#United States #New York #The Humane League #Cage-Free #Animal Advocacy

Celebrating 20 Years of Progress for Farm Animals

The Humane League (THL), a leading nonprofit organization dedicated to ending the mistreatment of farm animals, recently marked its 20th anniversary. Founded in 2005, THL has spearheaded significant changes in the way animals raised for food are treated, transforming industry practices through strategic campaigns, public advocacy, and coalition-building. Over the past two decades, the organization has successfully driven policy shifts and corporate commitments aimed at alleviating the suffering of farm animals, particularly egg-laying hens.

Twenty years ago, the conditions for hens in the United States were alarming, with over 98% of them confined in tiny cages, often referred to as battery cages, which were barely larger than a single sheet of notebook paper. Fast forward to today, and nearly half of all hens—45.7%, to be exact—are now raised in cage-free environments. This monumental shift represents a significant victory for animal welfare, freeing more than 136 million hens from confinement and marking the lowest recorded number of caged hens in history.

The remarkable transformation in animal treatment is one of the reasons why Animal Charity Evaluators has recognized The Humane League as a Top Recommended Charity since 2014, a distinction unique to this organization. THL's influential campaigns have led numerous global food corporations, including industry giants like McDonald's and Starbucks, to commit to ending the use of battery cages in their supply chains. Currently, over 1,100 companies have successfully fulfilled their commitments to sourcing cage-free eggs, demonstrating a clear and growing consumer demand for higher welfare food systems.

Dan Shannon, the newly appointed CEO of The Humane League, expressed his enthusiasm for the organization’s past successes and upcoming challenges.