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Dedicated to alleviating animal suffering caused by people since 1951.

10/16/2026

The New York City Council is set to pass Romanch’s Law on Thursday, October 22—finally banning the use of horse-drawn carriages in the city.

Once a quaint tradition, today the Central Park carriage industry has become an inhumane and outdated tourist trap—with catastrophic impacts for both horses and humans. More than half the council has expressed support for Romanch’s Law, which was named for a teenager who tragically died in June after falling from a carriage dragged by a spooked horse.

AWI strongly supports this long-overdue bill and efforts to ensure that retiring carriage horses are safely rehomed. We are grateful to Speaker Julie Menin, Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani, and the bill’s many cosponsors for their work to create a safer and kinder New York City.

NYC residents, please use the link in the comments to contact your council member to voice your support for Romanch’s Law ahead of the October 22 vote. It’s time to finally get this legislation passed and get horses off New York City streets.

📸: Henk Wallays/Wirestock Creators

10/15/2026

BREAKING: Yesterday, Mexico finalized new regulations that weaken protections for the critically endangered vaquita, opening a significant portion of their habitat to the very practices that threaten their survival.

In 1997—less than 30 years ago—approximately 600 vaquita lived in the Upper Gulf of California; today, however, just 10 remain. This dramatic decline is directly caused by vaquita becoming entangled and dying in illegal gillnets, which are used for fishing for shrimp and finfish, including the critically endangered totoaba, whose swim bladder fetches high prices in China and other Asian countries.

Rather than expand and enforce policies that would curb illegal fishing and help the vaquita recover, Mexico’s new regulations weaken existing protections by drastically reducing the size of the area where gillnets are prohibited and opening a vessel transit corridor through the "Zero Tolerance Area"— core vaquita habitat.

Read our statement at the link in the comments.

📸: Tom Jefferson

10/13/2026

You may know Denali as the star of AWI's newest children's book—but did you know she is also an ambassador for our Safe Havens for Pets project?

Denali's story is a powerful reminder of the profound impact domestic violence can have on people and pets. Surveys indicate that up to 89% of domestic violence survivors with pets have had their companion animals threatened, harmed, or even killed by their abusers. In fact, many survivors indicate they have delayed leaving dangerous situations out of fear for pets they’d be forced to leave behind. Access to pet-friendly sheltering is thus vital to help protect people and their companion animals.

That’s why, in 2011, AWI established Safe Havens for Pets, featuring an online directory that helps individuals in need locate pet-friendly sheltering services across the country. Fifteen years later, with approximately 1,200 listings, it’s the only searchable, nationwide directory of safe havens for individuals experiencing domestic violence and/or homelessness with a companion animal.

This , we celebrate Denali's story of hope and healing and the recent release of "Denali's New Life," which gives children and families an age-appropriate, trauma-informed way to learn about and discuss these important issues. Use the link in the comments to learn more about the book, order your free copy, or learn more about Safe Havens for Pets.

10/09/2026

Good news: The Save America’s Forgotten Equines (SAFE) Act has reached a record number of cosponsors in the US House of Representatives! 🐎

The bipartisan SAFE Act would prohibit horse slaughter for human consumption in the United States and outlaw the export of live horses to be slaughtered for the same purpose—ending a profoundly inhumane practice that impacts tens of thousands of horses each year. A remarkable 239 representatives from nearly 40 states have signaled their support for this long-overdue bill, surpassing the previous record.

Our next goal: This year marks the 250th anniversary of our great nation, and we’re hoping to reach 250 SAFE Act cosponsors in honor of this milestone—and the countless horses who have stood alongside Americans through the centuries.

Urge your representative to be the next to cosponsor this vital legislation to protect America’s horses, ponies, wild burros, donkeys, and mules: https://awionline.org/actions/tell-congress-stop-the-slaughter-of-american-horses

10/07/2026

Primates are highly social, intelligent animals with complex behavioral and emotional needs. Yet a recently published survey suggests that laboratories in the US, where tens of thousands of primates are used in research and testing each year, continue to lag behind those in the UK and EU in meeting those needs.

The survey queried US, UK, and EU laboratories about their primate husbandry and management practices. It found significant disparities between the US and these other jurisdictions in enclosure size, social housing, and nursery rearing (the practice of separating infants from their mother before 1 year of age). For example, though social housing is widely recognized as one of the most important factors in supporting captive primate welfare, only 65% of primates housed exclusively indoors (i.e., those on active research protocols) in US laboratories were socially housed, compared with 96% in UK facilities and 89% in EU facilities.

The survey also raised concerns about deficits in US regulatory standards for minimum enclosure size and minimum age at which nursery rearing can be implemented. Higher welfare standards for primates in laboratories are not only possible—they’re already being achieved in other countries. AWI hopes these results will motivate the US to revise its regulations to join the ranks of the leading nations in animal welfare standards and care.

📸: Sourabh

10/06/2026

Thanks to everyone who joined us for the official launch of our new children’s book, “Denali’s New Life,” in Florida! Check out these happy smiles and meaningful moments from the event. 💜

ICYMI: "Denali's New Life"—a true story of hope, healing, and one very special pit bull mix—is now available to order on our website at no cost!

Order your copy at the link in the comments!

📸: Dr. Kevin Murdock

10/04/2026

Animals across the globe are facing threats to their well-being and survival—and each one of us has a role to play in protecting them.

This , make your voice heard by using AWI’s website to send a message to lawmakers, government agencies, or corporate leaders about an animal issue that matters to you. In just two minutes, you can encourage decision makers to support legislation and policies that protect animals.

Your voice matters—and together, our voices can help shape a better, kinder world. Will you speak up?

awionline.org/takeaction

10/02/2026

TAKE ACTION: Sexual contact with an animal, also known as animal sexual assault or be******ty, is more common than many people realize. This despicable act can result in suffering, injury, and even death for animals, and it often co-occurs with crimes against humans, including domestic violence and child abuse.

Despite the serious nature of this crime, animal sexual assault is still only a misdemeanor in 17 states—including Ohio, where in just the last few weeks, multiple individuals have been investigated, charged, or pleaded guilty in cases of animal sexual abuse.

There’s good news to celebrate, however: SB 393, which would make animal sexual assault a felony in Ohio, was recently passed unanimously by the Ohio State Senate! But the bill isn’t over the finish line; the Ohio House must now take action. If you live in Ohio, please use the link in the comments to urge your representative to support this important legislation that would help create a kinder and safer Ohio for both animals and people!

📸: iwavephoto

10/01/2026

Yesterday, the Senate introduced what could become the latest in a series of devastating blows to the Endangered Species Act (ESA). If enacted, this permitting legislation would dramatically weaken core protections of the ESA, a law that has helped save 99% of listed species from extinction.

Billed as a way to streamline permitting for infrastructure and other projects, the text of the sweeping 400-plus-page package instead hands industry sweeping giveaways at the expense of threatened and endangered species. It would insert immense uncertainty into longstanding, well-established permitting processes while weakening the ESA’s power to prevent extinction.

Read our statement at the link in the comments.

📸: Aline

09/30/2026

Delegates from governments across the globe are currently gathered in Australia for the 70th meeting of the International Whaling Commission (IWC). AWI is attending the meeting, as we have done for decades, urging the adoption of measures to protect whales worldwide.

In recent years, fish swim bladders (known as “maws”), mostly from large species of croakers, have exploded in popularity. Used as an ingredient in luxury foods, cosmetics, and traditional medicines, maws are coveted as a symbol of wealth and prestige in China and other Asian countries, where a single large specimen can cost tens of thousands of dollars. The heavy demand and high prices have incentivized increased gillnet fishing for certain croakers. This is bad news not only for these fish, but also for the dolphins, porpoises, sharks, sea turtles, and other species that are dying as bycatch in these gillnets; it has already played a major role in the near extinction of the vaquita porpoise.

AWI is working with scientists and other experts to raise the alarm about the fish maw trade's potential to devastate more species and populations. At this year's IWC meeting, member governments will consider a resolution on the trade and its impact on cetaceans. Adoption of this resolution would establish the fish maw trade as a key priority for the IWC and encourage further global action—including via the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, which could regulate international trade in target species, and via the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Animals (CMS), where action is already being taken. AWI strongly supports this resolution and is urging member governments to vote in its favor. Action is urgently needed to prevent the unregulated fish maw trade from creating the next vaquita.

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