Progress
for animals

The Italian Parliament approved an amendment which will ban the selective culling of male chicks by December 2026. This development follows Animal Equality’s 2020 campaign launch against male chick culling in the egg industry, which resulted in 110,000 petition signatures. Due to this work and support from Italian officials, 25-40 million male chicks will be spared each year. 

In a historic move for animal protection, Puebla, Mexico voted to pass a law that will criminalize unregulated slaughterhouses (also known as “backyard” or “underground” slaughterhouses) and slaughter at live animal markets. The new law, which was passed after Animal Equality in Mexico participated in talks with various agencies of the Government of Puebla, will also make it illegal for land animals in the state to be slaughtered without prior stunning.

Thanks to the work of Animal Equality, as well as other animal protection groups, Nevada announced that it would become the 9th state in the U.S. to ban cages for hens, joining Utah, Colorado, Michigan, Washington, Oregon, California, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island. The bill not only bans the caging of hens in Nevada but also requires eggs sold in the state to be from cage-free facilities, no matter where the eggs were produced.

Thanks to the work of Animal Equality Mexico, a new animal protection regulation was approved by the Government Council of Zapopan, Mexico that establishes protections for farmed animals and criminalizes farmed animal cruelty.

Recently, Animal Equality surpassed over 100 investigations conducted into the cruelty of factory farming. Since 2006, we’ve investigated over 800 facilities—mostly industrial farms and slaughterhouses—in 13 countries. Our investigative footage has helped us get justice for animals through legal action and criminal charges for abusers, helping enact new laws, and pushing for industry policy changes.

In late 2018, our corporate outreach department reached an impressive milestone: over 100 policies achieved to ban cages for egg-laying hens across the U.S., Spain, Italy, Brazil, Mexico, and India.

4.3 million hens per year will be spared from living confined in a wire cage. That is the impact of the commitment made by Noble Foods, the largest egg producer in the UK. The change in the company’s policy comes after a hard-hitting investigation by Animal Equality that exposed the terrible conditions hens used for egg production were living in and an intense campaign by The Humane League.

India became the first country in the world to implement a nationwide ban on the importation of foie gras. This was a direct result of Animal Equality’s investigations.

Following an Animal Equality investigation and campaign, supermarket chain COOP becomes the first market in Italy to ban the sale of foie gras.

Animal Equality helps reduce the consumption of lamb meat in Italy by 40% in 2014, and a further 50% the following year.

Shocking cruelty to cows and calves documented by Animal Equality investigators results in the conviction of a dairy farm worker.

Shocking cruelty documented by Animal Equality results in the closure of Harling Farm and the prosecution of its workers for animal cruelty.

Together with seven senators, Animal Equality introduces historic legislation to protect farmed animals in Mexico from cruelty and abuse.

In July 2017, the Law Commission of India issued a detailed report addressing the transportation and house-keeping of egg-laying hens and broiler chickens. The report included a list of recommendations proposed by Animal Equality to improve the welfare of hens and chickens raised for food in the country.

Following an investigation into the Chinese dog meat industry, Animal Equality investigators rescued pregnant Vita from a lifetime of suffering.

In December 2009, Animal Equality rescued a mother sheep and her two newborn offspring. Instead of being separated and ultimately killed, they now had their freedom.

In December 2016 Animal Equality rescued Finn from a chicken farm in Germany. Finn had been disposed alive and left to die until Animal Equality stepped in, saved him and took him to a sanctuary in Germany.