Dogfighting is where dogs who have been bred, conditioned and trained to fight are placed in a pit to fight each other for spectator entertainment and profit. Fights average one to two hours, ending when one of the dogs cannot continue. What can I do to help stop dogfights? Learn how to spot the...

The Fair Housing Act The Fair Housing Act (FHA) is a federal law that prevents discrimination against tenants in their homes. Under the FHA, a disability is defined as a physical or mental impairment which significantly limits a person’s major life activities. Even if a lease says "no pets" or...

Uncovering national puppy mills The Humane Society of the United States is reporting on problem puppy mills, including some dealers (re-sellers) and transporters. The Horrible Hundred report is a list of known, problematic puppy breeding and/or puppy brokering facilities. It is not a list of all...

Last week, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis vetoed SB 620—the so-called “Local Business Protection Act”—and in doing so ensured that Florida localities can continue to protect animals and consumers from the cruel puppy-mill-to-pet-store pipeline. The Florida legislature recently passed the extremely broad...

COLUMBIA, S.C.—Yesterday, the Humane Society of the United States assisted the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Office of Inspector General with the seizure of 275 dogs from an alleged dogfighting operation throughout multiple properties in the Columbia, South Carolina, area. South Carolina Law...

The Humane Society of the United States is the sole party responsible for coordinating the removal of approximately 4,000 beagles housed at a facility which bred dogs to be sold to laboratories for animal experimentation. The transfer plan was approved by the United States District Court for the...

TALLAHASSEE, Fla.—The Humane Society of the United States is on the ground in Florida helping animals and communities impacted by the deadly Hurricane Idalia. The assistance of the HSUS was requested by Florida emergency management officials. Responders from the HSUS deployed to Madison County...

FORT MYERS, Fla.—The Humane Society of the United States is on the ground helping animals and communities impacted by the deadly Hurricane Ian. Responders from the HSUS deployed to Charlotte County, Florida, to assist with rescue calls and community outreach in the days following the storm...

WASHINGTON—As inflation pushes prices higher, many families across the country are struggling to afford veterinary care, food and supplies for their beloved pets. Nowhere is this more acute than for families who were already experiencing systemic poverty. According to the latest consumer price index...

An HSUS undercover investigator who worked 40 shifts as a kennel attendant at a Petland store in Novi, Michigan, documented sick puppies, dangerous conditions and improper care with a hidden camera. The investigator witnessed puppies being delivered in unmarked vans from out of state, transported in...

After more than 15 years of affiliation and increasing partnership in mission and initiatives, the Humane Society Veterinary Medical Association and the Humane Society of the United States announced their merger today. HSVMA has operated as a separate but affiliated organization within the Humane...

Many Marches ago, as I mindlessly contorted myself to pull a deep-rooted weed from the garden patch, my thoughts turned longingly to the smell of fresh basil that would eventually grace what I saw as a still-barren vegetable graveyard. This spot was not so lifeless as it appeared, I would soon learn...

Dryfork Kennel owner Bill Nored should have known the rules. In 2019, U.S. Department of Agriculture inspectors cited him for violating the Animal Welfare Act when they found a poodle at his Prim, Arkansas, commercial breeding operation with a plum-size mass on her chest. They also discovered a...

The Humane Society of the United States is working with an Ohio-based law firm to provide legal assistance to three Ohio families in lawsuits alleging Petland, Inc. engaged in fraudulent and misleading sales practices and sold the families sick puppies. The Humane Society of the United States tracks...

The annual To the Rescue! gala supporting the work of the Humane Society of the United States and Humane Society International, which took place on Nov. 3, 2023, at Cipriani 42nd Street, raised $2.2 million to benefit the organizations’ work to protect animals. Actress, author, producer and rabbit...

In May, we published our 10 th annual Horrible Hundred report, a list of problem puppy mills in the United States. The source of many puppies sold online or in pet stores, puppy mills are large commercial dog-breeding operations that put profits ahead of animal welfare. Sick or injured dogs, unsafe...

When making travel decisions, choose what is safest and most comfortable for your pet. For instance, unless you'll be able to spend a lot of time with your dog, they'll probably be happier at home than tagging along on your trip. As a rule, cats are almost always better off in their own home. But if...

Update 3/27/19: Dow AgroSciences ( Corteva Agriscience ) has officially agreed to release the beagles to our shelter partner, Michigan Humane Society. We are so grateful to each and every one of you who spoke up and took action to save these dogs. As we celebrate their freedom, our work is far from...

Thanks to widespread pet vaccinations, effective post-exposure treatment and the relative rarity of undetected bites by rabid animals, the number of human deaths from rabies in the United States caused has declined to an average of only one or two per year—far less than the number of human...

About our volunteers Animal rescue volunteers (ARVs) work with our Animal Rescue Team to help save animals who are victims of illegal animal cruelty and disasters. When we respond—whether to a hurricane, large-scale neglect case, dogfighting or commercial breeding operation—animal rescue volunteers...