Animal Wellness Action Blog

Critical insights into issues at the intersection of animals and politics​

Press Release Cruelty to “Kill” Horses Is Rampant and Unrelenting Even As the Scale of Slaughter Retreats With Plummeting Demand in the Old World Washington, D.C. – A joint investigation and analysis released today and conducted by the Center for a Humane Economy, Animal Wellness Action, and Animals’ Angels reveals that the extraterritorial slaughter of … Read more

Arizona State Rep. Amish Shah champions new bill to promote humane and conservation-minded commerce Phoenix, CT – Animal Wellness Action and Center for a Humane Economy applauded State Representative Dr. Amish Shah, D-LD5, for introducing legislation to stop Nike and other athletic shoe companies from sourcing kangaroo skins for soccer cleat models. He has introduced the fourth state bill this … Read more

Delaware seal

Addition of state director upgrades animal welfare advocacy and capacity in the ‘First State’ Washington, D.C. – Animal Wellness Action and the Center for a Humane Economy announce the hiring of Taylor Nickerson as Delaware State Director. “I am thrilled to announce we have a state director in Delaware, who has dedicated her life to criminal … Read more

Groups call on Sheriff to shut them down and arrest organizers, attendees Washington, D.C. — Animal Wellness Acting and Showing Animals Respect and Kindness (SHARK) – two national animal protection organizations with campaigns against cockfighting – urged Lee County Sheriff to shut down three cockfighting pits that SHARK has investigated within the last month and found … Read more

SHARK Releases Video Revealing Operators of Major Cockfighting Complex in Coal County Illegally Shipping Fighting Birds Through U.S. Post Office in Coalgate Oklahoma City — Calling Oklahoma “the cockfighting capital of the United States,” Animal Wellness Action and the Center for a Humane Economy released reports today detailing 1) rampant cockfighting (report available to journalists upon … Read more

Legislation would enable our American heroes with Post Traumatic Stress to better protect wild horses on federal lands WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Reps. Lisa McClain (R-MI), Troy Carter (D-LA), Barry Moore (R-AL), Maria Salazar (R-FL), Jesus “Chuy” Garcia (D-IL), Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA), Nancy Mace (R-SC), Jan Schakowsky (D-IL), Buddy Carter (R-GA), John Moolenaar (R-MI), Nicole Malliotakis … Read more

A criminal network built on animal cruelty and gambling should no longer be tolerated by state authorities Montogomery, Ala. — Animal Wellness Action (AWA) and the Center for a Humane Economy (CHE) — two non-profit animal welfare groups that bring a science-based approach to fighting animal cruelty — released two reports today detailing 1) rampant cockfighting … Read more

Typically, Thanksgiving isn’t just rough on turkeys, but also on chickens. It’s opening day for the months-long cockfighting season, with action taking place at hundreds of fighting arenas scattered across the hinterlands. The states of Alabama, Tennessee, Kentucky, Oklahoma, and California and the U.S. territories of Puerto Rico and Guam have the most extensive cockfighting … Read more

roosters fighting in the arena

Sheriff reports juveniles in attendance at major cockfighting derby in Maynardville Nashville, Tenn. — Acting on a tip from the animal welfare group Showing Animals Respect and Kindness (SHARK), Union County Sheriff Billy Breeding and his deputies raided a cockfighting derby in progress Saturday afternoon, citing 98 individuals with crimes related to cockfighting and preventing more … Read more

In most states, wild wolves continue to be treated as gang members of the wilderness — as a scourge of the landscape, marauders of livestock, and menaces of the cash cows (elk and deer) of the modern hunting and trapping establishment. Idaho allows wolves to be shot from helicopters and ATVs; Montana hunters and trappers … Read more