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In February, the US Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) proposed two rules to allow most poultry and pig slaughter plants to increase line speeds (the rate at which animals are slaughtered, eviscerated, and processed). One rule would allow chicken processing plants to boost line speeds from 140 to 175 birds per
Another devastating year for barn fires is in the books: More than 573,000 animals are known to have died in fires during 2025. What isn’t in the books: state-established fire safety standards that might have spared many of these animals from such a horrible fate. As in previous years, the overwhelming majority (99%) of the
In late February, The Harris Poll, on behalf of AWI, conducted a national online survey of consumer attitudes regarding the treatment of dairy cows. The survey asked over 2,000 Americans to rate the acceptability of specific dairy production practices and indicate the extent to which a producer’s engagement in such practices might affect their own
The American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) has released an updated edition of its Guidelines for the Depopulation of Animals, which the federal and some state governments use to set policy related to the mass killing of flocks or herds of farmed animals for disease control or other reasons. When a draft of the Guidelines was released for comment,
This year, we celebrate the 10th anniversary of the addition of animal cruelty data to the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s National Incident-Based Reporting System (NIBRS). This accomplishment came after a hard-fought campaign of as many years by AWI and allies. Previously, information collected about animal cruelty crimes was relegated to the catch-all “All Other Offenses”
The Oregon National Primate Research Center (ONPRC) at Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU)—the largest of the seven National Primate Research Centers and one with a notoriously poor welfare record—may cease biomedical research and be transformed into a nonhuman primate sanctuary. Last year, amid criticism from animal advocates, state legislators, and the public, OHSU was directed
The National Institutes of Health plans to award $87 million in contracts to launch a Standardized Organoid Modeling Center. Organoids are collections of cells that serve as miniature three-dimensional models of various organs. They are among a suite of “new approach methodologies” (NAMs) that, increasingly, are allowing scientists to conduct research and testing without using
A study in the journal Current Biology (Zipple et al., 2025) has shown that one week of living in nature prevents the development of anxiety or reverses established anxiety in mice who were formerly held in laboratories. The elevated plus maze is a common laboratory tool to measure rodent anxiety under various conditions. It is used, for
Alpha Genesis, Inc. (AGI), a massive supplier and user of monkeys in biomedical research, made headlines in late 2024 due to the escape of 43 monkeys, the deaths of another 22 from apparent carbon monoxide poisoning, and the emergence of whistleblower reports alleging grave negligence and incompetence at the company’s South Carolina facility. Despite these disturbing
In January, Charles River Laboratories (CRL)—a major provider of biomedical products and services—announced a $510 million agreement to acquire K.F. (Cambodia) Ltd., one of its suppliers of captive-bred monkeys for use in research and testing. CRL stated the acquisition would “enable greater oversight and operational control of a key supply source.” Prior to 2023, CRL
According to the journal Science, researchers at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have been instructed to phase out all research involving monkeys by the end of the year. The CDC primarily uses monkeys in HIV-prevention research. The directive was reportedly passed down by a former Department of Government Efficiency employee (a recent college graduate
The growing momentum to phase out the use of animals in research and testing has been encouraging. At this stage, however, many circumstances remain in which effective nonanimal alternatives are not yet available or approved for use, and AWI is committed to safeguarding and advancing the welfare of animals who continue to be used in
This year, as with any other, AWI staff are hard at work protecting animals across the globe. But 2026 also holds special significance: This year, AWI turns 75—an occasion to celebrate three quarters of a century of progress for animals in agriculture, in commerce, in our homes and communities, in research, and in the wild.
Unwanted: The Causes and Effects of America’s Horse Population Crisis, began as a project to give Christina Keim’s University of New Hampshire students a comprehensive source on the issues facing America’s horses when they are sold or otherwise surrendered by their owners. The result is a deeply researched work that blends narrative storytelling with interviews
Turtles have long sparked curiosity and affection, and Sy Montgomery captures humankind’s fascination with them in The True and Lucky Life of a Turtle. This nonfiction book introduces young readers to Fire Chief, a snapping turtle whose decades-long presence in a community is threatened by the town’s growth. With warmth and realism, Montgomery tells Fire Chief’s
A beagle named Hammy was fostered and then adopted by Melanie Kaplan. But Hammy wasn’t just any dog: He had been in a research laboratory for almost four years prior to his arrival at Kaplan’s home. As a journalist and investigator, Kaplan sought to learn about her beloved dog’s previous life. Her book, Lab Dog: A
In September, Rep. Dina Titus (D-NV) reintroduced the Humane Transport of Farmed Animals Act (HR 5286)—bipartisan legislation to improve transport conditions for farmed animals in the United States. The bill would establish fitness for travel standards—mirroring those already in place for livestock exported abroad—to prevent animals who are sick, injured, disabled, or are otherwise in
In December, the House Natural Resources Committee voted to advance HR 4776, the Standardizing Permitting and Expediting Economic Development (SPEED) Act. Targeting the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), our country’s basic charter for protecting the environment, the SPEED Act would narrow the scope of federal actions that receive an environmental review, as well as limit
For more than half a century, the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA) has played a crucial role in safeguarding marine mammals from myriad threats—from entanglement in fishing gear to human-caused noise pollution—enabling many vulnerable populations to recover. Despite its success and long-standing bipartisan support, in late July, Rep. Nick Begich (R-AK) released draft legislation that