| Status | Exploratory |
| Primary Work Area | General Animal Advocacy Legal and Legislative |
| Website | Animal Welfare Institute (AWI) |
| Review Published | December, 2015 |
The Animal Welfare Institute (AWI) promotes the humane treatment of animals through engagement with policy-makers, enforcement authorities, and the public. AWI has programs that focus on farmed animals, animals in research, terrestrial wildlife, marine life, and companion animals. They see cruelty against farmed animals as one of the most crucial issues to address and are working to improve conditions for these animals on the farm, in transport, and at slaughter.
The Animal Welfare Institute (AWI) promotes the humane treatment of animals through engagement with policy-makers, enforcement authorities, and the public. AWI has programs that focus on farmed animals, animals in research, terrestrial wildlife, marine life, and companion animals. They see cruelty against farmed animals as one of the most crucial issues to address and are working to improve conditions for these animals on the farm, in transport, and at slaughter.
Impact Evaluation:
Good potential
AWI addresses many animal welfare issues, meaning that some of their campaigns focus on relatively few animals while others, such as those related to farmed animals, potentially affect large numbers of animals. In other areas they develop resources to help law enforcement officials prosecute animal abusers and help domestic violence victims protect themselves and their companion animals. They are committed to preventing destructive and inhumane commercial exploitation of marine species and degradation of their habitats. They seek to safeguard wild terrestrial animals and their habitats, and promotes humane, non-lethal solutions to conflicts with wildlife. They champion better treatment of animals subject to experimentation and seeks to reduce the overall number of animals used in research.
They publish and provide literature free or at cost, including books, brochures, and reports, as well as calls to action for all their animal programs. We believe the wellbeing of wild and marine animals matters just as much as that of other animals, so due to their large numbers, these are important cause areas. Currently, AWI seems to emphasize preserving biodiversity, which might not be as impactful as focusing on improving individual well-being. They take on issues irrespective of political sensitivity or fund-raising considerations.
Uncertainty about program specifics and use of funds
AWI works to influence legislation, which is a potentially high impact way of helping animals, particularly through policies which affect many animals. For example, their website provides information on a variety of animal law issues and encourages readers to contact their Member of Congress through AWI’s Compassion Index. However, it is unclear how AWI apportions its funding on the various programs.