ESGBERT/base_data · Datasets at Hugging Face

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We urged the National Marine Fisheries Service to deny the permit, but emphasized that if a permit was issued, it should contain three conditions: no breeding, no public performance, and decisions regarding the future of these whales following the five-year period of the permit should be made by NMFS, not Mystic.
When NMFS did issue the permit at the end of August included all three conditions.
In September gave a live remote keynote address at a symposium for legislators, academics, and the public in South Korea on potential legislative approaches to ending captive cetacean display in that country.
The national government subsequently began working toward an animal welfare law that would ban import of cetaceans for display, tourist encounters with cetaceans (such as swim-with-dolphin programs), and cetacean displays in any new facilities.
Activists are also pushing for a breeding ban.
the International Whaling Commission this year, AWI’s Sue Fisher drafted a declaration titled A 50-year Vision for the IWC.
Committee, and the Working Group on Operational Effectiveness (which examines the functionality of the IWC).
And with support from AWI and other organizations, a joint IWC/Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species virtual workshop was held in April to identify and prioritize the research needed to advance our understanding of cetacean contributions to ecosystem functioning.
A report from the workshop (published just after the close of the fiscal year) emphasizes the ways in which whales help mitigate climate change, transport nutrients, enhance marine productivity, and promote biodiversity in marine ecosystems.
concerns over entanglements involving North Atlantic right whales.
Canada to present on concerns related to right whale entanglement and MSC snow crab certifications.
withdrew from the MSC certification program and is now engaged in a fishery improvement program that includes testing of ropeless gear.
Extreme weather events claim the lives of tens of thousands of farm animals each year.
with producers to formulate disaster preparedness plans that would help avoid mass animal deaths in such situations.
Over the past decade, millions of animals have suffered horrific deaths in barn fires.
changes to the NFPA code for animal housing that will provide better protections for farm animals.
The changes will be reflected in the edition of the code.
year in our efforts to force the USDA to proactively release enforcement records related to the treatment of farm animals at slaughter.
As a result of our lawsuit, the USDA posted approximately humane slaughter enforcement records on its website in May 2021, providing a window into how animals are treated at slaughter, and exposing inhumane practices at specific establishments.
Among the problems documented by these records is the suffering of millions of birds at slaughter plants due to being crushed and asphyxiated, exposed to extreme weather, and immersed in scalding hot water without being properly rendered unconscious beforehand.
sued the USDA for denying our rulemaking petition requesting that the department create regulations to require humane handling of birds.
that would have allowed poultry plants to increase line speeds by and then elected in May not to contest a court decision halting line speed increases (which were approved in 2019) for pig slaughter plants.
practices used to market meat and poultry products, which undermine markets for high welfare production.
“humanely raised” on its chicken sausage and turkey products.
These complaints represent the first time an FTC complaint has been brought against a product based on the contents of its pre-market label approval file from the USDA.
The program made two updates to its standards in response to our input, and AWI is continuing to advocate further changes.
I M A L SF A R M A N I M A L S AWI seeks an end to cruel methods of housing, handling, transporting, and slaughtering farm animals.
We promote pasture-based farming systems that allow animals to express natural behaviors, as an alternative to factory farming.
R I E S AWI fosters species-appropriate housing, compassionate care and handling, and minimization of fear, distress, and pain for animals in research.
Act request, AWI received hundreds of photographs of chinchillas at the premises of Moulton Chinchilla Ranch who are clearly suffering from a lack of needed veterinary care.
After the complaint was filed, however, a hearing was delayed, and USDA inspectors continued to cite the dealer for failing to meet the basic needs of the animals, who are sold for experimentation.
AWI called for the USDA to take further action against the dealer, such as filing a second complaint given these ongoing allegations.
in-person meetings, AWI was still able to present at various virtual events.
The vast majority of animals used in research are rodents, thus our strong focus on their welfare.
RSPCA/UFAW Rodent Welfare Meeting on designing research programs around animals’ needs rather than fitting animals into programs focused on practicality.
the importance of good welfare for both animals and caretakers.
A&M University) for testing materials as environmental enrichment items for birds and other species; Dr.
a project assessing voluntary interaction of carp with novel environmental enrichment items that promote cognitive stimulation and agency.
& Enrichment Forum (LAREF) moved to a new online platform in November 2020.
The transition was smooth and animal care personnel, veterinarians, researchers, and students were able to continue engaging in discussions related to improving the conditions under which animals are housed and cared for in research institutions.
Popcorn enrichment for primates, eliminating boredom in cats, social housing of hamsters, and environmental enrichment for sheep were among the many topics of conversation.
A F F A I R S AWI has been a leader, at both federal and state levels, in securing landmark laws aimed at shielding animals from cruelty and needless suffering.
We work to ensure diligent enforcement of these laws and fight efforts to roll back hard-won animal protections.
was signed into law at the end of included an impressive number of animal welfare wins that AWI championed and worked with members of Congress to help bring about.
The bill provides significant funding for + programs to provide shelter to survivors of domestic violence and their companion animals, + conservation efforts on behalf of critically endangered North Atlantic right whales, + efforts to combat wildlife trafficking and dangerous wildlife practices that threaten global public health, and + Horse Protection Act enforcement.
Conversely, the bill includes funding bans that, during the fiscal year, prevent + licensing of Class B dealers (who acquire animals from random sources and seek to sell them to laboratories for experimentation), + operation of horse slaughter facilities within the United States, and + sale to foreign slaughterhouses of wild horses and burros managed by the Bureau of Land Management and the US Forest Service.
In addition, the omnibus spending bill incorporates the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act in its entirety.
AWI campaigned heavily for this law, which will curb the widespread doping that has plagued US horseracing and led to countless racehorse injuries and fatalities.
January, and a number of animal welfare bills AWI worked on and helped promote were reintroduced within the first six months.
support efforts by local governments and nonprofit organizations to rescue and rehabilitate sick and injured marine mammals and efforts to determine the causes of such injuries and illnesses, and + the Save America’s Forgotten Equines (SAFE) Act (HR ban the slaughter of horses for human consumption, as well as their export for that purpose.
During the fiscal year, AWI led efforts to get these vital provisions included in the package.
of equines to slaughter, thereby ending the current export of American horses across the border to slaughterhouses in Canada and Mexico.
would prohibit the dangerous transport of horses in double-deck trailers designed for much shorter livestock.
Montana that sought to make trapping a constitutional right (and thereby harder to limit).
We testified against the bill twice, published an op-ed in Montana’s largest newspapers, and submitted a petition signed by Montana constituents.
initiated and helped push through that expands the cross-reporting among law enforcement, veterinarians, and social service professionals of abuse of both animals and people to better protect both.
snares, and poisons on New Mexico’s public lands.
AWI helped organize and present a widely attended webinar on trapping to build support for the bill.
AWI is a member of the steering committee of the National Coalition to End Wildlife Killing Contests.
We collaborated with national and local organizations to get a Maryland law enacted in May killing contests targeting foxes, coyotes, and raccoons.
This follows upon our successful effort the previous year to get a similar law enacted in Colorado and continues our momentum to get such laws passed across the nation.
Thus far, eight states have banned certain forms of wildlife killing contests.
Seven years of enforcement data collected by AWI revealed a precipitous drop in enforcement that indicates the USDA had abrogated its responsibility to ensure humane care and treatment of the animals these laws are meant to protect.
From to 2020, there was a 67 percent drop in the number of AWA inspections in which citations were documented, and a nearly 90 percent drop in new investigations.
Under the HPA, there were no warning letters, no new investigations, and only one administrative complaint filed since 2018.
The enforcement drop-off predated the pandemic so cannot be attributed to that disruption.
Tennessee walking horses and other gaited breeds need to be reissued.
Methods for Detecting Soreness in Horses, helped underscore this need.
Among its recommendations: discontinuing the use of industry inspectors (referred to as “designated qualified persons”) at shows to detect for soring, to be replaced by inspections by trained veterinarians.
As AWI does each year, we organized a meeting between the humane community and the USDA regarding the department’s administration of the AWA and the HPA.
Due to the pandemic, the half-day meeting was held virtually, with from 15 animal protection organizations and approximately 15 USDA staff.
We emphasized the need for the USDA to prevent animal suffering at horse shows, puppy mills, other animal dealers, zoos, circuses, handlers, and research laboratories, as well as during air travel.
unwilling to acknowledge these problems, and thus seems ill equipped to fix them.
If the USDA can’t or won’t do its job, AWI will look to Congress to remedy the situation.
A N I M A L S AWI promotes strong enforcement of laws to protect companion animals.
We develop resources to help law enforcement officials prosecute animal abusers and help social service agencies address the relationship between animal cruelty and family violence.
website in support of our Safe Havens for Pets initiative, which aims to help domestic violence survivors and their pets escape abusive situations.
individuals experiencing domestic violence in placing their companion animals out of harm’s way so that they may seek safety for themselves.
The listings, searchable by zip code and updated regularly, feature organizations that either provide sheltering services for the animals of domestic violence survivors, have a relationship with an entity that does, or provide referrals to such facilities.
They include humane societies, veterinary offices, foster homes, and domestic violence shelters that house humans and pets together.
Other tools available on the new website include links to information on safety planning for pets of domestic violence survivors, questions to ask about these pets during intake, and a map of states that allow companion animals to be included in temporary protection orders.
Meanwhile, we have continued to update and expand our catalog of state-specific manuals providing instructions on how to include pets in protection orders.
Randour serve on the boards and task forces of several partnerships involving law enforcement agencies, other government entities, and nongovernmental organizations working to combat animal cruelty.
& Humane Law Enforcement Committee of the Small & Rural Law Enforcement Executives Association (SRLEEA).
Reporting Act, which would 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.
to defray the costs of hay, feed, and veterinary care to equine rescues that were severely impacted during natural disasters.
that AWI leads—we organized a webinar series for those working in equine rescue to stay connected during the pandemic, covering topics such as veterinary care for burros and disaster preparedness measures to move horses to safety.
widespread disruptions, one of several actions AWI took on behalf of wild and domestic animals was to provide emergency grants to two rescue facilities, housing a combined were facing catastrophic shortages of food, water, and critical supplies.
The AWI Quarterly magazine is distributed to over and organizations, including public libraries, deans of medical and veterinary schools, laboratory technicians, scientists, farmers, teachers, law enforcement officers, shelters, animal protection organizations, members of Congress, and AWI members.
The following are summaries of some of the articles featured in the magazine this fiscal year.
veterinarians reporting animal abuse, and vets in the state may now make good-faith reports of suspected animal abuse to law enforcement in most cases.
All or require vets to report suspected animal cruelty.
After a improve education and communication among vets regarding animal abuse, AWI developed posters for vet offices on abuse warning signs and what to do if abuse is suspected.
While animal dissection remains commonplace in K– have been shown to be more effective, inclusive, and economical.
Nerdy with Mel and Gerdy, and Merge Cube were particular standouts.
use of sodium cyanide and sodium fluoroacetate (used in livestock protection collars) in predator management devices nationwide.
Predators have enormous ecological value— keeping prey populations from overrunning natural landscapes and croplands, reducing disease transmission, providing food for scavengers such as California condors and bald eagles, and keeping smaller mesocarnivores (e.g., coyotes, foxes, martens, and skunks) in check.
These and other services mean predators have significant economic value as well—from bats eating crop-damaging insects to bobcats boosting tourism in Yellowstone.
The ecological and economic value of predators demands that we discard old prejudices against these species and promote their protection.
International transport of farm animals by sea vessel raises serious animal welfare issues.

We urged the National Marine Fisheries Service to deny the permit, but emphasized that if a permit was issued, it should contain three conditions: no breeding, no public performance, and decisions regarding the future of these whales following the five-year period of the permit should be made by NMFS, not Mystic.

When NMFS did issue the permit at the end of August included all three conditions.

In September gave a live remote keynote address at a symposium for legislators, academics, and the public in South Korea on potential legislative approaches to ending captive cetacean display in that country.

The national government subsequently began working toward an animal welfare law that would ban import of cetaceans for display, tourist encounters with cetaceans (such as swim-with-dolphin programs), and cetacean displays in any new facilities.

Activists are also pushing for a breeding ban.

the International Whaling Commission this year, AWI’s Sue Fisher drafted a declaration titled A 50-year Vision for the IWC.

Committee, and the Working Group on Operational Effectiveness (which examines the functionality of the IWC).

And with support from AWI and other organizations, a joint IWC/Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species virtual workshop was held in April to identify and prioritize the research needed to advance our understanding of cetacean contributions to ecosystem functioning.

A report from the workshop (published just after the close of the fiscal year) emphasizes the ways in which whales help mitigate climate change, transport nutrients, enhance marine productivity, and promote biodiversity in marine ecosystems.

concerns over entanglements involving North Atlantic right whales.

Canada to present on concerns related to right whale entanglement and MSC snow crab certifications.

withdrew from the MSC certification program and is now engaged in a fishery improvement program that includes testing of ropeless gear.

Extreme weather events claim the lives of tens of thousands of farm animals each year.

with producers to formulate disaster preparedness plans that would help avoid mass animal deaths in such situations.

Over the past decade, millions of animals have suffered horrific deaths in barn fires.

changes to the NFPA code for animal housing that will provide better protections for farm animals.

The changes will be reflected in the edition of the code.

year in our efforts to force the USDA to proactively release enforcement records related to the treatment of farm animals at slaughter.

As a result of our lawsuit, the USDA posted approximately humane slaughter enforcement records on its website in May 2021, providing a window into how animals are treated at slaughter, and exposing inhumane practices at specific establishments.

Among the problems documented by these records is the suffering of millions of birds at slaughter plants due to being crushed and asphyxiated, exposed to extreme weather, and immersed in scalding hot water without being properly rendered unconscious beforehand.

sued the USDA for denying our rulemaking petition requesting that the department create regulations to require humane handling of birds.

that would have allowed poultry plants to increase line speeds by and then elected in May not to contest a court decision halting line speed increases (which were approved in 2019) for pig slaughter plants.

practices used to market meat and poultry products, which undermine markets for high welfare production.

“humanely raised” on its chicken sausage and turkey products.

These complaints represent the first time an FTC complaint has been brought against a product based on the contents of its pre-market label approval file from the USDA.

The program made two updates to its standards in response to our input, and AWI is continuing to advocate further changes.

I M A L SF A R M A N I M A L S AWI seeks an end to cruel methods of housing, handling, transporting, and slaughtering farm animals.

We promote pasture-based farming systems that allow animals to express natural behaviors, as an alternative to factory farming.

R I E S AWI fosters species-appropriate housing, compassionate care and handling, and minimization of fear, distress, and pain for animals in research.

Act request, AWI received hundreds of photographs of chinchillas at the premises of Moulton Chinchilla Ranch who are clearly suffering from a lack of needed veterinary care.

After the complaint was filed, however, a hearing was delayed, and USDA inspectors continued to cite the dealer for failing to meet the basic needs of the animals, who are sold for experimentation.

AWI called for the USDA to take further action against the dealer, such as filing a second complaint given these ongoing allegations.

in-person meetings, AWI was still able to present at various virtual events.

The vast majority of animals used in research are rodents, thus our strong focus on their welfare.

RSPCA/UFAW Rodent Welfare Meeting on designing research programs around animals’ needs rather than fitting animals into programs focused on practicality.

the importance of good welfare for both animals and caretakers.

A&M University) for testing materials as environmental enrichment items for birds and other species; Dr.

a project assessing voluntary interaction of carp with novel environmental enrichment items that promote cognitive stimulation and agency.

& Enrichment Forum (LAREF) moved to a new online platform in November 2020.

The transition was smooth and animal care personnel, veterinarians, researchers, and students were able to continue engaging in discussions related to improving the conditions under which animals are housed and cared for in research institutions.

Popcorn enrichment for primates, eliminating boredom in cats, social housing of hamsters, and environmental enrichment for sheep were among the many topics of conversation.

A F F A I R S AWI has been a leader, at both federal and state levels, in securing landmark laws aimed at shielding animals from cruelty and needless suffering.

We work to ensure diligent enforcement of these laws and fight efforts to roll back hard-won animal protections.

was signed into law at the end of included an impressive number of animal welfare wins that AWI championed and worked with members of Congress to help bring about.

The bill provides significant funding for + programs to provide shelter to survivors of domestic violence and their companion animals, + conservation efforts on behalf of critically endangered North Atlantic right whales, + efforts to combat wildlife trafficking and dangerous wildlife practices that threaten global public health, and + Horse Protection Act enforcement.

Conversely, the bill includes funding bans that, during the fiscal year, prevent + licensing of Class B dealers (who acquire animals from random sources and seek to sell them to laboratories for experimentation), + operation of horse slaughter facilities within the United States, and + sale to foreign slaughterhouses of wild horses and burros managed by the Bureau of Land Management and the US Forest Service.

In addition, the omnibus spending bill incorporates the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act in its entirety.

AWI campaigned heavily for this law, which will curb the widespread doping that has plagued US horseracing and led to countless racehorse injuries and fatalities.

January, and a number of animal welfare bills AWI worked on and helped promote were reintroduced within the first six months.

support efforts by local governments and nonprofit organizations to rescue and rehabilitate sick and injured marine mammals and efforts to determine the causes of such injuries and illnesses, and + the Save America’s Forgotten Equines (SAFE) Act (HR ban the slaughter of horses for human consumption, as well as their export for that purpose.

During the fiscal year, AWI led efforts to get these vital provisions included in the package.

of equines to slaughter, thereby ending the current export of American horses across the border to slaughterhouses in Canada and Mexico.

would prohibit the dangerous transport of horses in double-deck trailers designed for much shorter livestock.

Montana that sought to make trapping a constitutional right (and thereby harder to limit).

We testified against the bill twice, published an op-ed in Montana’s largest newspapers, and submitted a petition signed by Montana constituents.

initiated and helped push through that expands the cross-reporting among law enforcement, veterinarians, and social service professionals of abuse of both animals and people to better protect both.

snares, and poisons on New Mexico’s public lands.

AWI helped organize and present a widely attended webinar on trapping to build support for the bill.

AWI is a member of the steering committee of the National Coalition to End Wildlife Killing Contests.

We collaborated with national and local organizations to get a Maryland law enacted in May killing contests targeting foxes, coyotes, and raccoons.

This follows upon our successful effort the previous year to get a similar law enacted in Colorado and continues our momentum to get such laws passed across the nation.

Thus far, eight states have banned certain forms of wildlife killing contests.

Seven years of enforcement data collected by AWI revealed a precipitous drop in enforcement that indicates the USDA had abrogated its responsibility to ensure humane care and treatment of the animals these laws are meant to protect.

From to 2020, there was a 67 percent drop in the number of AWA inspections in which citations were documented, and a nearly 90 percent drop in new investigations.

Under the HPA, there were no warning letters, no new investigations, and only one administrative complaint filed since 2018.

The enforcement drop-off predated the pandemic so cannot be attributed to that disruption.

Tennessee walking horses and other gaited breeds need to be reissued.

Methods for Detecting Soreness in Horses, helped underscore this need.

Among its recommendations: discontinuing the use of industry inspectors (referred to as “designated qualified persons”) at shows to detect for soring, to be replaced by inspections by trained veterinarians.

As AWI does each year, we organized a meeting between the humane community and the USDA regarding the department’s administration of the AWA and the HPA.

Due to the pandemic, the half-day meeting was held virtually, with from 15 animal protection organizations and approximately 15 USDA staff.

We emphasized the need for the USDA to prevent animal suffering at horse shows, puppy mills, other animal dealers, zoos, circuses, handlers, and research laboratories, as well as during air travel.

unwilling to acknowledge these problems, and thus seems ill equipped to fix them.

If the USDA can’t or won’t do its job, AWI will look to Congress to remedy the situation.

A N I M A L S AWI promotes strong enforcement of laws to protect companion animals.

We develop resources to help law enforcement officials prosecute animal abusers and help social service agencies address the relationship between animal cruelty and family violence.

website in support of our Safe Havens for Pets initiative, which aims to help domestic violence survivors and their pets escape abusive situations.

individuals experiencing domestic violence in placing their companion animals out of harm’s way so that they may seek safety for themselves.

The listings, searchable by zip code and updated regularly, feature organizations that either provide sheltering services for the animals of domestic violence survivors, have a relationship with an entity that does, or provide referrals to such facilities.

They include humane societies, veterinary offices, foster homes, and domestic violence shelters that house humans and pets together.

Other tools available on the new website include links to information on safety planning for pets of domestic violence survivors, questions to ask about these pets during intake, and a map of states that allow companion animals to be included in temporary protection orders.

Meanwhile, we have continued to update and expand our catalog of state-specific manuals providing instructions on how to include pets in protection orders.

Randour serve on the boards and task forces of several partnerships involving law enforcement agencies, other government entities, and nongovernmental organizations working to combat animal cruelty.

& Humane Law Enforcement Committee of the Small & Rural Law Enforcement Executives Association (SRLEEA).

Reporting Act, which would 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.

to defray the costs of hay, feed, and veterinary care to equine rescues that were severely impacted during natural disasters.

that AWI leads—we organized a webinar series for those working in equine rescue to stay connected during the pandemic, covering topics such as veterinary care for burros and disaster preparedness measures to move horses to safety.

widespread disruptions, one of several actions AWI took on behalf of wild and domestic animals was to provide emergency grants to two rescue facilities, housing a combined were facing catastrophic shortages of food, water, and critical supplies.

The AWI Quarterly magazine is distributed to over and organizations, including public libraries, deans of medical and veterinary schools, laboratory technicians, scientists, farmers, teachers, law enforcement officers, shelters, animal protection organizations, members of Congress, and AWI members.

The following are summaries of some of the articles featured in the magazine this fiscal year.

veterinarians reporting animal abuse, and vets in the state may now make good-faith reports of suspected animal abuse to law enforcement in most cases.

All or require vets to report suspected animal cruelty.

After a improve education and communication among vets regarding animal abuse, AWI developed posters for vet offices on abuse warning signs and what to do if abuse is suspected.

While animal dissection remains commonplace in K– have been shown to be more effective, inclusive, and economical.

Nerdy with Mel and Gerdy, and Merge Cube were particular standouts.

use of sodium cyanide and sodium fluoroacetate (used in livestock protection collars) in predator management devices nationwide.

Predators have enormous ecological value— keeping prey populations from overrunning natural landscapes and croplands, reducing disease transmission, providing food for scavengers such as California condors and bald eagles, and keeping smaller mesocarnivores (e.g., coyotes, foxes, martens, and skunks) in check.

These and other services mean predators have significant economic value as well—from bats eating crop-damaging insects to bobcats boosting tourism in Yellowstone.

The ecological and economic value of predators demands that we discard old prejudices against these species and promote their protection.

International transport of farm animals by sea vessel raises serious animal welfare issues.