In a dramatic shift that hopefully signals an eventual end to the practice of keeping orcas captive for public exhibition, SeaWorld has announced it will cease all of its orca breeding programs, phase out the theatrical performances by the whales in all of its parks nationwide, and broadly commit itself to the task of rescue and rehabilitation of marine creatures in distress. The Humane Society of the United States has long been a vocal opponent of using captive whales and other marine mammals for entertainment, but we’ve found common ground with SeaWorld in these game-changing decisions, and we commend these new policies as a major step toward a humane economy. As we celebrate this monumental achievement, we also recognize that every business grounded on animal exploitation needs to adapt to consumer demands and expectations. Here are six other animal welfare concerns that still need our urgent attention.

The extreme confinement of farm animals

It’s still standard practice in the egg and pork industries for animals to spend their whole lives in cages so small they can barely move. Nine out of 10 egg-laying hens in the US are confined in cages so cramped they can’t even spread their wings. Such extreme confinement is simply out of step with mainstream sentiments about how animals ought to be treated. The meat and egg industries should be working to reduce animal suffering by moving toward cage-free production systems.

Through our engagement with the world’s largest food companies, we’re moving the market away from extreme confinement. The last six months alone have seen nearly 100 major companies commit to switching to 100% cage-free eggs, for example. We’re also working through legislative channels worldwide to improve the treatment of farm animals, and engaging with consumers who want to choose higher animal welfare products.

Puppy mills

Each year, millions of puppies are born in large-scale, commercial dog breeding operations known as puppy mills. The breeding females are kept in small cages and are bred over and over until they are too old or sick. Many are then killed, as they are no longer of any value to the puppy mill owner. In many cases, puppy mills are not illegal. Breeding kennels in most states can legally keep dozens, even hundreds, of dogs in cages for their entire lives, with virtually no exercise, socialization, veterinary care, or human companionship. To establish protections for dogs and consumers, some states have passed laws to curb the worst abuses in puppy mills, and 125 municipalities have enacted ordinances to end the retail sale of puppy mill dogs.

Because regulations are so few and lax, and because sources ranging from internet sites to flea markets to pet stores have been known to misrepresent the background of the puppies for sale, it falls on the public and would-be pet owners to educate themselves. The more people know about where that puppy in the window really comes from, the more likely they are to make the humane decision to adopt a shelter pet or buy from a reputable breeder.

Animal fighting

We’ve dramatically strengthened the nation’s legal framework against dogfighting and cockfighting, but additional fortifications are needed. These are reprehensible, calculated crimes that result in protracted and sustained violence to animals. We’ve worked to upgrade the federal law against animal fighting four times since 2002. It’s now a felony to fight animals, possess fighting animals, sell fighting implements, or bring a child to an animal fight. It’s also a misdemeanor to be a spectator at an animal fight.

We’ve also worked to upgrade nearly every state statute against animal cruelty and fighting, with dogfighting and malicious cruelty now a felony in every state. Our goal is to see cockfighting elevated to the same level in the few states that still penalize it as a misdemeanor.

Animal testing

Animals such as rabbits, mice and guinea pigs are suffering unnecessarily in the testing of cosmetic products and ingredients. These tests include putting chemicals on animals’ skin or into their eyes to assess the level of irritation caused. The animals experience immense pain and are often killed at the end of the test period. Fortunately, companies can use thousands of ingredients already proven safe for use to formulate new products. For new ingredients, non-animal test methods have been developed that provide information that is more relevant to human exposure, often at a great savings in time and cost.

More than 30 countries have already passed laws to ban the production and sale of animal-tested cosmetics. It is time for the United States to join this global trend by passing the Humane Cosmetics Act (HR 2858), legislation that would end the use of animals to test cosmetic products and ingredients and prohibit the sale of animal-tested cosmetics.

Horse slaughter

Throughout history, horses have worked alongside us as companions and partners in work and sport. Horse slaughter could be referred to as America’s dirty secret; at auctions around the county, horses are sold to kill buyers who transport them to slaughter in Canada and Mexico. The entire process, from auction to slaughter, is horrifically cruel.

Horse slaughter provides a dumping ground for irresponsible breeders and owners. We cannot accept that. Not only is horse slaughter inhumane, but it raises serious food safety concerns because American horses are not raised for slaughter and are given a wide variety of drugs, both legal and illegal, which make their meat unfit for human consumption. We support federal legislation, the Safeguard American Food Exports Act (HR1942/S1214), that would outlaw the slaughter and export of American horses for human consumption.

Wildlife trafficking

The worldwide exploitation of wildlife threatens some of the world’s most iconic species with extinction. After a Minnesota dentist killed a majestic lion named Cecil in Zimbabwe, we worked with the world’s major airlines and helped to convince more than 40 of them – including all the big US passenger carriers – to stop transporting trophies of the Africa Big Five. If the trophy hunters cannot transport them, they won’t kill them in the first place. We also convinced the US Fish and Wildlife Service to accept our petition to upgrade protections for lions, and in December the agency announced it would list all African lions as threatened or endangered.



California, New Jersey and New York have banned the sale of elephant ivory and rhino horn, and Washington state voters passed a ballot measure banning the trade in wildlife parts from 10 species. Oregon voters have an opportunity to pass a similar measure this year, protecting elephants, rhinos, lions, tigers, sharks and other creatures. And the Obama administration has proposed a federal rule to close loopholes in the domestic ivory trade in the US– the second largest retail market for ivory after China – and to help protect these majestic creatures from slaughter.

On this, as with all these issues, though, we have to keep the pressure up. SeaWorld shows that things can change: with effort, we can make our country, and the world, a more humane and less cruel place.