Animal Welfare Institute

AWI is now accepting proposals for the 2025 Christine Stevens Wildlife Awards, which provide up to $15,000 to help spur innovative research to aid in the development of techniques to humanely resolve human–wildlife conflicts and study wildlife. Applications are due March 3. Learn more: https://lnkd.in/d6nSw87d

North Atlantic right whales are a critically endangered species; only about 370 remain, and less than 20% are reproductively active females. The biggest threats they face are from humans: fishing gear entanglements and ship strikes. This past December, three North Atlantic right whales were spotted with fishing gear entanglements in the same week, two of which are likely to result in death. One distressed whale off the coast of North Carolina had rope wrapped around his head and mouth, with two buoys attached to the line. Sadly, this preventable harm is common to these whales. Around 85% have scars from entanglements, and over 50% have been entangled two or more times. Traditional fishing gear uses vertical lines of rope to connect crab and lobster traps at the bottom of the ocean with buoys at the surface, presenting a major entanglement risk to whales as they swim, play, and migrate. We already have the technology for a viable solution, however: Ropeless fishing gear, also known as pop-up or on-demand fishing gear, includes remote-controlled cages, inflatable lift-bags, and spools of rope that are stowed on the seafloor (rather than suspended in the water). Fishers benefit from using ropeless gear too as it helps them locate lost gear, bring in their catch more efficiently, and stay safe on board. This #WorldWhaleDay, spread the word that #TheFutureIsRopeless! Additional ways to take action: 🔹 Tell your seafood retailer you prefer suppliers who use ropeless fishing systems 🔹 Vote for and support politicians who support whale protections 🔹 Educate your friends and family about whale entanglements -- Video Credit: Video 1: NOAA taken under permit MMHSRP Permit # 932-1905 Still Photos: NOAA and iStock Video 2: Carlos Gauna Video 3: Carlos Gauna Animations: Jessica Russo Voiceover: Chris Clark

You’ve seen it in the news and in grocery aisles: The price tag on eggs is unprecedented. With the rapid spread of bird flu across the United States, industrial egg farms are killing millions of egg-laying hens, throttling the available egg supply. Once bird flu is detected on a farm, producers must cull their entire flock to prevent further spread of the disease. Bird flu isn’t only hurting consumers—it’s a farmed animal welfare disaster, too. When bird flocks are culled due to a disease outbreak, producers often opt to use an inhumane method known as ventilation shutdown plus (VSD+)—a process that kills animals by inducing heatstroke. Tap through to learn more about the harms of VSD+. Then, take action against this cruel killing method at awionline.org/vsd.

TAKE ACTION: Tomorrow, the Great Backyard Bird Count kicks off—four days of citizen science for people of all ages to celebrate, count, learn about, and enjoy birds! This annual initiative is run by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, and the data collected helps scientists track bird movements and populations. Participating is easy and can be done almost anywhere: Step 1: Decide where you will watch birds. Step 2: Watch birds for 15 minutes or more, at least once, between February 14 and 17. Step 3: Using the Merlin Bird ID app or another method of identification, catalogue all the birds you see or hear. Step 4: Enter your data via one of the approved channels: https://lnkd.in/ed5c42E Let us know in the comments if you plan to participate, and happy birding!

Reminder: Proposals for the 2025 Christine Stevens Wildlife Awards, which provide up to $15,000 to help spur innovative research to aid in the development of techniques to humanely resolve human–wildlife conflicts and study wildlife, are due March 3.

In response to the AVMA (American Veterinary Medical Association)’s request for comments, 868 veterinarians and veterinary students—including AWI supporters—urged revisions to its draft guidelines for killing methods for farmed animals, such as intentionally causing heat stroke among hens, suffocating pigs and cattle with water-based foam, and bludgeoning piglets. https://lnkd.in/eGE6dkQB

The Big Cat Public Safety Act (BCPSA), a bill championed by AWI, was signed into law in 2022, prohibiting the private ownership of lions, tigers, and other big cats, as well as public contact with big cats like cub petting. This law is an incredible step forward for both public safety and big cat welfare in the US. At least twice since then, the BCPSA has been used to thwart efforts to perpetuate the big cat pet trade. Closing down this cruel and dangerous trade for good requires not only continued vigilance by the US Fish and Wildlife Service and other federal and state agencies, but also awareness of the law by citizens who spot potential violations. Learn more in the AWI Quarterly: https://lnkd.in/erRv_t-A

What does “humanely raised” mean on a food label? Unfortunately, it may not mean what you think: Under USDA guidelines, the term could stand for many things—not all of them relevant to animal welfare. “The only thing that [USDA] guidelines require is that the company include how it chooses to define ‘humanely raised,’ either on the package itself or through links to where a consumer can find that definition on the company’s website.” – Zack Strong, senior attorney and AWI Farmed Animal Program director Thank you, Public News Service, for picking up this article by Sentient Media. https://lnkd.in/esvxftby

Thank you, Congressman Jeff Van Drew (R-NJ) and Congresswoman Julia Brownley (D-CA), for introducing the bipartisan Child and Animal Abuse Detection and Reporting Act. This legislation would amend the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act to require that data collected by the federal government from state child protection agencies include information about animal abuse as a risk factor for child abuse. Learn more: https://lnkd.in/eysf2Z-R

UPCOMING WEBINAR: Wednesday, February 12, join archaeologist and author Dr. William T. Taylor and the Homes for Horses Coalition to learn about how the transformative relationship between people and horses emerged. Dr. Taylor will discuss the significance of horse domestication in relation to ecology, communication, culture, ceremony, and societal structure, and how new research is overturning long-held assumptions about the timing and process of the first domestication, revealing a process that was far more rapid and disruptive than previously understood. Register here: https://lnkd.in/ezrvUkTH