Today we are launching our new Humane Trends report and the accompanying website, www.HumaneTrends.com. Put simply, Humane Trends is a barometer of the status of animal protection in the United States. The study brings together a collection of 25 diverse indicators to assess the status and progress of animal well-being, providing a comprehensive view of animal use and abuse in the United States to help inform animal advocates as well as policymakers and the public.
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With support and input from a consortium of sponsor organizations, Humane Trends has been in development for more than two years. In addition to the report that is now available to HumaneSpot.org users, HRC has launched a public website with details and interactive charts for all of the study’s indicators.
Be sure to check out www.HumaneTrends.com and forward the link to your friends and colleagues! Comment fields are open so that you can weigh in on the indicators and how we scored them. For more details about the study, please see below for the press release that is going out today.
Please join us in celebrating our new Humane Trends study! If you value the kind of research provided by HRC, make a donation today to help us continue informing advocates through research.
If you are in the Los Angeles, California area please join us Monday, August 22nd us between 5pm and 9pm at the Veggie Grill on Sunset for the Humane Trends launch party and fundraiser. Research Director Carol Glasser will be there and the website will be running live. As an added benefit, if you tell your server you are there to support HRC, a proportion of all sales from any food you buy will be donated to HRC so that we can continue to conduct great research on behalf of animals and their advocates.As always, thank you for being part of the HRC community.
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New Research Report Shows U.S. Scores Low on Animal Protection
Study includes companion animals, farm animals, wildlife, and animals used in science
SEATTLE, Wash. (August 16, 2011) - The United States scores just 34 out of a possible 100 for its treatment of animals, according to a new study released today by the nonprofit research organization, the Humane Research Council (HRC).
The “Humane Trends” report measures a diverse set of 25 indicators in a range of issues involving companion animals, farmed animals, wildlife, and animals used in science and entertainment. The scores for each category of indicators range from a low of 4 for farmed animals to a high of 48 for companion animals. Each indicator is scored individually based on the most current information available and will be tracked over time to measure progress.
Highlights from the Humane Trends study include:
- 91 percent of U.S. adults say that protecting companion animals is important
- There are 14 laws in seven states that limit the confinement of farm animals
- An estimated 3.5 million cats and dogs were killed in animal shelters in 2010
- 89 percent of U.S. medical schools do not require terminal animal labs
- More than 9 billion land-based farm animals are slaughtered for food annually
- Only 15 U.S. states have policies that allow students to opt out of dissection
- 15 million hunting licenses were issued in 2011, up 520,000 in the past two years
- There are 376 endangered animal species in the U.S. as of 2010
The scoring methodology and source data for these and the other indicators in the study are described in full on www.HumaneTrends.com. A PDF version of the report is also available upon request from the media contact.
The Humane Trends study, in development for more than two years, identifies areas where improvements have been made and where further changes would have a significant impact on animal protection. Future results will be released as gains and losses are made in each indicator.
The report shows animal welfare is currently weakest for farmed animals and animals used in science.
“The data clearly show that those of us in the U.S. need to do more to protect all animals, not just the companions that share our homes, but also the animals that end up on our dinner plates,” said HRC executive director Che Green. “We hope the Humane Trends study will help provide a basis for positive, measurable change for all animals in the form of improvements to government and corporate policies as well as consumer attitudes and behavior toward animals.”
About the Humane Research Council
The Humane Research Council is a nonprofit research organization that helps animal advocates inform and improve their efforts. For over ten years, HRC has worked with a wide range of national and local animal protection organizations and foundations. HRC also conducts independent research and provides resources and services to animal advocates, media, policymakers, and the public.
Using an objective, data-driven approach similar to organizations such as the Pew Environmental Group and FSG, the Humane Research Council is the leading source of information about behavior and attitudes toward animals.
HRC provides the world’s most comprehensive source of opinion and behavior research relating to animals at HumaneSpot.org. The site houses thousands of research studies covering a wide range of animal protection issues of interest to reporters, advocates, academics, and policymakers. Access to HumaneSpot.org is entirely free and includes notification services via email and RSS.
In addition to helping animal advocates through client projects, HRC provides independent research like the Humane Trends study and our annual “Animal Tracker” survey of U.S. adults. These in-depth, collaborative studies serve society in general by providing insight into the relationship between humans and other animals and understanding changes in that relationship over time.
More on the web at www.HumaneResearch.org.
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