Inspiring Global Action 2018 Impact Report
Dear Supporters,
As we look forward to the year ahead and all that we strive to accomplish, I want to reflect on the past year’s successes–a historic year for animals that you helped make happen. Thanks to your support of our mission and tireless work on behalf of farmed animals, we are creating a world where all animals are respected and protected, and millions are spared from suffering. This outcome is only possible because of you. As you read through our Inspiring Global Action 2018 Impact Report, please keep in mind that you make this work possible.
On behalf of everyone at Animal Equality, thank you for standing up to cruelty and being a hero for farm animals.
For the animals,
Mission: An international organisation working with society, governments and companies to end cruelty to farmed animals.
Vision: A world in which all animals are respected and protected.
Animal Equality was named a Top Charity by Animal Charity Evaluators for the fourth time in the past five years! Animal Charity Evaluators is an independent research non-profit dedicated to finding and promoting the most effective ways to help animals, and conducts annual comprehensive reviews of animal protection groups worldwide. This means that Animal Equality is considered one of the most impactful and effective charities for animals in the world. Its most recent review of Animal Equality specifically highlighted our strong international programmes, collaboration with other organisations, and our ability to use our resources effectively.
Exposing Cruelty Through Investigations
We released a total of 21 investigations in Italy, the UK, Spain, Mexico and Germany.
We exposed the tortures inflicted on chickens, hens, pigs, cows, ducks, geese, lambs, fish and other marine life, rabbits and turkeys raised and killed for food.
Three pig farm workers were convicted of animal cruelty after our investigation revealed repeated violent abuse on a farm owned by one of the UK’s biggest pig producers, Elsham Linc.
We conducted the first ever investigation into a UK organic dairy farm, which resulted in the farm’s suspension from the RSPCA Assured food label.
We partnered with the Animal Welfare Foundation to release horrifying footage of lambs in transport throughout eastern Europe, which caused police to intervene and resulted in a fine to the transportation company for €20,000 (about £18,000).
Our series of Red Tractor-certified farm investigations sparked national discussion in the UK about the effectiveness of the certification and resulted in more unannounced inspections of farms.
We collaborated with TG2, one of the largest media outlets in Italy, on an exposé of an egg factory that supplies the mass egg producer, Parmovo.
Animal Equality has really stepped up to the plate to bring a marriage of technology and activism to the animal protection movement.
Rachel Atcheson
Animal Equality Supporter
Corporate Progress
We campaigned in a US coalition to encourage McDonald’s to publicly adopt more meaningful standards that would reduce the horrific suffering of the millions of chickens in its meat supply chain. We’ve participated in implementing numerous impactful actions, including a giant video billboard in New York City’s famed Times Square, a petition drop at McDonald’s Chicago headquarters, bus bench ads placed outside McDonald’s locations throughout Chicago, and a New York City protest with actor and animal activist Edie Falco. These actions have cumulatively earned millions of media impressions, further educating the public about the way chickens are raised for McDonald’s menu items.
We conducted informational campaigns about the cruelty involved in keeping hens used for eggs in cages, focusing on companies such as the largest retailer in Brazil, Grupo Pão de Açúcar; a discount retailer in Spain, DIA; and a popular cookie company in Mexico, Mac’Ma.
Our international corporate outreach volunteer network, Animal Protectors/Defenders, grew to over 50,000 people strong.
International Commitments
We won 60 policies banning the cages that cruelly confine hens used for eggs in Brazil, Italy, Mexico, Spain, and India, improving the lives of nearly 12 million birds every year. The commitments include Starbucks in Spain, Carrefour in Brazil (as well as across Europe), Ferraro in Italy and Mexico, as well as Le Pain Quotidien in Brazil and Mexico.
Legal Advocacy
We played a critical role in passing Prop 12 in California, known as the Prevention of Cruelty to Farm Animals Act, one of the strongest farmed animal welfare measures in history. Prop 12 will establish minimum space requirements for California calves used in the veal industry, mother pigs, and hens farmed for eggs. The measure will also ensure that food items sold in California are compliant with these modest standards. Furthermore, this historic measure will guarantee hens the ability to engage in natural behaviors that are prevented by cage confinement, including spreading their wings, moving around throughout the barns, perching, and dust bathing.
We assisted with the legislative defeat of the King Amendment, which threatened to prohibit US states from passing new, and negate existing, animal protection laws.
With 130 other organisations, we joined the European campaign End The Cage Age, a European Citizens’ Initiative aiming to end the use of cages in farming.
We collected more than 130,000 signatures on our Slaughterhouse Petition, which aims to reduce the cruelty inflicted on 600 million animals in Italy.
We delivered more than 100,000 signatures on our foie gras petition to the UK Prime Minister at Number 10 Downing St.
Raising Awareness
More than 200 supporters helped us celebrate our year’s accomplishments at our Inspiring Global Action Gala in LA.
We interviewed Kate Mara and Moby for our magazine Their Voice. Kate Mara’s interview was syndicated by media, including Plant Based News, Veg News, and Live Kindly.
iAnimal
Animal Equality staff and volunteers presented our groundbreaking and award-winning virtual reality series, iAnimal, at 323 outreach events worldwide, with a total of 50,712 views.
We attended some of Britain’s largest ethical living events, including EA Global, the OM Yoga Shows, Plant Based Live and VegFest in London, Bristol and Brighton. Our iAnimal film about the dairy industry was also shortlisted for two awards in the UK and featured at The Raindance Film Festival.
We conducted an iAnimal Outreach Tour visiting 18 UK universities, reaching nearly 5,000 students.
Love Veg
We grew our Love Veg programme to be six countries strong, launching in Mexico, Spain, and India, and continuing our work in the US, the UK and Germany.
Our Love Veg Newsletter subscriber count has grown to 433,100 individuals worldwide.
We can’t do this alone. Join us!
Donate to a charity you can trust. You helped Animal Equality make last year a historic year for the animals. You can help build on that progress, making 2019 the year we save more animals than ever. Thank you!
Animal Equality is considered a Top Charity by Animal Charity Evaluators (ACE), Disability Confident Employer, and has a GuideStar Platinum Seal of Transparency.
Looking Forward in 2019
You are the heart and soul of our organisation. We could not do any of the amazing work we do without your continued support. Together, let’s make 2019 even better!
In 2019, we plan to save and protect more animals than ever before, and we will work together to grow Animal Equality, reaching new heights worldwide!
