U.S. coalition of organizations unite to end large-scale
animal cruelty through policy change
NEW
YORK, May 13, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The Humane
League, a global nonprofit that exists to end the abuse of
animals raised for food, today publicly launches the Animal
Policy Alliance (APA), a
coalition with the mission of ending large-scale
animal cruelty in the U.S. through policy change. With
15 member organizations and growing, the APA fosters
collaboration by providing legislative campaign strategies,
resources, and grants to create connections with legislators at the
city, state, and federal levels to advocate for policies that
benefit farmed animals.
"In public policy conversations and legislation in the U.S.,
farmed animals are tragically underrepresented. We launched the
Animal Policy Alliance to try to change that," says Gabriel Wildgen, Senior Director of Public
Policy, The Humane League. "We're seeing strong momentum at the
state and local level and there is still so much more to be done to
end large-scale animal cruelty. We're eager to partner closely with
local groups and legislators around the country to create
meaningful and lasting change to reduce the suffering of animals
who are abused every day on factory farms."
With the support of the APA, member organizations have already
been successful in creating change for farmed animals through
milestone victories. In Washington
State, a bill was passed banning octopus farming, and in
New Jersey, a ban of gestation and
veal crates was signed into law. Groups have been successful in
defending foie gras bans in New
York and Pittsburgh, a bill
against rabbit slaughter in Connecticut, as well as several problematic
bills that threatened to grant more power to factory farms in
Missouri. APA groups have
successfully persuaded the USDA to update its child nutrition meal
patterns and encouraged members of Congress to oppose the Ending
Agricultural Trade Suppression (EATS) Act that would have nullified
state and local bans on the sale of products from intensive animal
confinement in the U.S.
Active legislative campaigns led by the Animal Policy
Alliance include:
- No Backyard Slaughter: APEX Advocacy's campaign focuses
on ending backyard slaughterhouses located in predominantly BIPOC
communities, who are affected disproportionately by the
industry.
- Fur Free DC: DC Voters for Animals' campaign works to
protect minks, rabbits, foxes, and wild animals by banning the sale
of fur.
- New York State Fur Ban:
Voters for Animal Rights' campaign works to ban the sale of fur in
New York.
- Washington State
Plant-Based School Meals: Pasado's Safe Haven works with
Washington lawmakers to include
funding for plant-based school meals in the state operating
budget.
- Protect State Laws: The Humane League works to keep
harmful factory farming interests out of the federal Farm
Bill.
- California School District
Meals: Cultivate Empathy for All works to pass Vision 2025 to
make healthy, compassionate and climate-friendly plant-based foods
accessible in California
schools.
There are no federal laws regulating the treatment of animals
raised on farms in the United
States. Currently, the best protections for farmed animals
are in the hands of the 15 states that have passed farm
animal confinement legislation, including Arizona, California, Colorado, Massachusetts, Michigan, Nevada, Ohio,
Oregon, Rhode Island, Utah, Washington, Florida, Kentucky, Ohio, Maine,
and New Jersey. As a result of
state legislation, consumer demand, and corporate animal welfare
policies, nearly 40% of egg-laying hens are now free from
cages in the U.S.
APA member organizations include Animal Protection League of
New Jersey, Animal Protection
Voters, APEX Advocacy, Chilis On Wheels, Connecticut Votes for
Animals, Cultivate Empathy for All, DC Voters for Animals, Humane
Action Pittsburgh, Missouri Alliance for Animal Legislation,
Northwest Animal Rights Network, Pasado's Safe Haven, Social
Compassion in Legislation, Texas Humane Legislation Network, Vegan
Activist Alliance, and Voters for Animal Rights.
To learn more about the Animal Policy Alliance and take action
for animals, please visit AnimalPolicyAlliance.org.
About the Animal Policy Alliance (APA)
Initiated by The Humane League, the Animal Protection
Alliance (APA) is a coalition of fifteen organizations across
the United States with the mission
of uniting to end large-scale animal cruelty through policy change.
The Alliance aims to have at least one member group in every U.S.
state by 2030. Together, we aim to establish and advance meaningful
policy reform to end the abuse of animals raised for food or
products.
CONTACT:
Julia Wisner
973-722-4736
377593@email4pr.com
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SOURCE The Humane League