WASHINGTON— In a long-awaited victory for sharks across the globe, the Shark Fin Sales Elimination Act passed the U.S. Senate Thursday night by a vote of 83-11 as part of the National Defense Authorization Act (H.R. 7776). This critical measure prohibits the commercial trade of shark fins and...

What is bear hounding? Bear hounding is the practice of using packs of radio-collared dogs to pursue a bear until the exhausted, frightened animal climbs a tree, where they are shot, or turn to fight the hounds. Dogs are often injured or even killed. What is bear baiting? Trophy hunters and hunting...

What is captive hunting? Captive hunting operations—also referred to as "shooting preserves," "canned hunts" or "game ranches"—allow trophy hunters to shoot animals who are fenced in. The animals are often semi-tame—some have even been hand raised or bottle fed by humans. Operators often offer...

Scientists have just begun to scratch the surface when it comes to understanding bird brains. But studies have shown what backyard chicken caregivers already know: The world’s most most intensively farmed animal has remarkable cognitive abilities.

Fresh Ideas Food Service Management, a company that focuses on creating an exceptional fresh food dining experience, based in Columbia, Missouri, has received an “A” on the Humane Society of the United States’ Protein Sustainability Scorecard. The goal of the scorecard is to establish what the...

The overwhelming majority of meat, eggs and dairy sold in the United States come from industrial factory farms where animals are housed in ruthlessly small spaces and subjected to other cruel treatment. Packaging for animal products frequently contains phrases or images meant to signify higher...

Herlan Manurung became a chef for the stories. During his childhood in Sumatra, Indonesia, food was the center of his family’s social life: Once a month his extended family gathered together, with everyone bringing a dish to share. There were few set recipes and lots of innovation. An uncle might...

Maggie the pig was abandoned on an island in a river, then rescued after a flood. First, she nearly starved. Then, she nearly drowned. When Maggie arrived at Black Beauty Ranch in March 2023 at age 2, caregivers hoped to give her a life that would make up for all the suffering. But the pig, bred to...

Springfield, ILLINOIS─Today, the Humane Society of the United States released the shocking results of a February 2023 undercover investigation at Nuggets Night Vision Coyote Hunt, a wildlife killing contest in Mendon, Illinois. The HSUS investigator attended the weigh-in event that followed the 45...

The Humane Society of the United States has just published its annual report evaluating food service companies on their environment and animal welfare commitments. The HSUS Protein Sustainability Scorecard assesses which companies are actually keeping their sustainability promises and which are...

Kent State University, in collaboration with the Forward Food program at the Humane Society of the United States, has set a goal to serve 30% plant-based meals in both its residential and retail operations by 2026. This increased commitment follows the university surpassing its initial goal to...

Flying back and forth over Cape Cod Bay, a survey plane spotted a half dozen of the world’s rarest creatures: North Atlantic right whales. Such sightings are good news. The species hovers near extinction—by one estimate, fewer than 360 remain. Each time researchers locate a whale, they take pictures...

WASHINGTON—Wildlife conservation organizations sued the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service today for missing its deadline to decide whether gray wolves in the northern Rocky Mountains warrant federal protection under the Endangered Species Act. The deadline was set following a May 2021 petition filed by...

The public display industry keeps many species of marine mammals captive in concrete tanks, especially whales and dolphins. The Humane Society of the United States believes that these animals are best seen in their natural coastal and ocean environments instead of being held captive simply to...

WASHINGTON—Animal welfare and conservation non-profit, Born Free USA, working in collaboration with Humane Society International and the Humane Society of the United States, has today released a shocking undercover investigation exposing the cruelty of animal trapping, including for the fur trade...

In April, Penn State, in collaboration with the Humane Society of the United States, committed to providing more plant-based entrees to students and staff, becoming the third Big Ten school to do so. Penn State plans on having 35% of its entrees be plant-based by 2025, joining the University of...

There’s a surprisingly simple way to make a big difference in the lives of animals: incorporating more plant-based foods. The more plants you eat, the more animals you’ll spare from lives of suffering. Fewer mother pigs will be kept in crates so small they can barely move. Fewer egg-laying hens will...

Rochester Institute of Technology has committed to having 50% plant-based offerings on menus by 2025, in collaboration with the Humane Society of the United States.   As part of this effort, HSUS chefs provided an in-person plant-based culinary training to the university culinary staff. These events...

Imagine a chicken. Picture her downy white feathers and small, intense eyes. Maybe she’s sitting on a nest, softly clucking. Perhaps she’s scratching in the dirt, a quaint red barn in silhouette behind her. Cows graze contentedly nearby; a pig snuffles in the mud. It’s an idyllic vision, familiar...

The Humane Society of the United States has released its annual Protein Sustainability Scorecard, which assesses the efforts of top U.S. food service companies to reduce their impact on the environment and animals through purchasing and menuing practices. The companies included in this report are...