feb09b.indd


internet resources 
Laura R. Hodgins 

Animal welfare advocacy 
Web sites to educate and inspire 

Animal welfare advocates work for the pro­tection of and respectful coexistence with 
animals—more specifically, to end unneces­
sary suffering, mistreatment, and exploitation 
by humans. Advocacy for animal welfare has 
come a long way in the last few decades. 
Fewer and fewer consumer products are tested 
on animals in laboratories. Animal abuse and 
neglect is punishable by law. New methods 
of commercial farming are improving condi­
tions in animal agriculture. There is a greater 
effort to conserve wildlife and its environment. 
After residents fleeing Hurricane Katrina were 
forced to abandon their pets to save them­
selves, the Pets Evacuation and Transportation 
Standards Act was created to include pets and 
service animals in evacuation plans. As our 
society embraces a more earth­friendly para­
digm, expands rights, and further promotes 
the holistic health of the earth’s inhabitants, 
we will see even greater strides toward the 
humane treatment of all animals. 

There are numerous areas of concern to 
animal welfare advocates, from protesting 
cruel training in circuses to saving a develop­
ing island’s wild horses from extermination. 
While some societies focus on one issue, such 
as chaining dogs, numerous societies address 
various aspects of animal welfare. This compi­
lation provides some good starting points for 
those who are interested in exploring pressing 
issues and key players in animal welfare. 

General  
• The American Humane Association. 

Founded in 1877, the American Humane As­
sociation is a national nonprofi t organization 
that seeks to protect both children and animals 
by developing policies, legislation, curricula, 
and training programs. The American Human 

Association is responsible for the “No Animals 
Were Harmed” disclaimer in fi lm credits. Ac­
cess: http://www.americanhumane.org. 

• American Society for the Prevention 
of  Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA). ASPCA was 
the first humane society established in North 
America. Its mission includes working with 
at­risk animals, providing resources for pet 
owners (including an animal poison control 
center) and responding to animal cruelty cases. 
Access: http://www.aspca.org. 

• Animal Rights Inter national (ARI). 
ARI seeks to reduce animal suffering by cam­
paigning against cruel farming and research 
practices. Access: http://ari­online.org. 

• Animal Welfare Infor mation Center 
of  the U.S. Department of  Agriculture Na-
tional Agriculture Library. This extensive 
collection of resources provides information 
about animal welfare topics, including research 
animals; zoo, circus and marine animals; farm 
animals; and animal testing alternatives. Ac­
cess: http://awic.nal.usda.gov/nal_display 
/index.php?info_center=3&tax_level=1&tax 
_subject=186. 

• Animal Welfare Institute. Founded in 
1951, the Animal Welfare Institute primarily 
focuses on animal cruelty in the production 
of commercial products, including steel trap­
ping and factory farming. Its Web site features 
the “Compassion Index,” which rates federal 
legislators by their voting records on important 
animal protection measures. Access: http:// 
www.awionline.org. 

Laura R. Hodgins is acquisitions librarian at Jeff erson 
County Public Library in Denver, Colorado, e-mail: 
lhodgins@jeff erson.lib.co.us 
© 2009 Laura R. Hodgins 

C&RL News February 2009  116 

http:erson.lib.co.us
http:www.awionline.org
http://awic.nal.usda.gov/nal_display
http:http://ari-online.org
http:http://www.aspca.org
http:http://www.americanhumane.org


• Humane Society of  the United States. 
Mission statement: Celebrating Animals, Con­
fronting Cruelty. The Humane Society of the 
United States is probably the most well­known 
animal advocacy group in the country. Its 
many contributions include disaster relief, le­
gal campaigns, educational programs, animal 
sanctuaries, and mobile veterinary clinics. 
Access: http://www.hsus.org. 

• PETA-People for the Ethical Treat-
ment of  Animals. PETA is another large orga­
nization that fights animal cruelty, particularly 
in areas of commerce. It is widely known for its 
groundbreaking 
investigations, 
landmark pros­
ecutions, and 
the funding and 
implementation 
of innovative scientific methods that do not use 
animals. PETA also garners celebrity support 
for everything from the dog and cat overpopu­
lation problem to the cruelty of the fur trade 
and the health and humane advantages of a 
vegan diet. Access: http://www.peta.org. 

• World Animal Net (Directory). WAN 
features 17,000 listings of worldwide animal 
protection societies, with more than 10,000 
direct Web site links. Access: http://www. 
worldanimalnet.org. 

Legal groups 
• Animal Legal Defense Fund (ALDF). 

ALDF was founded by 
attorneys in 1979 to 
advocate for stronger 
anticruelty laws and the 
enforcement of those 
laws. This organization 
also focuses on the 
future of animal law 
through programs for students and legal pro­
fessionals. Access: http://www.aldf.org. 

• Doris Day Animal League. Mission: 
Working to reduce the pain and suffering of 

non­human animals through legislative initia­
tives. DDAL (along with the Humane Society 
of the United States, with which it merged in 
2006) works to pass new laws and enforce ex­
isting laws that reduce the suffering of animals 
anywhere they are mistreated. There are links 
to the bills currently being considered, both 
in Congress and individual state legislatures. 
Access: http://www.ddal.org. 

• Humane USA. Humane USA is an ani­
mal protection political action committee that 
can legally contribute to the campaigns of 
animal­friendly candidates. The Web site cov­
ers endorsements for both federal and state 
issues and candidates. Access: http://www. 
humaneusa.org. 

• In Defense of  Animals (IDA). Borne 
out of the atrocious conditions in the Univer­
sity of California­
Berkeley’s animal 
research program 
in the 1980s, IDA’s 
mission is to end 
animal exploitation 
by advocating for 
their rights to exist 
as more than the property of humans. IDA’s 
activities include rescue from cruel experi­
mentation, opening a sanctuary for abused 
animals, and helping pass protection laws. 
Access: http://www.idausa.org. 

Farm animals 
• Compassionate Action for Animals 

(CAA). CAA promotes vegetarianism and end­
ing the suffering of farm animals through edu­
cational outreach, such as literature, speakers, 
and community programs. Access: http://www. 
exploreveg.org. 

• C o m p a s s i o n  i n  Wo r l d  Fa r m i n g.  
Compassion in World Farming was founded 
in 1967 to combat cruel and unnecessary 
farming practices, such as battery cages for 
chickens and restrictive crates for calves and 
pigs. The organization’s mission is to bring 
about efficient yet humane farming practices 

February 2009  117 C&RL News 

http:exploreveg.org
http://www
http:http://www.idausa.org
http:humaneusa.org
http://www
http:http://www.ddal.org
http:http://www.aldf.org
http:worldanimalnet.org
http://www
http:http://www.peta.org
http:http://www.hsus.org


that take the well­being of both consumer 
and consumed into consideration. Access: 
http://www.ciwf.org.uk. 

• Fa r m  A n i m a l  R i g h t s  M ove m e n t  
(FARM). FARM is an organization that ad­
vocates for the vegan lifestyle. Among its 
promotions is the “Great American Meatout” 
—a day to try only plant­based food. Access: 
www.farmusa.org. 

• Farm Sanctuary. Farm Sanctuary dis­
covers and exposes the horrifi c conditions 
found in some factory farm situations. They 
rescue abused animals, advocate for protec­
tion and regulation laws, and offer educational 
programs. Access: http://www.farmsanctuary. 
org. 

Wildlife 
• National Audubon Society. Mission 

statement: to conserve and restore natural 
ecosystems, focusing on birds, other wildlife, 
and their habitats for the benefit of humanity 
and the earth’s biological diversity. The Na­
tional Audubon Society has been supporting 
conservation efforts for more than 100 years. 
It continues to work to protect wildlife and its 
habitats by educational programs, lobbying for 
protective legislation, and funding projects. 
Access: http://www.audubon.org. 

• World Wildlife Fund (WWF). WWF is 
the world’s largest conservation group with 
almost 5 million members. Its focus is on pro­
tecting the earth’s resources, including animals 
and habitats, as well as to promote pollution 
reduction and renewable energy creation. Ac­
cess: http://www.worldwildlife.org. 

Domesticated animals 
• American Anti-Vivisection Society 

(AAVS). Founded in 1883, AAVS works toward 
ending experimen­
tation on animals 
in research through 
the development of 
alternative methods 
as well as public education and general animal 
welfare advocacy. Access: http://www.aavs.org. 

• Best Friends Animal Society. Best 
Friends began as a program to reduce the 
staggering number of cats and dogs that were 
euthanized in shelters in the 1980s. Through 
rehabilitation programs, spay and neuter 
campaigns, and public education, they have 
succeeded in helping decrease that number. 
Best Friends teams up with local communities 
and humane groups to continue spay/neuter 
programs as well as fostering and adoption 
opportunities. Best Friends also sponsors a 
large animal sanctuary in Utah and provides 
disaster recovery for pets. Access: www.best­
friends.org. 

• Dogs Deserve Better. Dogs Deserve 
Better is an organization dedicated to helping 
chained and tethered dogs through education, 
outreach, and rescue. Access: http://www. 
dogsdeservebetter.org/home.html. 

April is Prevention of Cruelty to Animals 
Month. In addition to the above resources, 
contact these organizations’ local chapters, 
and check out your local shelter for additional 
information. 

(“A phone of one’s own,” cont. from p. 106) 

the spring semester. The Krupp Library staff 
and its patrons have contributed to the success 
of the “Text a Librarian” service. We hope to 
see it grow in upcoming semesters while we 
explore complementary services via text mes­
saging, such as circulation notifi cations, book 
requests, and more. 

Text messaging enhances the quality of our 
outreach to our students. The “Text a Librarian” 
service at Bryant is not a replacement for face­
to­face reference services, or even telephone, 
e­mail, instant messenger, or chat reference. 
Text messaging cannot replicate the rich dynam­
ics that an in­person reference interview can 
provide. Different mediums work for different 
people, different questions, and in different situ­
ations. By offering another method of contact, 
we reach out to our users, affirming that we are 
where they are, and that we are there when they 
need us. By choosing to text message with our 
users, we offer further proof that librarians are 
current, relevant, indispensable—and it doesn’t 
hurt if they think we’re hip, too. 

C&RL News February 2009  118 

http://www
http:friends.org
www.best
http:http://www.aavs.org
http:http://www.worldwildlife.org
http:http://www.audubon.org
http://www.farmsanctuary
http:www.farmusa.org
http://www.ciwf.org.uk