The Animal Rights Movement

1951 Animal Welfare Institute 

-One of the first modern organizations dedicated to helping all animals from domestic to wild.  

-Since the late 1950's the AWI has introduced and helped legislation be pass into law, beginning with the Humane Methods of Slaughter Act in 1958 signed by President Eisenhower (Legislative history, 2018). 

-More recently, AWI encouraged the Animal Crush Video Prohibition Act, which was signed into law by President Obama in 2010 (Legislative history, 2018). 

 

 

1954 The Humane Society is founded

-Animal protection organization in the U.S.

-They push for change with animal cruelty in factory farming, animal transportation, animal fighting, puppy mills, etc. 

-The organization has been effective in getting states to pass laws banning confinement in factory farming (Our Work, 2018)

-They helped the push for the Toxic Substance Control Act to be signed and brought into law in 2016 by President Obama. 

-They are effective by lobbying public spaces, for example in front of Congress (Our Work, 2018) 

 

 

1979 Animal Legal Defense Fund is founded

-ALDF is a non-profit fund that was created by attorney's who wanted to expand the animal law field, to end the mistreatment and suffering of animals. 

-ALDF pushes for laws to be introduced and amended that aim to reduce animal harm. They are effective through their 200,000 members who work in local communities to campaign as well as in the federal government (About us, 2017). 

-They are advent in the court system, winning dozens of cases each year. For example, in 2017 they were able to win in the court system for animal advocacy organizations to be entitled to intervene and participate in enforcement actions against alleged violators of the federal Animal Welfare Act (Victories, 2017). 

 

 

1980 People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) is founded

-PETA is the largest animal rights organization with 6.5 members and supporters (PETA, 2018). 

-PETA is active in legislation and known for protesting campaigns that have a strong message using visuals and public displays concerning cruelty and the abuse of animals.

-Since they are the largest animal rights group they have won a series of victories over the past decade such as winning cases on animal testing, banning fur in major industries, and eliminating some animal circus' (PETA, 2018).

-They are known for their bold and powerful media and statements that show graphic content to the public, leaving the audience with a moral shock. 

 

 

1981 The Farm Animal Reform Movement is founded

-FARM is a non-profit organization that focuses on education and campaigning to create awareness on health and environmental issues (Our mission and values). 

-They are effective by targeting younger generations and using exposed media in the farming industry to create awareness (Our mission and values). 

-FARM holds annual conferences to discuss topics through a larger platform. 

-FARM works with large corporations and business, partnering with them to work towards eliminating the animal products they use. 

-FARM writes letters and creates an online discourse community that writes about animal rights and going vegan, this allows members to be apart of the organization without having to physically attend the meetings.  

 

 

1986 The Farm Sanctuary is founded 

-Created to work towards the well-being and ethical treatment of farm animals and move towards an animal-free diet. 

-The Farm Sanctuary rescues animals as well as actively participate to get policies and laws to be made and push for greater enforcement of already existing laws (Victories and milestones, 2017). 

-In legislation, they have passed the ban on the use of battery cages, gestation crates, and veal crates in Michigan, which led other states to follow (Victoires and milestones, 2017) 

 

 

1995 Compassion Over Killing is founded 

-COK is non-profit dedicated to animal advocacy specifically in the farm and agricultural setting (Compassion over killing). 

-COK is centered more around vegetarian lifestyles and achieving justice for all living beings. 

-They are considered smaller than the other movements but they still impact the Animal Rights Movement in a powerful way. 

-COK created its own Legal Advocacy Program to enforce current animal protection laws and push for new reform to be made. 

-COK has partnered with other organizations such as The Farm Sanctuary and the Animal Legal Defense Fund to target large institutions such as the USDA (Compassion over killing). 

-COK also focuses on investigation and research to release new information about factory farming and unethical practices involving animals. 

 

 

1999 Mery For Animals is founded 

-MFE is a non-profit organization fighting for animal protection under the animal rights movement. 

-They mainly focus on protecting factory farm animals and push for tighter regulation and policies as well as exploit information on animal cruelty to prove their overall message (What We Do, 2015).  

-MFE is politically active and they speak publically to educate members and the public on issues in the farm industry and personal diet. 

-MFE has their own legal team a part of their organization that works with law and policy makers in addition to their corporate outreach department (What We Do, 2015).