Accredited zoos, aquariums, marine theme parks, and swim-with-dolphin operations—places that naturally concentrate large groups of people—were among the first tourism venues to close their doors in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. By May, over 90 percent of facilities belonging to the World Association of Zoos and Aquariums had been closed to the public. The future
Read moreFor animals and those who care about their welfare, the outlook in our nation’s capital is bleak. In January, the second Trump administration and majority leadership in the 119th Congress assumed office with the stated objectives of dismantling many federal agencies and programs, including those responsible for protecting and regulating the treatment of animals, and of
Read moreAs we usher in a new year, the Animal Welfare Institute (AWI) proudly celebrates 10 big wins for animals in 2024. We have made strides to improve animal welfare and prevent needless suffering through our major program areas—farmed animals, companion animals, equines, terrestrial and marine wildlife, and animals in research—as well as in our humane
Read moreToday’s statement by Virgin that it intends to continue to work with aquariums that confine whales and dolphins (cetaceans) in captivity for public entertainment has disappointed wildlife experts from leading animal welfare and conservation charities. Days after Whale and Dolphin Conservation (WDC) launched a campaign on February 25, 2014, calling on Virgin Holidays to stop the sale
Read moreThe California legislature today sent historic legislation to Governor Jerry Brown that would prohibit the breeding and theatrical performance of captive orcas in California, as well as their export, consistent with federal law, out of North America. The Animal Welfare Institute (AWI) was the co-sponsor of this legislation, along with former SeaWorld trainers Samantha Berg,
Read moreThe tide is turning in the West for captive marine mammals, yet live capture operations, traveling dolphin shows, polluted sea pens and needless deaths of animals continue to mar the captivity industry around the globe, especially in Asia, according to a report co-produced by the Animal Welfare Institute (AWI) and World Animal Protection (WAP). The
Read moreA commission under the United States-Mexico-Canada Trade Agreement (USMCA) released a report yesterday confirming that Mexico’s unwillingness to enforce its own wildlife protection, trade, and fisheries laws...
In this op-ed for the Tampa Bay Times, Dr. Naomi Rose, AWI’s senior scientist in marine mammal biology, discusses the challenges in caring for orcas...
The Animal Welfare Institute (AWI) and an international coalition of animal protection and environmental groups are calling on Yahoo! Japan and its parent company, the...
Japan and Norway resumed slaughtering whales this month, while Iceland’s only fin whaling company has decided that it will not hunt this summer, citing a...
