. Supreme Court has agreed to hear the pork industry’s lawsuit that attempts to overturn California’s Proposition 12. Special interest groups have been trying to stop the implementation of the historic ballot measure, which passed in 2018 with 63% of California voters in support. Proposition

Back in the 1940s, when government scientists were asked to check cosmetics for safety, they turned to rabbits. Dr. J.H. Draize and colleagues at the Food and Drug Administration dropped chemicals into the animals’ eyes and applied them to their skin, then assigned scores to the redness, swelling

Each and every day in war-torn Ukraine, we see a poignant truth that we have seen at other times in other places. In their most desperate moments, at the risk of their own lives and without hesitation, those who love and care about animals will show it by their actions. We see it in the stories and

When Humane Society of the United States investigators go out to take a close look at facilities that keep captive birds—roadside zoos, animal markets and others—they almost always return with the same dispiriting reports of dismal treatment and living conditions. Owls and hawks tightly chained to

While many of our Humane Society International colleagues are responding to the crisis in Ukraine, they continue to advance the vital priority campaigns that are the main focus of their work. In the United Kingdom, that includes the recent passage of “sentience” legislation that requires government

In an important and encouraging advance for the protection of farm animals, Arizona has moved to ban cruel cages for egg-laying hens and ensure that all eggs produced and/or sold in the state are cage-free. The regulations promulgated by the Arizona Department of Agriculture guarantee that over 7

For many years, the modest stretch of forested land surrounding our office in Maryland has offered a refuge to wild animals whose habitat is shrinking around them. Year after year, our staff members excitedly share sightings of our wild neighbors: the mama fox who births kits in a den under our

Every time we share news of a victory in our fight to protect animals, or positive trends in our cause, or growing momentum in a particular campaign, it’s also a story about the countless contributions of people working tirelessly behind the scenes to make these good things happen. Our campaigners

Today I’m turning the blog over to my colleague Rebecca Aldworth, executive director of Humane Society International/Canada. For nearly two decades, Rebecca has been on the literal front lines of the fight to save animals, traveling to the ice floes of the Northwest Atlantic to document Canada’s

Today we are releasing the results of our seven-month undercover investigation at one of America’s largest animal testing laboratories. We’re asking you to join us in changing an outdated industry— animal testing—and, more immediately, in urging the release of more than 80 dogs still suffering at

Today, the Humane Society of the United States is calling on the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission to investigate and hold McDonald’s accountable for deceiving shareholders and the public about its animal confinement policies. We confronted McDonald’s with a shareholder proposal after

We learned last week about the outrageous killing of two iconic and rare “big tusker” male savanna elephants in an unpopulated corner of northern Botswana. “ Big tusker” refers to an elephant with at least one tusk weighing 100 pounds but it effectively signifies an elephant who has survived for

When Russia invaded her country in late February, Larysa Frisby of Ukraine fortunately was far from the war zone visiting family in the United States. Unfortunately, her cat Persik was back home in Odesa. Frisby managed to find help to evacuate the cat as far as Warsaw in Poland, but without a way

One of our most urgent fights at the federal level centers on passage of the Humane Cosmetics Act in Congress. It’s got strong bipartisan support, cosmetics industry approval and the backing of scientists who understand the limitations of conventional animal tests and are committed to new approaches