Animal Advocacy, Animal Rights and Animal Protection Organizations in the U.S.

These non-profit animal advocacy, animal rights and animal protection organizations, based in the United States, have dedicated themselves to ending animal exploitation and cruelty. There are many more effective non-profits that are protecting animals, these are some of the larger ones.

A Well Fed World – A Well-Fed World is a hunger relief and animal protection organization addressing the world’s most immense, unnecessary and unconscionable forms of suffering — the suffering of people hungry from lack of food, and the suffering of animals used and abused for food. Three primary areas of focus are 1) plant-based feeding & farming programs, 2) farm animal care & rescue efforts, 3) vegan advocacy and community building.

Advancing the Interests of Animals (AIA) began in 2000 in Palm Springs, CA and today maintains the mission of advancing the interests of animals to improve the lives of animals and to encourage increased compassion and respect for all living beings. AIA is focused on developing campaigns to help animals, and has a variety of educational activities and informational efforts, including the Animal’s Today radio show.

Alley Cat Allies – Alley Cat Allies is the only national advocacy organization dedicated to the protection and humane treatment of cats. Alley Cat Allies was also the first organization to introduce and advocate for humane methods of feral cat care, particularly Trap-Neuter-Return, in the American animal protection community. By establishing and promoting standards of care, the organization has brought the humane treatment of cats into the national spotlight. As a result, the lives of feral cats are treated with more respect, understanding and care by communities across the country.

American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) – The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) was the first humane society to be established in North America and is, today, one of the largest in the world. Our organization was founded by Henry Bergh in 1866 on the belief that animals are entitled to kind and respectful treatment at the hands of humans, and must be protected under the law. Headquartered in New York City, the ASPCA maintains a strong local presence, and with programs that extend their anti-cruelty mission across the country. The ASPCA is a privately funded 501(c)(3) not-for-profit national animal welfare organization.

Animals Angels – Animals’ Angels Inc., is a 501 (c)(3) non-profit organization incorporated in Maryland with full-time investigators working in the United States. Their focus is on improving conditions for farm animals.

Animal Equality – Animal Equality is an international organization working with society, governments, and companies to end cruelty to farmed animals. Their teams in the U.S., Germany, Italy, Spain, the UK, Mexico, Brazil, and India conduct undercover investigations, corporate campaigns, political outreach, and the development of large-scale education programs.

Animal Legal Defense Fund (ALDF) – The Animal Legal Defense Fund is anAmerican non-profit law organization that aims to protect the rights and advance the interests of animals through the legal system. Founded in 1979, the ALDF has been fighting to protect the lives and advance the interests of animals through the legal system. ALDF has blazed the trail for stronger enforcement of anti-cruelty laws and more humane treatment of animals in every corner of American life. Today, ALDF’s groundbreaking efforts to push the U.S. legal system to end the suffering of abused animals are supported by thousands of dedicated attorneys and more than 100,000 members and supporters.

Animal Recovery Mission (ARM) – The Animal Recovery Mission (ARM) is a vanguard not-for-profit organization, dedicated to eliminating extreme animal cruelty operations worldwide. Their mission is to be an uncompromising defending force for the welfare of animals, in addition to putting an end to and preventing pain, suffering and torture inflicted as a result of inhumane practices. ARM implements direct-action tactics to investigate, document and expose illegal activities of animal cruelty. The organization’s main goals are to improve the quality of life for animals and educate the public. The end result will raise awareness of the unforeseen ethical, social and environmental implications of animal abuse and produce effective changes in the treatment of defenseless animals.

Animal Welfare Institute (AWI) was founded in 1951, and is dedicated to alleviating the suffering inflicted on animals by people. AWI is focused on cruel animal factory farms that are expanding worldwide, ending the torture of furbearing animals, protecting animals in laboratories and promoting non-animal forms of testing methods, protecting threatened species, and reducing the impact on endangered species.

The Animals Voice – Like its magazine, The Animals Voice website has remained true to its promise to animals: to be independent of any organization, so that it can bring its worldwide audience the news of every organization, the campaigns and action alerts of every organization, the struggles and the victories of every organization. The Animals Voice is beholden to no one and no thing — except animals.

Anonymous for the Voiceless – Anonymous for the Voiceless (AV) is a not-for-profit animal rights organization that specializes in using conversation and high-quality footage to educate the public about animal exploitation. With an abolitionist stance against all forms of animal exploitation, they hold demonstrations all around the world with the aim of empowering the public to live vegan and speak up for animals.

The Anti-Fur Society (AFS) is a group of dedicated, and caring volunteers working around the world to better the lives of fur-bearing animals. A project of the Misha Foundation, a 501(c)(4) organization, its members can lobby public officials and campaign for or against candidates for public office. Their focus is to form groups or support already existing ones around the planet, especially in areas notorious for cruel methods of fur production. Through diplomacy, education and outreach, they strive to educate consumers of the intense suffering caused by the making of fur and leather garments, thus encouraging them to reject fur and all clothing based on animal exploitation. Their goal is to help convince every “man, woman and child on the planet about the barbaric practices of the fur industry.”

Ban Live Export – Australia is the world’s largest exporter of live animals for slaughter. Every year, millions of Australian Cattle, Sheep, and Goats are exported live to be killed in the Middle East, South East Asia, North Africa, and the Philippines – where animal welfare laws do not exist to protect them. Tens of thousands of animals die before reaching their destination. Those who survive the grueling journey are transported, handled, and slaughtered in horrific ways. You can get involved through Ban Live Export and Animals Australia.

Born Free USA – Born Free USA is a companion organization to Born Free Foundation, Born Free USA was established in the United States in 2002, to carry on the work of the organization involving the American public in compassionate conservation campaigns. Born Free USA launched with a national office in Washington, DC. and is committed to spreading its brand of compassionate conservation across America and the globe. Their shared institutional mission is to alleviate animal suffering, protect threatened and endangered species in the wild, and encourage everyone to treat wildlife everywhere with respect and compassion.

Compassion Over Killing (COK) is a non-profit animal advocacy organization headquartered in Washington, D.C. with an additional office in Los Angeles. Working to end animal abuse since 1995, COK focuses on cruelty to animals in agriculture and promotes vegetarian eating as a way to build a kinder world for all of us, both human and non-human.

Defenders of Wildlife – Defenders of Wildlife deploys a wide range of tools and tactics, from policy analyses and advocacy, to litigation, innovative science and technology programs and field conservation. Every Defenders program aligns with or contributes to preventing species and their habitats from becoming imperiled; protecting endangered and threatened species and their habitats; and restoring the health of vulnerable species and their habitats.

Dharma Voices for Animals – Dharma Voices for Animals is the only international Buddhist Animal Rights and Animal Advocacy organization in the world. They are committed to speaking out when the actions of those in Dharma communities and the policies of Dharma centers lead to animal suffering like eating food that is from animals.

Direct Action Everywhere (DXE) – Is an animal rights movement that promotes veganism, opposes speciesism, and fights against animal exploitation of nonhuman animals. Active campaigns include promoting banning fur, banning slaughterhouses across the U.S., banning the use of animals for testing, promoting animal liberation and fighting animal cruelty.

Factory Farming Awareness Coalition (FFAC) was founded by Katie Cantrell in 2010 in Berkeley, California to raise awareness about factory farming and factory farmed products and their impact. The mission of FFAC is to empower people to make informed, conscious decisions about food choices.

Farm Animal Rights Movement (FARM) is a national non-profit organization working to end the use of animals for food through public education and grassroots activism. FARM believes in the inherent self-worth of animals, enhanced environmental protection, and public health. With offices in Washington, DC and Portland, OR, FARM organizes the Animal Rights National Conference, the 10 Billion Lives Tours, World Day for Farmed Animals, and other life-saving programs.

Farm Sanctuary operates three farm animal shelters including a 175-acre sanctuary in upstate New York, a 300-acre sanctuary in Northern California, and a 26-acre sanctuary in Southern California. We rescue, rehabilitate, and provide lifelong care for hundreds of animals who have been saved from stockyards, factory farms, and slaughterhouses. Farm Sanctuary also advocate on behalf of all farm animals still enduring factory farm conditions or suffering at the hands of abusive owners.

Friends of Animals – Friends of Animals (FoA) is a non-profit, international animal advocacy organization, incorporated in the state of New York since 1957. Friends of Animals advocates for the rights of nonhuman animals, free-living and domestic. Their goal is to free animals from cruelty and institutionalized exploitation around the world.

The Fund for Animals – Founded in 1967 by prominent author and animal advocate Cleveland Amory. For more than four decades, The Fund has spearheaded significant events in the history of the animal protection movement by employing national advocacy campaigns, rescue operations and operating a network of world-famous animal care facilities like our Cleveland Amory Black Beauty Ranch, The Fund for Animals Wildlife Center, Our Cape Wildlife Center, Duchess Sanctuary, and Rabbit Sanctuary.

Grey2K – GREY2K USA Worldwide is the largest greyhound protection organization in the world. As a non-profit, they work to pass stronger greyhound protection laws and end the cruelty of dog racing on both national and international levels. They also promote the rescue and adoption of greyhounds across the globe.

The Humane League is a 501(c)(3) animal advocacy organization that works to protect all animals through public education, campaigns and rescue. We have staffed offices serving the greater metro regions of Philadelphia, Boston, Maryland, New York City, Charlotte, Seattle, San Francisco and Dallas, and our work for animals extends nationwide. Funding comes from their over 6,000 members and supporters.

In Defense of Animals (IDA) is a non-profit organization working to end animal exploitation, cruelty, and abuse by protecting for the rights, welfare, and habitats of animals, as well as to raise their status beyond mere property, commodities, or things. IDA’s campaigns cover animals around the world through investigation, rescue & rehabilitation, public education, political & consumer advocacy and litigation.

Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) is the largest and one of the oldest animal protection organizations. HSUS advocates for stronger laws to protect animals and improve their living conditions; provides animal rescue and emergency response teams in disasters; investigates animal cruelty and neglect cases; conducts campaigns to reform industries; and manages animal care centers and sanctuaries, wildlife rehabilitations centers and emergency shelters for animals in need. HSUS focuses on animal advocacy through public policy, corporate reforms and campaigns that confront and change cruelty on a large level.

Humane Society Legislative Fund (HSLF) – The Humane Society Legislative Fund was formed in 2004 as a separate lobbying affiliate of The Humane Society of the United States. HSLF works to pass animal protection laws at the state and federal levels, to educate the public about animal protection issues, and to support humane candidates for office. Help get laws passed to protect animals as well as what elected officials and political candidates support animal welfare and protection laws. 

HSUS Farm Animal Protection (HSUS FAP) – Operates within the Humane Society of the United States, one of the largest and most recognized animal protection organizations in the country. The two primary goals of the Farm Animal Protection team are: (i) combating the most extreme confinement practices and abuses in the animal agribusiness system, and (ii) reducing total demand for animal products. They work with animal product producers to implement improvements in the treatment of animals used for food. They lobby for better laws, fight Ag-Gag legislation, and engage in campaigns to rid factory farms of the worst animal abuses.

Last Chance for Animals (LCA) is a national, non-profit organization dedicated to eliminating animal exploitation through education, investigations, legislation, and media attention. They believe that animals are highly sentient creatures who exist for their own reasons. LCA therefore opposes the use of animals in food and clothing production, scientific experimentation, and entertainment and promotes a cruelty-free lifestyle and the ascription of rights to non-human beings.

Mercy For Animals (MFA) is a non-profit animal advocacy organization that believes non-human animals are irreplaceable individuals who have morally significant interests and hence rights, including the right to live free of unnecessary suffering. MFA is dedicated to promoting non-violence towards all sentient beings through public education campaigns and demonstrations, undercover investigations, and open rescues.

The Non-Human Rights Project – The Nonhuman Rights Project is the only civil rights organization in the United States working through litigation, legislation, and education to secure legally recognized fundamental rights for nonhuman animals. The Nonhuman Rights Project is leading the fight to secure actual legal rights for nonhuman animals through a state-by-state, country-by-country, long-term litigation campaign. Their groundbreaking habeas corpus lawsuits demand recognition of the legal personhood and fundamental right to bodily liberty of individual great apes, elephants, dolphins, and whales held in captivity across the US. With the support of world-renowned scientists, they argue that common law courts must free these self-aware, autonomous beings to appropriate sanctuaries not out of concern for their welfare, but respect for their rights.

People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) is the largest animal rights organization in the world, with more than 3 million members. PETA focuses its attention on the four areas in which the largest numbers of animals suffer the most intensely for the longest periods of time: on factory farms, in the clothing trade, in laboratories, and in the entertainment industry. They work through public education, cruelty investigations, research, animal rescue, legislation, special events, celebrity involvement, and protest campaigns.

Performing Animal Welfare Society (PAWS) – PAWS mission is dedicated to the protection of performing animals, to providing sanctuary to abused, abandoned, and retired captive wildlife, to enforcing the best standards of care for all captive wildlife, to the preservation of wild species and their habitat, and to promoting public education about captive wildlife issues.

Physicians Committee For Responsible Medicine (PCRM) – PCRM promotes preventative medicine, good nutrition and a plant-based diet, and high ethical standards in research and alternatives to animal experimentation. The Committee’s emphasis and focus is on both health and compassion, with a combined expertise of more than 12,000 physicians who emphasize preventative health measures. Since 1985, the Physicians Committee has been working tirelessly for alternatives to the use of animals in medical education and research and advocating for more effective scientific methods. The staff of physicians, dietitians, and scientists is working with policymakers, industry, the medical community, the media, and the public to create a better future for people and animals.

The Save Movement (SAVE) – is a global network of groups who bear witness as farmed animals that are in transit to slaughterhouses. They also organize regular vigils and rallies at live markets and slaughterhouses. Their events are documented with photography and video footage that are shared across social media. Save is focused on raising awareness about the suffering of farmed animals and building a grassroots animal justice movement. Save was founded in December 2010 in Toronto. Today, there are more than 535 groups, predominantly across North America, South America, and Europe, with a small minority also present in Southeast Asia, Australia, and South Africa.

Sea Shepherd Conservation Society (SSCS) – Established in 1977, Sea Shepherd Conservation Society (SSCS) is an international non-profit, marine wildlife conservation organization. Their mission is to end the destruction of habitat and slaughter of wildlife in the world’s oceans in order to conserve and protect ecosystems and species. Sea Shepherd uses innovative direct-action tactics to investigate, document, and take action when necessary to expose and confront illegal activities on the high seas. By safeguarding the biodiversity of our delicately balanced ocean ecosystems, Sea Shepherd works to ensure their survival for future generations.

SHARK – Showing Animals Respect and Kindness – SHARK is a non-profit organization with a small core of volunteers, and a staff of five, SHARK battles tirelessly against rodeos, bullfighting, pigeon shoots, turkey shoots, canned hunts (and all hunting), circuses, zoos, and marine parks and any issue that involves violation of the innate rights of living creatures. SHARK also conducts animal rescues and education projects. 

Stop Animal Exploitation NOW! – is a national non-profit animal advocacy organization dedicated to the rights of all animals.  Their strength comes from their exclusive focus on eliminating animal experimentation.  Their mission is to end the exploitation of animals imprisoned in laboratories by educating the public with the reality of what is happening inside the vivisection industry and engaging government agencies to enforce laws, issue citations, and levy fines against criminal labs.  Through in-depth investigations of laboratories, international protests and events, and national media campaigns, SAEN exposes and ends the misery of animals.

United Poultry Concerns (UPC) – United Poultry Concerns is a 501(c)(3) national non-profit organization that addresses the treatment of domestic fowl in food production, science, education, entertainment, and human companionship situations. UPC raises awareness about the ways poultry are treated in the U.S. and throughout the world. They educate the public about how the treatment of these birds affects our health, our ethics, our education, our occupational safety, and our environment. UPC informs people about and actively promotes alternatives through extensive investigations, their chicken sanctuary, public talks, writings, mailings, conferences, information displays, and film presentations using such sources as public interest groups, animal advocacy organizations, poultry trade publications, government agencies, and scientific journals and proceedings.

Vegan Outreach (VO) –  Focuses almost exclusively on farmed animal advocacy. They produce a large number of leaflets each year that are distributed by staff and volunteers, as well as by other organizations. They also engage the public with virtual reality, community events, online outreach, humane education, and a vegan mentorship program. They do most of their outreach in the United States on college campuses, at community events, and online. They also have smaller programs in Canada, Australia, New Zealand, India, and Mexico. 

World Animal Protection (WAP) – Formerly World Society for the Protection of Animals, or WSPA, World Animal Protection is an international non-profit that tackles cruelty and suffering worldwide and has worked to protect animals around the world for the past 30 years. WAP works with governments, the UN, businesses and other animal welfare organizations, and has 14 country offices. The charity describes its vision as: A world where animal welfare matters and animal cruelty has ended.

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