While the human world is marked by borders between territories and nations, the animal world in its natural state knows no such boundaries. Migratory animals—who travel thousands of miles on land, through sea, and in the air—not only play a crucial role in ecosystems, but are living, breathing testaments to the interconnectedness of all our lives on earth. A new United Nations report, the first-ever on the state of the world’s migratory species, reveals that nearly half of these species (44%) are suffering population declines, and some are under severe pressure, including many species of migratory birds, whales, sharks, elephants, jaguars and other big cats. No wild species are safe from the threat posed by the global biodiversity crisis.

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...

Our Animal Protection Litigation team plays a critical role at the Humane Society of the United States, filing lawsuits and legal petitions to support our major campaigns, drafting language for state and federal animal protection bills and ballot measures, and defending animal protection laws once...

The year 2019 was one of extraordinary gains for animals trapped in the cruel business of fur, for companion animals who are the victims of malicious cruelty, for wild animals at risk of extinction because of trophy hunting and the wildlife products trade, and for farm animals forced to spend their...

The Trump administration, in its final days, is attempting to undo crucial, century-old protections for migratory birds as a handout to the construction and oil and gas industries. A new rule published this week by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service would exempt industries from being prosecuted or...

The work we do every day requires us to be flexible and pivot at a moment’s notice when challenges arise, and thanks to our in-house experts and our vast network of partners, we are able to ensure the best outcomes for animals. Nothing highlights this better than a recent case in West Virginia...

It was clear something awful had been happening at a residence near Fort Wayne, Indiana, just by looking at the ground. As our team assisted law enforcement in a search of the area on Nov. 3, they saw carcasses and body parts of dead animals throughout the property. And in a dilapidated barn, they...

A couple of weeks ago, I told you about our work at the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora—known as CITES. This conference is so important because it shapes how wild animals in trade are treated across the globe and can...

In May last year, our Animal Rescue Team was on site to help local law enforcement officials with the largest cockfighting bust in U.S. history, in Val Verde, Los Angeles County. It was a gruesome scene, even for our staff members, most of whom are accustomed to seeing the worst kind of animal...

We just hit another milestone in our work to improve the lives of farm animals: According to the latest statistics from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, more than 40% of hens used for eggs in the U.S. are now cage-free. We and our allies are transforming this massive $10 billion industry. Just 15 years ago, only 3% of hens used commercially were cage-free. This shift means that more than 100 million hens every year are spared from suffering in cages.

In 2015, McDonald’s, one of the world’s largest and most iconic fast-food chains, agreed to switch 100% of the eggs that it purchases to only cage-free eggs in U.S. locations by 2025.

A backyard breeder of primates who has been on our radar for years was in the news this week for an incident that defies all common sense. Michael Poggi, who runs his operation from his home in Florida, charged a man $150 in August for a “full contact experience” with an adult leopard in his...

North American bird populations have declined by three billion birds since 1970, which is just one of the reasons why the Migratory Bird Treaty Act has been such an important source of protection for birds for decades. So, it felt like a terrible threat when the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service...

Missouri has proposed a hunting season on its small and still-recovering population of black bears, who were once nearly wiped out because of overhunting and logging, which decimated their habitat. The Missouri Department of Conservation estimates that there are now approximately 540 to 840 bears in...

New federal data released this month shows the enormous progress we have made toward the goal of ending the cruel cage confinement of farm animals in the United States. More than a quarter (26.2%) of eggs produced in our nation are now cage-free, according to official numbers published by the U.S...

Several years ago, people in the Netherlands learned about the plight of what animal advocates dubbed “exploding chickens.” Known in the industry as “broiler chickens,” these birds are bred to grow so quickly that they reach slaughter weight in just six weeks. Such rapid growth leads to debilitating...

New Jersey is poised to allow trophy hunters to kill the state’s beloved black bears starting next month using barbaric methods like baiting the animals with piles of rotting sugary food. The plan would also allow hunters to chase bears off state lands, where bear hunting is not allowed, and onto...

The meat industry’s common practice of breeding broiler chickens to grow faster and bigger results in immense suffering and extremely poor quality of life for the animals, according to the largest study ever conducted on the topic. The two-year study was conducted by researchers at the University of...

Like an alarm bell in the night, COVID-19 has cut through the uneasy silence of the world’s failure to address pandemic illness tied to the trade, transport and consumption of wildlife. The notion that we could have prevented COVID-19 by taking decisive steps to curb that trade a decade or two ago...

Today, we are launching a new campaign that calls out McDonald’s for allowing extreme animal suffering in its chicken supply chain. Our goal is to get the fast food giant to join its competitors—including Burger King, Subway, Jack in the Box and nearly a hundred others—in adopting meaningful reforms...