American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to
Animals
Headquarters: New York City, NY
Year Founded: 1866
Website: http://www.aspca.org/
Blog: http://www.aspca.org/blog
Mission: “To provide effective means for the prevention of cruelty to animals throughout the
United States."
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Operates one shelter in New York City and is not affiliated with local
SPCAs
“Humane Law Enforcement” upholds and enforces animal cruelty laws
through investigations, citations, and arrests.
“Factory Farming Campaign” seeks to ban common farm animal production
practices through legislation and ballot and initiatives.
“Humane Farm Animal Care” campaign and encourages consumers to
purchase products that contain the Certified Humane Raised and Handled
Label
Advocates the use of the term “guardian” rather than “owner so that animals
can be legally recognized as more than property”
Joined HSUS, MFA, the Animal Legal Defense Fund, and Farm Sanctuary
in celebrating the ban on foie gras that went into effect in California
Made large financial contributions to the anti-modern agriculture group
Farm Forward and vegan activist group Mercy for Animals
Quotes:
“Whether it’s combating puppy mills, improving the lives of farm animals,
or blocking horse slaughter, our Campaigns and Government Relations
teams are in front of the conversation, furthering the debate and working
with state and federal legislators to enact change on behalf of all animals.” –
Mark Bershadker, President and CEO (2012)
Animal Legal Defense Fund
Headquarters: Cotati, California
Year Founded: 1979
Website: www.aldf.org
Blog: www.aldf.org/blog
Mission: “To protect the lives and advance the interests of animals through the legal system.”
“The Animal Legal Defense Fund’s mission it to protect the lives and advance the interests of
animals through the legal system. ALDF accomplishes this mission by: filing high-impact
lawsuits to protect animals from hard; providing free assistance to prosecutors nationwide to
assure that animal abusers are punished for their crimes; supporting tough animal protection
legislation; and providing resources and opportunities to law students and professions to advance
the emerging field of animal law.
Major Programs:
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Promotes animal rights using the legal system.
Offers free legal service to prosecute cases related to animal use.
Involved in lawsuits against counties and states, petitioned USDA to require
mandatory labeling of egg cartons.
Encourages change in the future of animal law through Student Animal
Legal Defense
Fund Chapters and an Animal Law Program.
Outreach includes seminars, workshops and publishes a quarterly newsletter,
The Animals Advocate.
Quotes:
Regarding the HSUS/UEP agreement to seek federal regulation of the egg
industry, Stephen Wells - ALDF Executive Director - comments: "For this
agreement to truly improve the lives of farmed animals in the United States, the
resulting law must have teeth. Existing federal animal protection laws, such as the
Animal Welfare Act, have been rendered practically ineffective because of lax
enforcement by the US Department of Agriculture (USDA), a government agency
closely tied to the agriculture industry. The ideal way to solve this problem would
be the inclusion of a 'citizen suit provision' that would permit enforcement of the
law by concerned citizens." ALDF Blog July 18, 2011
CARTER DILLARD: is the director of litigation for the Animal Legal Defense
Fund. Carter served Compassion Over Killing as general counsel and the Humane
Society of the United States as director of farm animal litigation. In addition to his
work for animal rights, Dillard argues there should be a constitutional limit on
having children. "The right to care, custody, and control of one`s children can be
limited and even terminated by the state`s compelling interest in children not living
beneath a certain minimum threshold level of well-being. All that is needed is a
showing that parenting in the home is unfit, that is, that life within it falls below
some set of statutorily defined guideposts that create a standard of 'minimally
acceptable care', or circumstances which fall below 'minimally adequate standards'
including whether 'there is a showing of parental unwillingness or inability to
provide basic care for the child.' " Procreation, Harm, and the Constitution
Compassion Over Killing
Headquarters: Washington, D.C.
Year Founded: 1995
Website: http://www.cok.net/
Blog: http://www.cok.net/blog/
Mission: “COK focuses on cruelty to animals in agriculture and promotes vegetarian eating
as a way to build a kinder world for all of us, both human and nonhuman."
Major Programs:
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Vegetarian outreach promotes vegetarian eating among mainstream American
public in the U.S., seven days a week through TV, print, radio, and online
advertisements.
Legal advocacy program exposes horrors of animal agribusiness by challenging
the industry through petitions, complains, and lawsuits.
Investigations gather photo and video evidence of severe animal cruelty within
animal agribusiness.
Publications inform members and other readers magazines
Campaigns to persuade food companies to decrease use of meat, eggs and other
animal by-products:
o Dunkin’ Doughnuts with Dunkin’ Cruelty.com for refusal to produce
vegan products
Subway wit “We Love Subway” encouraging people to ask for all vegan
products and their local Subway.
o Meatless Monday working closely with city councils and other institutions
to help implement this community effort to build a kinder, cleaner, and
healthier world.
 Truth in Egg Labeling deceptive marketing on cartons of eggs produced by birds
likely to have been confined in cages include the claims “animal-friendly” and
“naturally-raised” as well as images of hens outside on a green pasture.
 Promotes a meat, egg and dairy-free lifestyle
 Representatives seek undercover employment at farms and processing plants to obtain
illicit video footage and photos.
o
Quotes:
“Most of the footage shows standard practices on hatchery farms, which are exempted
from state animal cruelty codes. Even though certain people would be appalled if these
were dogs or cats being treated this way. Animals raised for food don’t fall under the
same statute.”
-- Erica Meier, Executive Director
Undercover Mifflin County Poultry Plant Video, 2013
(Response to Erica: Sarah Speed, the Pennsylvania state director of the HSUS, said
Pennsylvania animal cruelty statutes primarily pertain to domestic pets, not farm
animals.)
“There is nothing more important that promoting veganism.”
-- Paul Shapiro, Former Co-Founder (VP of HSUS-Farm Animal Protection
Division)
National Student Animal Rights Conference, 2004
Farm Animal Rights Movement
Headquarters: Bethesda, MD
Year Founded: 1981
Website: http://www.farmusa.org/
Blog: http://www.blog.farmusa.org
Mission: “FARM is working to end the use of animals for food through public education and
grassroots activism. We believe in the inherent self-worth of animals, as well as environmental
protection and enhanced public health.”
Major Programs:
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Coordinates annual grassroots events including the “Great American MeatOut” and “World Day for Farm Animals.”
In collaboration with In Defense of Animals hosts “Meatout Mondays”
providing supplemental material on how to live meat free for one day per
week.
Provides small grants to vegetarian and farm animal protection groups in 30
countries.
In 2010, launched “FARM Underground” a campaign targeting youth to
advocate for their schools to provide vegan options and encourage youth
activism.
Organizes the national Animal Rights National Conference held every year,
alternating between Los Angeles and Washington D.C.
Provides vegetarian and vegan eating guides, and other materials.
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Founded “A Well Fed World”, an organization focused on climate change
and hunger issues.
Quotes:
“Factory farming is not the key problem, but a system. The key problem is that
society thinks it is okay to kill and use these animals.”
– Michael Weber, Campaign Coordinator, Animal Rights Conference, 2010
“My organization wants the federal government to enact a ‘sin tax’ on meat with
money going toward retraining industry employees into socially useful jobs” —
such as “growing and producing vegetables.”
– Alex Hershaft, Meat Industry Trade Magazine, 2013
Farm Sanctuary
Headquarters: Watkins Glen, NY
Year Founded: 1986
Website:
http://www.farmsanctuary.org/
Blog: http://blog.farmsanctuary.org/
Mission: “To protect farm animals from cruelty, inspire change in the way
society views and treats farm animals, and promote compassionate vegan living."
Major Programs:
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Rescue shelter, and adoption provides rescue, rehab and care for abused and
neglected farm animals. Offers services involving adoptions, animal
placement assistance and animal care info.
Education and outreach provides programs and broadcasting literature and
info to educate public about farm animal issues
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Research, investigation and action assists police, attorneys and human law
enforcement officers in farm animal cruelty cases.
Quotes:
“We have cows, pigs, chickens, turkeys that we live with, we take care of and
when you get to know them they are not that different than cats and dogs. They
have feelings, they have relationships.”
(CBS New York, The Couch October 2013)
-- Gene Baur, Farm Sanctuary President
“People need not consume meat, dairy, or eggs... Everyone who agrees
unnecessary animal suffering should be ended must eat no animal food products.”
(Kansas City Star, 2000)
-- David J. Cant, Farm Sanctuary “investigator”
Fund for Animals
Headquarters: New York, NY
Year Founded: 1967
Website: www.fundforanimals.org
Mission: “To operate animal care facilities and advocate for animal protection.”
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Formed the Humane Society Legislative Fund with HSUS to run legislation
campaigns at the state and national level.
Operates six horse, rabbit, and wildlife sanctuaries.
Lobbies against hunting, trapping, animal agriculture, and circuses.
Launched the Animal Protection Litigation department, with a staff of 30+
full-time lawyers and a network of 1,000+ pro bono lawyers.
Coordinates “Animal Law Litigation Project” at George Washington
University’s School of Law.
Quotes:
“I know that you are a person who is appalled and outraged about animal cruelty,
abuse and neglect, and the terrible things that happen to puppies, kittens, dogs, cats
and other pets. That's why you joined The HSUS in the first place! So stay with
us — please. We need each other. It will take only a few minutes to renew your
membership for 2009. By doing so, you'll be helping us continue to speak out for
the animals who cannot speak for themselves.”
– Wayne Pacelle, President (HSUS Fundraising tactics, 2010)
“..your everyday meat-eaters and cosmetics users; they are not vivisectors, they are
not slaughterhouse operators, and they have basic feelings of compassion. But they
are accustomed to eating, wearing, and using animal products, and they need to be
convinced to give them up. They can be won over- slowly but surely they are being
won over…”
– Michael Markarian, former President (current HSUS COO)
Global Animal Partnership
Headquarters: Washington, D.C.
Year Founded: 2008
Website:
www.globalanimalpartnership.org
Mission: “To advance a single mission of promoting and facilitating continuous improvement
in the welfare of animals raised for food.”
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In 2007, Whole Foods introduced GAP’s 5-Step animal welfare rating for
animal products sold in its stores in the US and abroad.
Members of GAP’s Board of Directors have an extreme bias against modern
farming and ranching, even though they are science-based and commonly
used the majority of producers.
The CEO of Whole Foods, John Mackey, is a committed vegan.
In fall 2011, Park indicated at the Future Trends in Animal
Agriculture meeting in D.C. that 140 million animals and 1,600 farms had
been GAP certified. Five farms were at “Step 5” and none had achieved
“Step 5+”.
GAP board member group Farm Forward’s leadership includes Jonathan
Safran Foer (author of Eating Animals, a book that promotes veganism),
Bruce Friedrich (former PETA VP currently
representing Farm Sanctuary), and Ben Goldsmith (former PETA legislative
campaign leader).
Quotes:
“I don’t want to be in the position where I am treating someone else different
simply because they are another species.”
– Miyun Park, Executive Director – former Vice President for HSUS and
co-founder of Compassion Over Killing (“Gristle” book signing event,
2010)
“We believe in the Three Rs - reducing the consumption of meat and other animalbased foods; refining the diet by eating products only from methods of production,
transport, and slaughter that minimize pain and distress; and replacing meat and
other animal-based foods in the diet with plant-based foods."
– Wayne Pacelle, President/CEO (Farm & Dairy Magazine, 2009)
Humane Society of the United States
Headquarters: Washington, D.C.
Year Founded: 1954
Website: http://www.hsus.org
Blog: http://hsus.typepad.com/wayne/
Mission: “The Humane Society of the United States’ mission is to celebrate animals and
confront cruelty.”
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No affiliation with local shelters- runs misleading commercials filled with
celebrities and images of mistreated animals to fundraise.
“Factory Farming Campaign” seeks to ban common farm animal production
practices through legislation and ballot initiatives.
Representatives seek undercover employment at farms and processing plants to
obtain illicit video footage and photos.
Hosts conferences and workshops for animal activists, including annual “Taking
Action for Animals” conference- all events are catered with vegan food only.
Buys stocks in retail/restaurant companies to introduce shareholder resolutions
impacting farm animal production practices.
Targets youth with campaigns; launched Humane Society University in 2010.
Files lawsuits against governments and animal facilities to force policy changes.
Acquired the Association of Veterinarians for Animals Rights (now called
Humane Society Veterinary Medical Association) in 2008.
Quotes:
"My goal is the abolition of all animal agriculture."
John “J.P.” Goodwin, Director of Animal Cruelty Policy and former Animal
Liberation Front spokesperson
“We believe in the Three Rs - reducing the consumption of meat and other animal-based
foods; refining the diet by eating products only from methods of production, transport,
and slaughter that minimize pain and distress; and replacing meat and other animal-based
foods in the diet with plant-based foods."
Wayne Pacelle, President/CEO (Farm & Dairy Magazine, 2009)
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“We have no ethical obligation to preserve the different breeds of livestock produced
through selective breeding… One generation and out. We have no problems with the
extinction of domestic animals. They are creations of human selective breeding.”
- Wayne Pacelle (Animal People News, 2012)
In Defense of Animals
Headquarters: San Rafael,
California
Website: www.idausa.org
Year Founded: 1983
Mission: “To end animal exploitation, cruelty, and abuse by protecting and advocating for the
rights, welfare, and habitats of animals, as well as to raise their status beyond mere property,
commodities, or things.”
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Has a variety of campaigns focused on:
o Banning animals in entertainment
o Eliminating dissection in science
o Anti-dog breeding, foie gras and fur
o Banning medical research using animals
o Promoting animal “guardianship” – not “ownership”
Advocated for a vegetarian or vegan lifestyle, promotes “eco-eating” using
YouTube videos
Produces PSAs with celebrity endorsements and images of injured or
mistreated animals
Operates the Hope Animal Sanctuary in Mississippi
In collaboration with FARM, hosts “Meatout Mondays” providing materials
on how to live meat-free for one day per week
Quotes:
“Animals on a modern factory farm lead lives of unimaginable suffering and die
cruel deaths in order to end up on the dinner table. [...]Death is merciless and
inevitable: a bolt gun or a knife ends a life spent in hell.”
- IDA website, 2011
“I am convinced that animal abuse, neglect and abandonment will dramatically
decrease as more and more people with use the term ‘guardian’ as opposed to the
term’ owner. I see this as an important step in our efforts to make the world a more
just and compassionate place for all our fellow beings” (The Guardian Campaign,
2011)
- Dr. Elliott Katz, Founder, President Emeritus
Mercy for Animals
Headquarters: Chicago, IL
Year Founded: 1999
Website: www.mercyforanimals.org
Blog: www.MFAblog.org
Mission: “Works to be a voice for animals through proactive consumer education and
advertising campaigns, research and undercover investigations, rescues, working with news
media, and grassroots activism. Mercy for Animals is dedicated to preventing cruelty to farmed
animals and promoting compassionate food choices and policies.”
Major Programs:
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Advocates for the total elimination of animal agriculture, promoting a vegan
lifestyle.
Sponsor of “Farm to Fridge Tour” promoting undercover videos of “factory
farms”.
Hosts the website ChooseVeg.com, a provider of vegetarian and vegan
eating guides, recipes and reasons to switch to vegetarianism.
Representatives seek undercover employment at farms and processing
plants to obtain illicit video footage and photos.
Websites include MeatVideo.com, ChooseVeg.com, VegGuide.org and
MFAblog.org
Quotes:
“It’s quite common that farmers don’t have respect for animals and use them as a
commodity.”
- Heather Patrick, MFA Chicago Campaign Coordinator (HSUS Taking
Action for Animals Conference, 2009)
“Animal abuse is systemic throughout animal agriculture.”
- Nathan Runkle, Executive Director (“Fowl Play” video, 2009)
“Often, MFA investigators will obtain jobs at a facility, as a maintenance worker
for example, and then use pinhole-sized hidden cameras and audio recording
devices to document what they see.”
- Matt Rice, Director of Operations, about “undercover” photography on
farms =(Veganconsultant.com, 2011)
People for the Ethical Treatment of Animal
Headquarters: Norfolk, VA
Year Founded: 1980
Website: http://www.peta.org/
Blog:
http://www.peta.org/b/thepetafiles/def
ault.aspx
Mission: “PETA focuses its attention on the four areas in which the largest numbers of
animals suffer the most intensely for the longest periods of time: on factory farms, in the clothing
trade, in laboratories, and in the entertainment industry."
Major Programs:
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Research, investigation and rescue receives complaints of cruelty, works for
the release of and obtains care for abused, neglected and at risk animals,
investigates cruelty cases, conducts undercover investigations, gathers
evidence of law violations, and takes action to ensure the enforcement of
laws and regulations in an effort to protect the animals involved
Public outreach and education conducts educational campaigns and
publishes materials that are distributed to students, teachers, the general
public, and supporters.
International grassroots campaign organizes campaigns to inform the public
about how animals are abused in the food, clothing, experimentation, and
entertainment industries, among other places.
Quotes:
“[Eating meat] is not your personal decision, any more than, you now, whether
somebody beats their child is their personal decision.” (Animal Rights Conference,
2002)
- Bruce Friedrich, former Vice President
“There’s no rational basis for saying that a human being has special rights. A rat is
a pig is a dog is a boy. They’re all animals.” (Washingtonian Magazine, 1986)
- Ingrid Newkirk, President
“We’re at war, and we’ll do what we need to win If we got rid of the slave trade,
we can get rid of the beef industry.” (USA Today, 1991)
- Dan Matthews, Senior VP
“What we must do is start viewing every cow, pig, chicken, monkey, rabbit,
mouse, and pigeon as our family members.” (Toledo Blade, 2001)
- Gary Yourofsky, National Lecturer
Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine
Headquarters: Washington, D.C.
Year Founded: 1985
Website: www.prcm.org
Mission: “Promotes preventive medicine, conducts clinical research, and encourages higher
standards for ethics and effectiveness in research.”
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Created by PETA in 1985 to be the “scientific” voice of the animal rights
movement. It spreads stories about the horrors of eating meat, milk and eggs,
and promotes vegetarianism.
In August of 2000, PCRM filed a complaint with the USDA over its new
“Thermy” campaign that promotes the use of thermometers in meat
preparation, claiming that “meat is unsafe at any temperature.”
It promotes that meat consumption leads to cancer, diabetes, heart disease,
hypertension,
and other serious health problems. Barnard even compares “the dangers” of
eating meat to smoking tobacco.
Promotes a national anti-meat and anti-milk campaign depicting a vegan
lifestyle as the healthiest choice. In 1991, PCRM proposed that meat and
dairy be dropped completely from the Food Pyramid.
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The PCRM Legislative fund, Cancer Project, and Washington Center for
Clinical Research are spinoffs of PCRM projects. PCRM received funding
from PETA until 2005.
Quotes:
“To give a child animal products is a form of child abuse.”
- Neal Barnard, M.D., President (“Food For Life” book, 1994)
“The beef industry has contributed to more American deaths than all the wars of
this century, all natural disasters, and all automobile accidents combined. If beef is
your idea of “real food for real people,” you’d better live close to a real good
hospital.”
- Neal Barnard, M.D., President (The Buffalo News, 1995)
“Get arrested. Destroy the property of those who torture animals. Liberate those
animals interned in the hellholes our society tolerates.”
- Jerry Vlasak, M.D., former spokesperson and scientific advisor (Animal
Rights Conference, 2002)
World Society for the Protection of Animals
Headquarters: New York City, NY
Year Founded: 1980
Website: http://www.wspa-usa.org/
Mission: “The World Society for the Protection of Animals exists to tackle animal
cruelty across the globe. We work directly with animals and with the people and
organizations that can ensure animals are treated with respect and compassion. "
Major Programs:
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Project Central America responded for animals in disasters yielded major
results, including successful training for first responders in Paraguay,
ongoing classes in Mexico for how to intervene for livestock in disaster
situations, and engaging in on-the-ground work in Haiti for animal victims
of tsunami flooding.
Animal Welfare 2012 programs addressed many of the largest and widest
reaching animal welfare injustices in the world.
Latin America Project played an important part in the Pan-American
Congress of Vet Medicine, held panel on welfare and offered classes on
humane slaughter to vets from five countries.
group Farm Forward and vegan activist group Mercy for Animals
Quotes:
“Kinder farming is clever farming: making life on the farm better can help us
tackle problems like pollution and poverty.”
- WSPA Staff