Animal Welfare Institute

About us

Since 1951, the Animal Welfare Institute has been alleviating suffering inflicted on animals by humans. In the early years, AWI founder Christine Stevens sought to end the cruel treatment of animals in experimental laboratories. Inevitably, her work expanded to take on other animal welfare causes.

AWI’S MISSION
Through engagement with policymakers, scientists, industry, and the public, AWI seeks to:

Abolish factory farms, support high-welfare family farms, and achieve humane slaughter for animals raised for food;
Improve the housing and handling of animals in research, and encourage the development and implementation of alternatives to experimentation on live animals;
End the use of steel-jaw leghold traps and reform other brutal methods of capturing and killing wildlife;
Preserve species threatened with extinction, and protect wildlife from harmful exploitation and destruction of critical habitat;
Protect companion animals from cruelty and violence, including appalling conditions in commercial trade; and
Prevent injury and death of animals caused by harsh transport conditions.