Get Involved

Action Alerts & Updates

Urge the FDA to End Antibiotic Abuse on Factory Farms!
(August 19, 2010)
The overuse of antibiotics on factory farms has been linked to increased drug resistance in humans and promotes cruel factory farming practices. Roughly 70 percent of antibiotics in the U.S. are used on factory farms to compensate for overcrowding and unsanitary conditions. Agriculture interests have pushed for relaxed regulations and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration is considering a rule that may make it easier for factory farmers to obtain and use these drugs. Take action now!

Ohio: Urge the Livestock Care Standards Board to Ban Cruel Factory Farming Practices Now!
(August 12, 2010)
In a recent landmark victory for farm animals, an agreement was brokered with agribusiness to ban and phase out cruel factory farming practices in Ohio. Now, the Ohio Livestock Care Standards Board is preparing to issue regulations on the treatment of farm animals and wants to hear from you. This is the perfect time to speak up and ensure that the board makes the provisions of the agreement a reality now!

Help Protect Downed Pigs and Other Farm Animals
(August 6, 2010)
In 2009, President Barack Obama announced a new rule that prevents downed cattle – animals too sick and injured to walk or stand on their own – from being slaughtered for human food. While this was a step in the right direction, the U.S. Department of Agriculture has no rules in place to protect downed animals of other species. Pigs, sheep and goats are still being cruelly pushed, prodded and dragged to their deaths, but you can help end their suffering! Please take a minute now to contact Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack and urge him to extend this rule to include other downed animals.

Help Stop Construction of Oswego Cattle Factory
(August 6, 2010)
Legislators in Oswego County, NY are considering a proposal to build facilities housing and processing more than 70,000 cattle. Factory farms and slaughterhouses like this one are notorious for neglecting and abusing farm animals and pose serious risks to public health and the environment. Tell Oswego County legislators that you strongly oppose this project!

Ask the USDA and Health and Human Services to Include Non-Dairy Sources of Calcium and Non-Meat Sources of Protein in Dietary Guidelines
(July 8, 2010)
Every five years, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) update the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, which serve as a model for healthy eating and food-related public policy in the U.S. After receiving recommendations from an advisory committee, the USDA and HHS draft and publish the final dietary guidelines. This year, the Advisory Committee on the Dietary Guidelines for Americans’ report makes great strides by suggesting that people “shift food intake to a more plant-based diet that emphasizes vegetables, cooked dry beans and peas, fruits, whole grains, nuts and seeds.” However, the report also promotes the increased consumption of fat-free and low-fat milk products and seafood. Please contact the USDA and HHS by July 15 and urge them to include non-dairy sources of calcium and non-meat sources of protein in the dietary guidelines. Take action now.

Important Progress for Farm Animals in Ohio
(Updated June 30, 2010)
After being confronted with over 500,000 signatures for a voter initiative to ban some of the worst factory farming abuses, Ohio’s animal agriculture industries have agreed to some serious reforms. Learn more.

Support the Healthy School Meals Act to Provide Students with Plant-Based Foods!
(April 13, 2010)
In recent months, political leaders and major media outlets have been opening their eyes to the growing epidemic of childhood obesity, juvenile diabetes and other diet-related diseases among our nation’s youth. Despite widespread awareness that plant-based diets are effective in reducing rates of obesity, diabetes  and heart disease, students in America’s public schools have limited, if any, access to healthy, plant-based foods.  The Healthy School Meals Act would provide financial incentives to school districts that provide their students plant-based foods and non-dairy beverages.

Federal Court Upholds California Downed Animal Protection Law!
(April 5, 2010)
In 2008, California strengthened its downed animal protection law to ensure that animals who were too sick or injured to walk, would not go into the food supply. Displeased with the new law, the meat industry filed suit to challenge it. Fortunately, in March 2010, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit rejected the meat industry’s erroneous lawsuit and upheld the law. Learn more and find out how you can help protect downers

Support the new federal anti-confinement bill!
(March 16, 2010)
Throughout the last decade, Americans have become increasingly aware of the fact that hundreds of millions of animals are cruelly confined on factory farms every year. Despite the passage of several state laws prohibiting intensive confinement and widespread public opposition to such abuse, most of the industry still imprisons animals in constrictive confinement systems such as battery cages, gestation crates and veal crates. Last week, Representatives Elton Gallegly and Diane Watson introduced the Prevention of Farm Animal Cruelty Act, which would prohibit the government’s use of your tax dollars to purchase products from animals kept in these barbaric systems. Find out how you can support this precedent-setting federal legislation!

Introduce a Green Foods Resolution in Your Community
(Updated January 19, 2010)
Animal agriculture is a major contributor to climate change and other environmental hazards. You can raise awareness about this connection and urge your city council to address the issue by lobbying for a Green Foods Resolution.
Get started on introducing a Green Foods Resolution in your community today.

New York: It's time to give farm animals room to stretch their limbs
(Updated January 8, 2010)
In modern animal agriculture, most egg laying hens are stuffed in cages so small they have less space than a sheet of notebook paper to stand on. Meanwhile, most breeding sows and veal calves spend nearly their entire lives in crates barely larger than their own bodies. Their suffering is hard to imagine, but with your help, we can bring it to an end. Let your state legislators know that you support A08163, an act to ban these horrible practices.

New York: Act Now to Relieve the Suffering of Downed Animals!
(December 15, 2009)
Every year, countless farm animals become too ill or injured to stand and walk unassisted. These downed animals are frequently subjected to terrible abuse at stockyards and slaughterhouses, where they may be kicked, dragged, prodded with shock prods, brutally pushed across the ground with tractors, and more. New York has a chance to protect downed animals within its borders; please help us pass this vital legislation.

Prevent “Backyard Chicken” Mania
(December 9, 2009)
Many urban and suburban residents are eager to jump on the “backyard chicken” bandwagon and secure their own local source of fresh eggs. Unfortunately, this fad isn’t all it’s cracked up to be, and the consequences can be very serious, especially when it comes to animal welfare. Shelters and sanctuaries have seen a dramatic increase in the number of unwanted chickens dumped on their doorsteps, and the situation is only getting worse. Find out how you can prevent an outbreak of “backyard chicken” mania in your town or city.

Michigan farmers agree to ban cruel confinement practices
(Updated 10/13/09)
Governor Jennifer Granholm has signed legislation to ban the inhumane use of battery cages, gestation crates and veal crates in Michigan. Recognizing that such cruel confinement practices are no longer acceptable to the vast majority of consumers, Michigan farmers cooperated with animal advocates to support this important reform. Michigan is now the second state to ban battery cages, following the example set by California in 2008 with the passage of Proposition 2. It is also the fifth state to ban veal crates and the seventh to ban gestation crates.

Victory! Farm Sanctuary’s Celebrity Supporters Successfully Speak up for California Cows
(Updated 10/12/09)
Thanks to the help of Farm Sanctuary members and celebrity supporters, California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger made history when he signed a tail docking bill, ending the painful and unnecessary amputation of dairy cows’ tails. Bill Maher, Bob Barker, Kim Basinger, and a host of other celebrity supporters recently joined Farm Sanctuary in reaching out to California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, urging him to do the right thing by signing a bill to ban the cruel practice of docking dairy cows’ tails. Read more.

Help Pass FoodprintNYC!
(July 20, 2009)
We have a chance to pass a City Council resolution calling on New Yorkers to eat lower on the food chain. When passed, this resolution will create a citywide initiative that would establish climate-friendly food policies and programs; a public awareness campaign regarding the city’s food consumption and production patterns; and greater access to local, fresh, healthy plant-based food. Now that the resolution has been introduced, we need your help to get it passed! Please take a moment to help us so that New Yorkers can lower their Foodprint and the Big Apple can serve as a model for Foodprint resolutions everywhere.

Pennsylvania: Support Bill to Stop Cruel Pigeon Shoots
(June 2009)
It's hard to believe, but some people in Pennsylvania find it acceptable to use live animals as target practice. In parts of Pennsylvania, birds are used as target practice and cruel trap shoots. Help enact a ban on live pigeon shoots by contacting your legislator today.

Sign the Petition: That's NOT Natural
(June 4, 2009)
The USDA recently allowed companies to slap a "naturally raised" label on meat and meat products that come from animals whose upbringing was far from natural. Let the USDA know you won't stand for such deceptive claims. Sign the petition to tell the agency its "naturally raised" label is not natural!

Help Farm Sanctuary Save Sheep from Cruel and Unnecessary Training Exercises
(May 21, 2009)
This week Massachusetts General Hospital killed live sheep in a trauma training course, despite the fact that more than 90 percent of such courses in the nation rely exclusively on human-based simulators rather than live animals.  Please help Farm Sanctuary put an end to this cruel and unnecessary practice. Send a quick and easy letter to the Hospital’s course director urging her to commit to using only non-animal methods in future trauma training courses. 

Massachusetts: It's time to give farm animals room to move!
(May 12, 2009)
In modern animal agriculture, most egg laying hens are stuffed in cages that are so small they have less space than a sheet of notebook paper to stand on. Meanwhile, most breeding sows and veal calves spend nearly their entire lives in crates barely larger than their own bodies. The suffering of these animals is hard to imagine, but with your help, we could bring it to an end. Let your state legislators know that you support House Bill 815, an act to ban these horrible practices.

Prescription for Disaster: Sub-therapeutic Antibiotic Use on Farm Animals
As factory farms have crammed more and more animals into tighter and tighter spaces, the use of antibiotics for non-therapeutic purposes has become commonplace. But this mad science has hatched unintended consequences: more germs that are resistant to antibiotics. Now legislation has been introduced in Congress to stop this reckless behavior. Take action!

National Defense: an exercise in cruelty?
(March 26, 2009)
The military’s combat trauma training includes stabbing shooting, and breaking the legs of pigs and goats. Tell your Congressperson to urge the Department of Defense to end this exercise in cruelty. Take Action.

A Ban on Downed Cattle – are Pigs Next?
The USDA closed a loophole and banned downed cattle from being slaughtered and entering the human food supply. While this step is a milestone in efforts to protect those animals too sick and injured to walk, or even stand, protections need to be expanded to all species. Help continue this momentum.

This Bill Really Stinks!
Emissions from factory farms could be exempt from the Clean Air Act under a new bill introduced in Congress. Greenhouse gasses generated from animal agriculture are a top cause of climate change and Big Agribusiness doesn’t want to take responsibility for their part in global warming. Let your legislators know that this bill stinks!

Is that a clone in the food supply?
With a green-light from the FDA, meat from cloned animals may be on its way to market. But without labels, shoppers won’t be able to recognize and take a stand against these products. In reaction to these developments, numerous states have introduced bills to mandate labeling of cloned animal products. These initiatives are critical for protecting animals and the right of consumers to say NO to these products of cruelty. Take action.

Ask McDonald’s to take a Stand Against Cloning Cruelty
(November 2008)
Fast food giant McDonald’s has stated that it wants to take the lead in advancing animal welfare practices—but has not as of yet taken a stand against cloning. In addition to the potential risks to human health posed by products from animal clones, there are serious animal welfare concerns. A shockingly high percentage of cloned animals suffer from heart, kidney, and liver disorders, as well as other deformities and even early death. Please ask McDonald’s to sign a public pledge to not sell products from cloned animals.

A Continuing Battle to Stop the Slaughter of American Horses
If passed, the federal bill H. R. 503 will effectively stop the slaughter of all American horses by banning their shipment to foreign slaughterhouses. Get the details.