MEXICO CITY, Mexico—Thanks to a collaboration between Mexico City’s Secretariat of Disaster Risk Management and Civil Protection and Humane Society International/Mexico, over 100 officials from various municipalities—including firefighters, members of search and rescue units, and community brigade personnel—received training on handling animals in crisis. The training, offered throughout 2024, focused on disaster response and pet first aid, covering topics such as CPR and respiratory emergency care.
“Mexico City is an important geographic priority for civil protection efforts to prepare the population for a disaster, and now animals are being included in these exercises,” said Felipe Márquez, program manager, disaster response, of Humane Society International/Latin America.
HSI/Mexico has regularly collaborated with the authorities of Mexico City, particularly after the earthquake of September 19, 2017, when the organization provided help to more than 6,200 animals through emergency veterinary clinics. “Mexico City is highly vulnerable to disasters, as we were reminded by the earthquakes in 1985 and 2017, which resulted in a significant number of fatalities and injuries,” said Marquez.
Mexico is one of the countries in the world with the greatest telluric (subsurface electrical) activity. According to statistics, more than 90 earthquakes are recorded per year with a magnitude greater than 4 degrees on the Richter scale, which is equivalent to 60% of all telluric movements that are recorded in the world.
Strengthening local capacities is a key focus for HSI/Mexico, which seeks to build a culture of prevention that includes animals in disaster planning. This involves coordinated efforts to set up temporary shelters where people can safely stay with their pets during emergencies.
“From February to August, we have provided four training sessions for over 100 officials from different departments in Mexico City. The reception has been very positive, with attendees noting that the topics covered are highly relevant to their daily work and crucial for managing the impact of disasters,” says Márquez.
Coordination between the non-governmental organization and government authorities allows for greater response capacity in the face of the current hurricane season, as well as in the event of any eventual emergency in Mexico City and the rest of the country.
AGUASCALIENTES, Mexico—Humane Society International/Mexico, in collaboration with state and municipal partners, is proud to announce the launch of a groundbreaking pilot program to improve the welfare of companion animals in rural and low-income households in Aguascalientes. This initiative is based on critical needs that were identified in a comprehensive, first-of-its-kind dog population survey in Mexico.
The survey revealed that only 32% of the city’s roughly 310,000 dogs and 40% of its 77,000 cats have been sterilized, raising the chances of unwanted puppies and kittens being abandoned on the streets. Notably, dogs from low-income and rural areas were more likely to be surrendered to local animal control facilities, leading to a euthanasia rate exceeding 90% in 2022.
HSI/Mexico’s program addresses these issues through three main components: a mobile clinic for preventive services, training veterinarians for free sterilization campaigns and an educational initiative to train teachers on responsible companion animal care.
Mobile Vet Clinic
HSI/Mexico has deployed a mobile clinic offering free preventive medicine, including vaccinations, deworming and general veterinary check-ups. The clinic has already served over 200 animals in its early stages. During their companion animals’ treatment visits, families can participate in humane education discussions and children receive coloring books on proper companion animal care. The goal is to keep companion animals healthy and reduce abandonment due to untreated illnesses. Bárbara Morales, program manager of companion animals and engagement for Humane Society International said: “Helping families stay together with their animals and enjoy a healthier and happier life is something that fills your heart with a deep satisfaction. This program allows us to do so, and I am very grateful for that.”
Sterilization Campaigns
Recognizing the urgent need for increased sterilization efforts, HSI/Mexico will collaborate with government institutions to enhance existing spay and neuter campaigns. The program will provide specialized training for veterinarians in high-volume sterilization, pain management and best surgical practices. This initiative aims to decrease the number of free-roaming animals and increase the capacity to care for companion animals across the state.
Humane Education Campaign
The survey also highlighted a widespread lack of knowledge about animal welfare and responsible companion animal care. Hence, HSI/Mexico launched an educational campaign comprising of the following elements:
Teaching the Teachers: HSI trains elementary school teachers on animal behavior and welfare, providing them with the “Nose to Tail” curriculum developed in the U.S. This curriculum helps children learn about the responsibilities of companion animal ownership and proper animal care.
Direct Advising: At each mobile clinic, HSI offers group or individual consultations with companion animal owners, educating them on the five domains of animal welfare to ensure that their companion animals enjoy fulfilling lives.
Media Campaign: HSI will initiate a media campaign to promote responsible companion animals’ ownership. It will include traditional media appearances, social media posts and printed materials like banners and stickers, aiming to embed responsible companion animals’ care into the public consciousness.
HSI/Mexico works hand in hand with key stakeholders, including government agencies such as IEA (Instituto de Educación de Aguascalientes―Aguascalientes’ education institute), PROESPA (Procuraduría Estatal de Protección al Ambiente―Aguascalientes’ environmental agency) and Municipal officials, among others.
By addressing specific needs identified in the survey, HSI/Mexico seeks to create a model that can be replicated in other regions of the country. This initiative underscores HSI/Mexico’s dedication to enhancing the lives of companion animals and supporting the communities that care for them, helping families to stay together.
Update, 9 August: The amendments to Animal Protection Law No. 5199 have been signed by President Erdoğan and published in the Official Gazette, which were the last steps before they could enter into force. Humane Society International will continue to follow the news from Türkiye and is ready to offer its expertise in the field of dog population management and collaborate with decision-makers on finding a long-term working solution. At the same time, we are very concerned about the news of mass graves of dogs found recently in different parts of the country and strongly condemn all forms of cruelty against street animals.
Update, 30 July: Despite our and other animal welfare groups’ efforts to reach out to members of Parliament, the Grand National Assembly of Türkiye adopted the amendments to Animal Protection Law No. 5199, which open the door for mass killing of stray dogs and at the same time do not allow for animals who are neutered and vaccinated to be returned to their familiar territories. Before the law enters into force, it needs to be signed by President Erdoğan.
ANKARA, Türkiye—Humane Society International is deeply concerned about recent developments in Türkiye regarding the treatment of community dogs and cats living on the streets. The ruling coalition has announced plans to introduce a law to allow the killing of roaming cats and dogs who, after a short period in shelters, are not claimed by their family or adopted. This represents a significant and alarming shift from Türkiye’s previously progressive stance on street animal welfare.
Türkiye has long been considered a model for its humane and effective approach to managing street animal populations, historically prioritizing the well-being of animals through policies that emphasize spay, neuter and return to their communities. These progressive and compassionate efforts have not only helped control street dog and cat populations humanely but have also garnered international praise.
The proposed legislation threatens to undermine these achievements, causing unnecessary suffering and death to countless animals in a short-term fix that won’t deliver a long-term solution. In light of these developments, HSI haswritten to President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan expressing our profound concerns and offering our expertise and assistance to both local and central authorities in Türkiye to implement effective and humane street dog and cat management programs that align with global best practices.
As an organization dedicated to animal welfare with a long track record of successful programmes to humanely manage street animal populations, we believekilling is not only cruel, but also ineffective. HSI strongly urges the Turkish government to reconsider this legislation and instead to invest in solutions that prevent the suffering of animals while sustainably and effectively addressing public health and safety concerns.
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Media contact: Yavor Gechev, communications director for HSI/Europe, ygechev@hsi.org ; +359889468098 ; +393515266629
HSI/India welcomes the Indian Pharmacopoeia Commission’s commitment to waive off the ‘Target Animal Batch Safety Test’
Humane Society International / India
unoL/iStock.com
INDIA—In a significant move, the Indian Pharmacopoeia Commission (IPC) has made a progressive amendment and waived off the Target Animal Batch Safety Test (TABST) in the Indian Pharmacopoeia, effective 1st July 2024.
The TABST, a non-specific safety test for veterinary vaccines, typically involves the administration of vaccine overdose to animals to test that every batch of vaccine produced is safe for a specific species. However, multiple studies have proved that the method lacks specificity and is prone to producing false results. The IPC’s decision to waive the TABST will reduce the number of animals subjected to unnecessary testing and underscores the supportive atmosphere of the regulators and industry to steer away from obsolete animal-based testing.
By recognizing the shortfalls of the TABST and allowing the test to be waived, India is a step closer to aligning itself with international veterinary vaccine testing standards, joining Brazil, Europe, Canada, the US, Japan, and others.
Alokparna Sengupta, managing director at Humane Society International/India said: “We are delighted at the recent waiver of the TABST. This reaffirms India’s commitment towards eliminating obsolete animal tests for batch release testing of vaccines. We have been working on this with both IPC and the industry since 2020 and we believe that such collaboration is pivotal in this decision. We look forward to facilitating further advancements in other areas of safety testing of vaccines as well.”
This waiver follows a series of progressive decisions by the IPC. Back in 2018, the Rabbit Pyrogen Test was replaced with the Bacterial Endotoxin Test (BET), followed by the inclusion of the Monocyte Activation Test in 2018 and removal of the Abnormal Toxicity Test for almost all human vaccines in 2020 from Indian Pharmacopoeia monographs.
Over the last five years, HSI/India’s Research & Toxicology department has been working with the Government of India, the veterinary industry and associated interest holders to promote the development and use of advanced non-animal methodologies. This positive step by the IPC will save countless animal lives whilst enhancing veterinary vaccine safety.
Humane Society International and Polish Members of Parliament advocate for legislation to halt trophy imports
Humane Society International / Poland
HSI
WARSAW, Poland—Humane Society International and members of the Polish Parliament are urging Poland to ban the import of hunting trophies from endangered species. This call comes alongside the inauguration of the “Still Life. #NotInMyWorld” photographic exhibition by Britta Jaschinski at the Polish Parliament organized by HSI in Poland and the Parliamentary Group for the Protection of Animal Rights. The exhibition aims to expose the harsh reality of trophy hunting.
Britta Jaschinski’s photographs capture haunting images of animal bodies, skins, paws and heads. The once living creatures have been reduced to lifeless trophies. Her work draws a poignant parallel between the objectification of endangered animals and the traditional concept of “still life,” where inanimate objects, including hunting trophies, are depicted. This powerful visual narrative underscores the negative ethical and ecological implications of trophy hunting.
Iga Głażewska, Poland country director for HSI/Europe, said: “Hunting trophies are often perceived as symbols of status, but they represent an outdated and colonial view of nature. This exhibition challenges that perception and highlights the severe impact of trophy hunting on both the animals themselves, and on biodiversity and the environment. We firmly believe that Poland should follow the lead of other European countries and adopt a ban on the import of trophies from imperiled species. In the face of the climate and biodiversity crises, it is imperative to eliminate practices that threaten the extinction of more species.”
Following the opening of the exhibition, where Britta Jaschinski, Professor Rafał Kowalczyk from the Mammal Research Institute of the Polish Academy of Sciences, and MP Katarzyna Piekarska spoke, a meeting of the Parliamentary Group for the Protection of Animal Rights took place. The meeting focused on trophy hunting and the need for stricter regulations in this area.
Between 2013 and 2022, the European Union imported hunting trophies from over 27,000 animals threatened by trade and regulated under CITES (the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora). Poland alone imported nearly 1,400 such trophies during this period, including those from species like the brown bear, African lion, black bear, cheetah, leopard and rhino.
Through the #NotInMyWorld campaign, HSI is advocating for a global shift in policies related to trophy hunting. The campaign has already achieved success in several countries. In January 2024, Belgium banned the import of trophies from numerous endangered species. Finland enacted a similar ban in December 2022, and similar legislation is under consideration in France, the United Kingdom, Italy and Spain.
The “Still Life. #NotInMyWorld” exhibition not only raises awareness about the cruelty of trophy hunting but also reinforces the call for legislative change in Poland. Banning trophy imports would align Poland with other nations taking steps to protect endangered species and support global conservation efforts.
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Media contact: Iga Glazewska, Poland country director for HSI/Europe: iglazewska@hsi.org
Humane Society International / India
Jaihari AK/HSI
ASSAM, India—Animal protection charity Humane Society International/India, in collaboration with Humanitarian Aid International, North-East Affected Area Development Society, Just Be Friendly and Anchalik Gram Unnayan Parishad, is providing critical emergency relief to the estimated almost 40 lakh (4 million) animals and people affected by the devastating floods in Assam. The floods have left countless humans and animals stranded, injured and in desperate need of food and medical or veterinary attention.
HSI/India has deployed its Disaster Preparedness, Response and Relief team on the ground to aid collaborative relief efforts, which include emergency animal feed distribution, medical and veterinary supplies, as well as food rations, water and protective gear for families affected. The organization is working closely with district disaster management authority and local organizations to ensure the most affected animals and people are getting the relief they need.
Reports indicate that more than 24 lakh (2.4 million) people have been displaced across 30 districts in Assam, while 15 lakh (1.5 million) animals remain at risk. With more rainfall expected in the coming days, the situation is likely to worsen. Owing to the state’s vulnerable geography and changing climate, Assam continues to grapple with recurring floods, posing a significant humanitarian and animal welfare challenge.
Praveen Suresh, manager of disaster preparedness response and relief at Humane Society International/India, said: “With more than 10 lakhs (1 million) of companion and farmed animals at risk in Assam, the threat to animals also impacts people, their families and their livelihoods. We are witnessing the loss of hundreds of animal lives, with many more suffering injuries, displacement due to their shelters being destroyed plus the high risk of disease spread in the weeks to come. HSI/India is dedicated to providing immediate food and veterinary care to these animals, while also supporting the impacted communities. As we assess the evolving situation, we will progressively scale up our response to ensure we can assist as many affected animals and communities as possible amidst the devastating floods Our current relief operations plan is to mainly focus on Dorrang, Dhubri and Barpeta districts of Assam, which are also the most affected ones”
Facts:
HSI/India’s Disaster Preparedness, Relief and Response team has been responding to disasters since 2013, starting with the Uttarakhand flash floods and including the devastating Kerala floods in 2018 where the organization provided relief to more than 1,000 vulnerable families and 100,000 animals.
In 2022 and 2023 alone, HSI/India helped save more than 30,000 animals from floods in Delhi, Telangana and Assam.
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Media contact: Shaili Shah: 9930591005; sshah@hsi.org
Cat farmer supports Humane Society International’s campaign to ban the cat meat trade
Humane Society International / Global
Meredith Lee/HSUS Quang Nguyen, Program Manager of Companion Animals for HSI Viet Nam, spends time with a kitten at the 6th Models for Change facility in Viet Nam, a cat fattening facility where cats are fattened before slaughter for the cat meat trade, on June 6, 2024 in Thai Nguyen province.
THAI NGUYEN , Viet Nam—The owner of a cat fattening farm and slaughterhouse in Thai Nguyen, where kittens were fattened up and killed for the cat meat trade, has expressed his relief at being able to leave animal cruelty behind him thanks to a charity program. Through working with Humane Society International’s Viet Nam team, the farmer has been able to close up shop and start a new life growing crops. An estimated 1 million cats a year are killed for meat in Viet Nam but recent opinion polls show that the majority of the population (71%) support a ban on both cat meat consumption and trade.
Sixty one-year-old Mr. Nguyễn Đức Thịnh, who ran the cat fattening farm and slaughterhouse for five years in Quyet Thang commune, Thai Nguyen city, received a one-off grant from HSI’s Models for Change program that enabled him to permanently close his business and transition the property to grow tea, guava and pomelo fruit for local markets instead. Mr Thịnh purchased kittens from local villages and fattened them to slaughter weight to be killed by scalding with boiling water followed by drowning. He said despite making a decent income, the guilt of causing so much suffering and becoming aware of the trade’s potential to spread deadly rabies weighed heavily on his conscience. Thanks to the collective efforts of HSI’s Viet Nam team and the provincial Department of Animal Health, he was relieved to be able to leave the cat meat trade behind him.
Mr. Thịnh said: “When I started the business five years ago, I had no idea that the cat and dog meat trades were linked to the spread of rabies and other diseases, and I never expected to be so affected by the suffering of the cats. Now that I am aware, I feel an immense sense of regret and I am hugely relieved to leave it all behind me. Scalding and drowning is a terrible death for any animal and I hate to think how many thousands of cats have endured that fate because of my business. I’m looking forward to leading a peaceful life growing crops instead. The cat and dog meat trades are a risk to the health of both people and animals, so I’m very proud to be a part of HSI’s Models for Change program. Without them my new life would never have been possible.”
HSI’s team in Viet Nam rescued 20 young cats—including some who had been born on the farm in filthy conditions—as part of the closure. The HSI team took the cats to a custom-made sheltering facility at Thai Nguyen University of Agriculture and Forestry to receive medical care. Sixteen of the cats will be flown to the charity’s care and rehabilitation center in the United States to seek adoptive families, while the kittens will join them once they are old enough to fly with their mother.
Mr Thịnh’s farm is the sixth dog or cat meat trade business to permanently close as part of HSI’s Viet Nam Models for Change program since it launched in the country in 2022. The charity has operated Models for Change in South Korea since 2015, succeeding in seeing a similar scheme become part of the legislative ban on the industry passed by South Korea’s National Assembly in January this year. HSI hopes South Korea’s ban creates a blueprint for change that the government in Viet Nam can follow.
Quang Nguyen, HSI’s Viet Nam companion animals and engagement program manager, said: “Our Models for Change program here in Viet Nam is demonstrating that cat and dog meat business owners like Mr Thịnh can be part of the solution to end these cruel and dangerous trades. Trafficking and slaughtering millions of cats and dogs for meat each year, whether they are stolen from the streets, smuggled into the country, or transported on journeys sometimes spanning the county from fattening farms, jeopardises human health and causes immense animal suffering. South Korea’s recent ban on dog meat farming and sales proves that legislative change is possible, and we believe the health of Viet Nam’s citizens, as well as the welfare of its cats and dogs, would be safeguarded by a similar ban in this country.”
Most cats killed for meat in Viet Nam are strays and pets snatched while roaming the streets. Traders use food baits to lure the cats into homemade spring-loaded snares. Others are smuggled in on trucks and buses from surrounding provinces as far south as Ho Chi Minh City and even internationally from countries such as Cambodia. Those who survive these ordeals go on to be crammed together in cages and loaded onto trucks to be driven incredible distances across Viet Nam, often travelling for more than 24 hours without rest, food or water in suffocating conditions, with many dying along the way. Cat fattening farms like Mr Thịnh’s are far less common; the kittens are sold to farms at such a young age, they are highly vulnerable to disease and many succumb to the squalid conditions.
The link between the dog meat trade and the spread of deadly rabies has been well established by the World Health Organization and others, but cats are also susceptible to rabies and so the combined trades undermine rabies elimination efforts. This is another compelling driver to end the trade, in addition to the suffering and killing of 5 million dogs and 1 million cats a year for meat in Viet Nam.
Cat meat trade facts
Cat meat dishes called “thịt mèo” (cat meat) and “tiểu hổ” or “little tiger” are particularly common around the capital, Hanoi, and in northern provinces.
Northern Viet Nam shares a large border with Southern China where cat meat and cats are readily available and easily trafficked. In 2015 a truck loaded with thousands of cats in bamboo crates being trafficked from China was intercepted in Viet Nam. Despite animal groups pleading to offer help, the authorities buried the cats alive. In 2017, Vietnamese officials stopped a truck transporting5 tons of rotting cat and chicken carcasses which were on their way to the cat meat consuming “hotspot” of Thai Binh province. In 2018, nine cooler boxes containing almost one ton of frozen cats was intercepted between Dong Nai province in the south and Thai Binh province in the north.
In 1998, the Prime Minister issued a directive banning the hunting, slaughtering and consumption of cats in efforts to encourage cat ownership to keep the rat population under control. However, little to no action was taken to combat the trade, and the directive was eventually repealed in 2020.
A Nielsen opinion poll conducted in October 2023 and commissioned by HSI shows that cat meat is consumed by a relative minority of the Vietnamese population (21%). By far the top reasons for not consuming dog and cat meat are a belief that they are companion animals and an aversion to animal cruelty.
The poll also shows an astonishing 87% of people have either had a pet stolen or have an acquaintance whose pet has been stolen. Pet theft is becoming a growing societal issue in Viet Nam, with the increasing animal-loving and pet owning population frustrated with the lack of law enforcement to protect their animals from unscrupulous thieves and traders.
Download video and photos of the cat slaughterhouse closure operation HERE
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Media contacts:
HSI Global: Wendy Higgins, director of international media: whiggins@hsi.org
Nielsen’s online survey of Vietnamese citizens was conducted in September 2023 with recipients aged between 25 – 60 years old, with a total sample size of 800 and a margin of error of +- 2.53%.
Humane Society International / Europe
Help change the law and making this Iceland’s last whaling license
Thanks to the joint work of animal welfare organizations, 41 parrots return to their natural habitat
Humane Society International / Latin America
HSI
PETEN, Guatemala—A group of 41 parrots of different species (Amazona autumnalis and Amazona alfibrons), iconic in the Latin American region, were released in the Mayan Biosphere Reserve after they were rescued and confiscated from illegal wildlife trafficking.
The release of these birds into their natural habitat was the result of the joint work of animal welfare nonprofit organizations, Asociacion Rescate y Conservacion de Vida Silvestre and Humane Society International/Latin America, who have worked together since 2007 to protect wildlife in Guatemala.
Most of the parrots were seized in 2021 by the authorities while they were being held captive in wooden boxes in a hotel in Flores, Peten. The rest of the group was brought to ARCAS after a series of rescues throughout the rest of 2021 and, after their quarantine period, they all joined the initial group and have progressed together in their rehabilitation process.
Andrea Borel, executive director of HSI/Latin America, explained that negative interactions between people and wildlife, as well as illegal trafficking of wild birds such as parrots, are becoming more common in the region.
“The capture of wild animals for the national and international pet trade is a real problem in Guatemala. These animals are often kept in cramped, inadequate conditions and denied the ability to exhibit their natural behaviors, which can further cause them physical and psychological distress,” Borel said.
Borel continued: “By supporting and working with our local partner, ARCAS, this rescue, rehabilitation and release program is giving these birds back their freedom as well as increasing their wild populations to ensure future breeding in their natural forest habitat where they belong. We also work together on raising awareness and urging citizens not to buy products from wildlife and to report any suspicious activity to the authorities.”
Fernando Martinez, ARCAS director, said, “In our Rescue Center, the animals’ physical, medical and ethological rehabilitation is carried out under strict standards and in compliance with protocols for the different species that are brought in, as a result of illegal trafficking or negative interactions with human beings, to later be released into the Mayan Biosphere Reserve.”
Martinez continued: “Our mission is to protect wildlife and, with these parrots’ release, we contribute to maintaining genetic diversity and thus ensure the survival of the species. These birds will be monitored for 15 days, through direct observation methods on previously designed platforms and trails.”
ARCAS Wildlife Rescue Center and HSI staff facilitated the parrots’ release in the Mayan Biosphere Reserve. under the supervision of the governmental National Council of Protected Areas, or CONAP.
On May 22, Humane Society International hosted a webinar with three companies that have successfully transitioned to sourcing eggs exclusively from cage-free hens. Representing various business sectors, retailer Casa Santa Luzia, global hotel chain Marriott, and pet food company Special Dog, have each demonstrated how corporations can expand their ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) initiatives by transitioning to a cage-free supply chain.
HSI kicked off the webinar with an overview of the growing number of companies prioritizing animal welfare in their ESG initiatives. Globally, over 2,000 companies, including more than 160 in Brazil, have committed to transitioning to cage-free practices. HSI commended Casa Santa Luzia, Marriott, and Special Dog for their successful transitions to cage-free production systems, noting that the companies are sending a powerful message to their peers and producers, while changing the lives of countless animals for the better.
Representing the retail sector, Casa Santa Luzia, a high-end retailer from the state of São Paulo, opened the panel discussion. Luciana Lopes, coordinator of the Sustainable Action Program at Casa Santa Luzia, provided an overview of the company’s commitment to sustainable practices and its supply chain process. “The retail sector plays a very important role in educating on sustainability. And that is what we are trying to do every day,” said Lopes. In 2023, Casa Santa Luzia sold 2.5 million shell eggs, and will continue to only sell eggs from cage-free hens moving forward.
Next to speak was Marriott, represented by Jason Silva, the company’s procurement manager at Renaissance Hotel São Paulo. Silva emphasized Marriott’s dedication to high animal welfare standards and sustainable practices among its suppliers. Acknowledging HSI’s crucial support, Silva stated, “HSI has been helping us understand if suppliers are, in fact, meeting the parameters we want in terms of animal welfare. This is the most critical part of our company’s process of homologation [assessing and aligning] of new suppliers.” In 2023, the company purchased approximately 2.5 million shell eggs and 27 thousand pasteurized eggs.
Special Dog, the first pet food company in Brazil to complete its cage-free transition, concluded the presentations. João Paulo, Special Dog’s sustainable development manager, emphasized how animal welfare is essential in producing high quality pet food, indicating that the company has expanded its commitments to sustainable practices accordingly. Paulo stated, “Special Dog’s sustainability initiatives reach consumers and is today a competitive differential compared to other pet food manufactured brands. Cage-free comes to add to these efforts.” It is estimated that the lives of over 100,000 hens have been positively affected by the company’s shift to cage-free practices.
Anna Souza, policy and program manager in Farm Animal Welfare and Protection at HSI Brazil, closed the event with a final message: “A commitment to cage-free sourcing is not only a pledge to improve animal welfare, but a foundation for the sustainable development of businesses in all sectors. The future of egg production is cage-free.”
The full event recording can be accessed here (in Portuguese).
