4,000,000,000
Hens are trapped in cages around the world. It doesn't have to be this way.
Read more2023
Annual Report
Factory farming is a global crisis. But thanks to your support last year, THL secured landmark victories to spare millions of animals from the worst forms of suffering on factory farms. And we demonstrated what is possible when we work together, as a truly global force.
Letter from the president
As you read this report, I hope you feel connected to every campaign, every activist, every animal whose story is told in these pages. These stories may have taken place far away, but they wouldn’t have been possible without you. From the bottom of my heart, thank you for partnering with The Humane League.
– Vicky Bond
President, The Humane League
2023 by the numbers
2023 by the numbers
2023 by the Numbers
7
companies made new commitments to spare 2.5M hens from life in a cage
62
companies were held accountable to commitments to spare 42M hens from cages
89%
of corporate cage-free commitments due up to 2023 were fulfilled worldwide
1.1M+
messages sent to decision-makers demanding an end to extreme animal cruelty
Battery cages have everything to do with profit and nothing to do with animal welfare.
They’re also one of the greatest sources of animal suffering around the globe.
Leading animal welfare scientists have decried the battery cage as “cruel and inhumane.” According to studies, it’s responsible for 60% of the suffering a hen will experience in her lifetime. And since roughly four billion hens are caged globally, the battery cage is the direct cause of immense suffering for a mind-boggling number of sentient beings.
But in just over a decade, we've more-than tripled the number of egg-laying hens living free from a battery cage. As of 2023, 40% of hens in the US live in cage-free housing.
By getting hens out of cages, we lay the groundwork for future reforms in factory farming.
THL is Developing a Global Force for Animals
Initiated by THL, the Open Wing Alliance (OWA) brings together over 90 member organizations from across the globe to create a unified front in our goal to end the abuse of chickens worldwide.
In 2023, the OWA:
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Grew to 90+ member organizations in 70 countries
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Distributed $2,381,147 in grant funding to 40 OWA member groups
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Secured 89 new corporate cage-free commitments and 44 commitments to end the worst abuses of chickens raised for meat
Paving the Road to a Cage-Free North America
Our Changemaker community told companies that animals deserve better no less than 300K times through action. Companies like Family Dollar, Quiznos, and Barnes and Noble Café had no choice but to listen.
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I’m inspired by the energy that volunteer changemakers bring to the movement. It’s inspiring to hear stories from others that have decided to take action, and what goals they aim to achieve as volunteers.
– Jay Guerrero
Volunteer Changemaker Captain
BIG MEAT V. ANIMAL ADVOCATES
The work of our Animal Policy Alliance (APA) is an important piece of our strategy to dismantle factory farming. These fights activate local communities. They allow activists to build relationships with legislators, and they pave the way for more ambitious legislation in the future.
These are just a few of the fights won by APA members across the US:
- Humane Action Pittsburgh convinced the Pittsburgh City Council to ban foie gras.
- Connecticut Votes for Animals defeated a Connecticut bill that would have legalized the cruel factory farming of rabbits for food.
- Missouri Alliance for Animal Legislation prevented three harmful bills that would have loosened or eliminated protections for animals in factory farms.
On May 11, the Supreme Court upheld California's Prop 12—touching the lives of 40 million animals.
This was incredible news for any animals whose products might be sold in California. But even better, the verdict meant that voters and legislators were free to create policies to protect animals in their own states.
Fueling Momentum in Asia
With groups like Animal Friends Jogja in Indonesia advocating for new government standards for egg-laying hens, powerful public awareness campaigns in Taiwan, and new cage-free commitments in Thailand, OWA member groups are making major strides for animals across Asia and the Pacific Islands.
In Asia…
- 10 new corporate cage-free commitments secured by the OWA
- 78 companies reported progress or fulfilled their cage-free commitments
Victory! Behind the scenes of the Jollibee campaign
Jollibee Foods Corporation is not only the largest restaurant group in Asia, but the fastest growing. Its groundbreaking commitment to eliminate cages from its global supply by 2035 is estimated to impact over 2 million hens each year.
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Keeping Battery Cages out of Africa
To meet the growing global demand for cheap food, African countries are facing pressure to industrialize their food systems. An estimated 61% of the region’s egg-laying hens are housed in battery cages, with hundreds of millions more at risk of becoming trapped in cages—as foreign investors attempt to resell discarded battery cages from Europe and North America to African multinational corporations.
But already, OWA members have convinced roughly a third of African multinational companies to spare the millions of hens in their supply chains from life in a cage.
In Africa…
- 2 new corporate cage-free commitments secured by the OWA
- 6 companies reported progress or fulfilled their cage-free commitments
SPOTLIGHT ON GHANA: ANIMAL WELFARE LEAGUE
In 2021, the founders of Animal Welfare League were just students. Today, they are at the forefront of change for farm animals in Africa.
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OWA provided many resources on tactics and the opportunity to share our experiences with a community of advocates. As we advance, our goal is to be more involved with the coalition to end the abuse of chickens worldwide.
– Daniel Abiliba
DVM, Director of Animal Welfare League
At the Forefront of Change in Europe
Thanks to the relentless work of THL UK and our European OWA members, there are nearly 600 cage-free commitments on the continent, and already 60% of hens in the European Union are free from cages, compared to 40% in the US.
In Europe...
- 28 new corporate cage-free commitments secured by the OWA
- 970 companies reported progress or fulfilled their cage-free commitments
- 32 Better Chicken Commitments secured by the OWA
- 2 Better Chicken Commitments secured by THL
- 14 companies reported progress on their Better Chicken Commitments ahead of schedule including KFC, Compass Group UK, and Nando’s
2023 Financials
Few animals are treated more cruelly, and suffer more, than the animals raised for food. I am glad if I can contribute a tiny bit to ease their suffering. I think The Humane League is doing a great job to help these animals.
– Rebecca Weiss Sjouwerman
Mended Heart Society member
At the heart of our mission is you.
A special, heartfelt thank you to our Mended Heart Society members, our Legacy Society members, and The Heart Beat. Without you, none of this work would be possible.
