What do animal organizations do, and why should I support them?

Fortunately, there are many humans who recognize that no sentient creature, human or not, deserves to suffer so that somebody else can profit. Animal organizations act as a line of defense for animals who cannot defend themselves.

What is an animal organization?

An animal organization refers broadly to any group of humans dedicated to the protection of animals. Most commonly, these organizations protect animals from other humans. Whether they're a companion who lives in your home, a domestic animal living on a farm, or a wild animal living in their own habitat, all animals deserve the chance to live a life free of human-led suffering. Animal organizations work to ensure they have that chance.

What do animal organizations do?

There are many, many different animal organizations throughout the world which all perform a different role. Most of these groups fit into one of four general categories: animal protection, shelter, welfare, or rights organizations. Because of their increased capacity, some larger nonprofits can blend all four categories into one larger mission to protect animals of all kinds.

Animal protection organizations

Animal protection organizations focus primarily on endangered or vulnerable animals in the wild. Animal species sometimes go extinct due to natural causes, but today animal species are going extinct far quicker than other periods of history. Unfortunately, human activity is to blame for this faster rate of extinction. Since the Industrial Revolution, humans have destroyed or degraded habitats to make room for economic development. Commodified animals on land and sea have been overhunted and overfished. Meanwhile, other species have been unable to survive the effects of a changing climate. Animal protection organizations work to slow the rate of extinction by protecting these threatened species and their habitats.

Animal shelter organizations

Animal shelters all over the world take in dogs, cats, and other domesticated animals who don't have a home of their own. In addition to homeless animals, many shelters provide temporary care for sick and aging animals.

In the United States, around 70,000 puppies and kittens are born every single day. More than 6 million pets enter US shelters every year, but only 4 million or so are adopted into a permanent household.

With such overpopulation, animal shelters work tirelessly, often thanks to volunteers and donations, to keep dogs and cats from suffering alone on the street. There are many opportunities to get involved with one of the roughly 3,500 shelters and rescues throughout the US. There's a good chance there's one near you that needs help.

Animal sanctuaries and rescues

Some animals who would otherwise spend their lives captive to the agricultural or entertainment industries are fortunate enough to find a respite through sanctuaries or rescues. These kinds of facilities save animals from factory farms, circuses, and other cruel environments. Sanctuary and rescue animals are treated with kindness and love, not exploited as commodities for human gain.

Animal welfare organizations

Animal welfare organizations work to prevent the cruel treatment of animals who are being exploited by humans. This often applies to animals in captivity, such as on factory farms, in research labs, or in zoos. However, animal welfare activists may also focus on the treatment of wild animals who are hunted by humans. In any situation that humans are using non-human animals for their own gain, animal welfare groups will work to ensure that the exploited animals are treated humanely and respectfully.

Animal rights organizations

While similar to welfare organizations, animal rights organizations and activists believe that all living creatures have an inherent right to live freely and that forcing any animal into a life of captivity violates that right. Whereas an animal welfare activist opposes factory farms forcing egg-laying hens into battery cages, an animal rights activist opposes egg farming altogether. Animal welfare and animal rights activists, however, are not at odds with one another. Both agree on the rights of animals, but take different approaches in an effort to ensure those rights are met. An overarching mission of the animal rights movement is to enshrine into law the rights that all sentient, living things are born with.

List of animal organizations

• Animal Equality Animal Equality, founded in 2006, has quickly grown into a global organization that fights against the abuses seen in corporate animal agriculture around the world. Animal Equality is working to ban foie gras-a luxury food product made by force-feeding ducks and geese until their livers grow up to 10 times their regular size. Despite the brutality of this practice, force feeding remains legal to perform in the US except in California and New York City.
• Animal Legal Defense Fund (ALDF) The Animal Legal Defense Fund is made up of humans who tap into the legal system to advocate for the rights of non-human animals. By both lobbying for legislation that would provide better animal protections, and taking animal abusers to court for their acts of cruelty, the ALDF truly provides a voice to the voiceless in the legal system.
• Animal Welfare Institute The Animal Welfare Institute's work began in 1951 in opposition to the cruelty laboratory animals faced on daily basis. Since then, the institute's mission has expanded to include abolishing factory farming, reviving near extinct species in the wild, and protecting companion animals from cruelty and neglect. Their founder Christine Stevens is sometimes known as the mother of the animal protection movement in the US.
• ASPCA Famous for their heart-wrenching television commercials featuring singer Sarah McLachlan, the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals focuses primarily on protecting dogs and cats from abuse and neglect. By maintaining a local presence with shelters throughout the US, the ASPCA works to find safe homes for homeless dogs and cats, while also trying to curb the country's pet overpopulation problem.
• Best Friends Animal Society Founded in Utah in 1984, Best Friend Animal Society runs no-kill shelters throughout the country. No-kill shelters refuse to euthanize animals that are in healthy, treatable condition—sadly, use of euthanasia in shelters is a common practice due to lack of capacity and resources for all animals in need. Its flagship facility located in Kanab, UT is the largest no-kill sanctuary for companion animals in the country. The society is currently working toward the goal of ending the use of euthanasia in shelters nationwide.
• Compassion in World Farming British farmer Peter Roberts was horrified by the routine acts of animal cruelty he saw in the factory farming industry, so he founded Compassion in World Farming 1967. Today, the nonprofit continues to fight against animal cruelty in factory farming. According to its website, the group's biggest priority is known as the Better Chicken Initiative, which forges relationships with large food corporations who promise to ensure better lives for the chickens they raise for meat.
• Farm Sanctuary Dedicated to ending factory farming and replacing it with a sustainable, plant-based food system, Farm Sanctuary is pushing for the US Congress to pass the Farm System Reform Act. If passed, this proposed bill would prohibit the creation of new factory farms as well as the expansion of existing industrial farms. The sanctuary has proposed phasing out the country's largest farms by 2040 by offering farmers $10 billion per year to transition away from industrial agriculture. Farm Sanctuary also operates the country's oldest and largest farm animal sanctuary in upstate New York, and has a satellite location in Los Angeles. They offer public tours and humane education programs that promote compassion for farmed animals.
• Fish Welfare Initiative A relatively new organization, the Fish Welfare Initiative works to protect fish, "the most farmed group of vertebrates in the world." By reforming aquaculture-or fish farming-the Fish Welfare Initiative says the industry can better protect marine ecosystems, the welfare of fishes, and the health of humans who rely on the ocean for life.
• Friends of Animals An international nonprofit, Friends of Animals got started as a provider of low-cost spay/neuter procedures. Today, the organization is working to "free animals from cruelty and institutionalized exploitation around the world." Friends of Animals is also known for their primate sanctuaries that provide care and relative freedom to previously exploited chimpanzees, one located in Texas and the other in West Africa's River Gambia National Park.
• Humane Society of the United States This large nonprofit runs the gamut of animal protection, fighting to end animal cruelty in the fur trade, cosmetics testing, trophy hunting, puppy mills, and on factory farms. On the Humane Society of the United States website, you can information on animal welfare ranging from a global perspective, like marine conservation, to everyday advice, like how to keep a companion animal happy and healthy.
• International Fund For Animal Welfare (IFAW) As their name suggests, the International Fund for Animal Welfare does work all around the world for the betterment of animals lives and the protection of their habitats. Globally, IFAW teams rescue and rehabilitate animals who have been orphaned, injured, displaced, or confiscated in illegal trade. They also work with local communities to preserve essential habitats and ecosystems for wild animals.
• Jane Goodall Institute Founded by Jane Goodall, the trailblazing scientist who observed chimps' ability to fashion and use tools, the Jane Goodall Institute is one of the most well-known conservationist organizations in the world. The institute is specifically dedicated to the preservation of wild animals' and their habitats through community-centered outreach and education.
• Mercy for Animals Mercy for Animals is dedicated to eradicating industrial agriculture and aquaculture, and replacing them with a food system that's kinder to animals and safer for the future of the planet. The group performs investigations, lobbies for legislation and regulations, and engages with corporate partners who share this goal.

What is the best organization to help animals?

The best organization to help animals is the one that aligns with your personal values and priorities. There are many organizations that provide indispensable work for the betterment of animals lives in a variety of ways. While different charities may focus on different facets of animal protection-from factory farming, to wildlife conservation, to sheltering homeless pets-the only way to choose the "best" is to ask yourself what issues you personally want to support with your time and money.

From there, you can also follow the recommendations of Animal Charity Evaluators, a nonprofit that uses empirical research to identify the most effective measure to make a positive impact on non-human animals. If you have questions about a prominent animal charity, you can search its name through the Animal Charity Evaluators site and find a detailed report on that organization.

Conclusion

The movement to protect animals is constantly expanding in size and influence, but we're up against tough opposition. Large, powerful corporate interests would rather continue profiting from animals' suffering than make changes to their industry-but we're holding them accountable to do better for animals. This is why animal welfare organizations are seeking talented, passionate people who are willing to contribute their time or money toward creating tangible change for the betterment of animals lives.

At The Humane League, there are several ways you can get involved. Join the Fast Action Network, which gives you a way to take part in various impactful online activities, such as signing petitions, emailing decision-makers, or applying pressure via social media. You can also keep an eye on our Events page to see what's happening in your area or online. Finally, and crucially, you can volunteer with us.

Animal organizations exist because non-human animals need our help. Join us today and be a force for much-needed change toward a more compassionate and sustainable world.