Organization: ANIMAL WELLNESS FOUNDATION
Mission: ANIMAL WELLNESS FOUNDATION BEGAN OPERATIONS FOCUSED MAINLY ON THE RESCUE AND REHABILITATION OF COMPANION ANIMALS. WE HAVE EXPANDED OUR WORK TO ADVANCE A RANGE OF ANIMAL PROTECTION PRIORITIES, BUT THE CARE OF COMPANION ANIMALS HAS REMAINED AT OUR CORE.
Activities: OUR TEAM AT ANIMAL WELNNESS FOUNDATION CONTINUES TO SAVE LIVES, PULLING DOGS AND CATS FROM ABUSIVE AND NEGLECTFUL ENVIRONMENTS, EITHER FROM LOS ANGELES AREA ANIMAL SHELTERS, FROM INDIVIDUALS SURRENDERING OWNED OR FOUND ANIMALS, OR FROM ANIMALS ROAMING THE STREETS. WE PROVIDE SOCIALIZATION AND EVERY DAY CARE TO EACH ANIMAL, DELIVER STATE-OF-THE-ART MEDICAL CARE, AND PLACE THEM INTO LOVING FOREVER HOMES. FROM EXTREMELY NEGLECTFUL HOARDING ENVIRONMENTS, TO INJURED AND LOST DOGS ALONG CITY HIGHWAYS, TO VICTIMS OF NATURAL DISASTERS, OUR TEAM CONTINUES TO RESCUE, REHABILITATE AND REHOME. AS THE RESCUE MISSION GROWS, SO DO OUR NETWORK OF FOSTERS, VOLUNTEERS AND ADOPTERS BRINGING OUR RESCUE AND ADOPTION NUMBERS INTO THE THOUSANDS. - OUR ANIMAL WELLNESS FOUNDATION VETERINARIANS WORK HARD TO TREAT THE MEDICAL CONDITIONS OF INDIVIDUAL ANIMALS UNDER OUR CARE, BUT WE ALSO HELP KEEP ANIMALS IN LOVING HOMES. MANY INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES LOVE THEIR COMPANIONS, BUT LACK THE ABILITY TO AFFORD VETERINARY CARE. FAILURE TO PROVIDE VETERINARY MEDICAL CARE IS THE NUMBER ONE REASON ANIMALS ARE RELINQUISHED AND ABANDONED. ANIMALL WELLNESS FOUNDATION SUBSIDIZES VETERINARY CARE FOR LOW-INCOME HOUSEHOLDS. WE PROVIDE PREVENTATIVE CARE, SUCH AS VACCINES, FLEA MEDICATIONS, SPRAYS AND NEUTERS, ETC. AND ALSO HELP TREAT THE INJURED AND ILL. BY KEEPING ANIMALS IN LOVING HOMES WE ARE PREVENTING THE OVERCROWDING AND UNNECESSARY EUTHANASIA OF PETS IN SHELTERS, AND CREATE STRONGER HUMAN-ANIMAL BONDS FOR ALL FAMILY MEMBERS, INCLUDING CHILDREN. KEEPING ANIMALS IN THEIR CURRENT HOMES THROUGH LOW-INCOME ASSISTANCE AND EDUCATION MAY BE A MORE HUMANE AND ECONOMICALLY VIABLE ALTERNATIVE TO THE PURSUIT TO END CONVENIENCE EUTHANASIAS. - THE TIME HAS COME FOR VETERINARIANS TO TAKE THEIR PLACE AT THE FOREFRONT OF THE ANIMAL RIGHTS MOVEMENT. IN ADDITION TO TREATING INDIVIDUAL ANIMALS, ANIMAL WELLNESS FOUNDATION HAS CREATED A COUNCIL OF HIGHLY INVOLVED VETERINARIANS WITH THE COMMON GOAL TO IMPROVE THE LIVES OF ANIMALS AND THE PEOPLE WHO CARE FOR THEM. ONE OF OUR OBJECTIVES IS TO INFLUENCE THE ENTIRE VETERINARY COMMUNITY TO MOVE IN THIS DIRECTION AND TO MARSHAL THE EXPERTISE AND CREDIBILITY OF THESE HIGHLY TRAINED INDIVIDUALS. IT IS TIME THE VETERINARY INDUSTRY WAS AT THE FOREFRONT OF ANIMAL ADVOCACY. - DISASTER RESPONSE - ANIMAL WELLNESS FOUNDATION'S FIRST DISASTER RELIEF MISSION CAME IN SEPTEMBER WHEN HURRICANE DORIAN HIT THE BAHAMAS AS A CATEGORY 5 STORM AND THEN STALLED. THE LOSSES WERE CATASTROPHIC. WE ACTIVATED IMMEDIATELY. - VOLUNTEERS WITH OUR ORGANIZATION FLEW TO NASSAU, BAHAMAS ON WHAT WOULD BE THE FIRST OF THREE RESCUE MISSIONS TO THE ISLANDS. THAT WEEK, WORKING WITH COALITION PARTNERS ON THE GROUND IN NASSAU AND WITH ANIMAL SHELTERS IN THE USA, WE FLEW 72 HOMELESS DOGS TO SAFETY IN THE UNITED STATES. - A FEW WEEKS LATER, WITH A PLANE DONATED FROM ALAQUA ANIMAL REFUGE SUPPORTERS, WE CONTINUED RELIEF EFFORTS WITH A RECONNAISSANCE MISSION TO HELP HORSES BY VISITING THE ONLY STABLES ON THE ISLAND OF GRAND BAHAMA. TWO OF THE STABLES HAD STRUCTURAL DAMAGE WITH SOME HORSES SUFFERING FROM RAIN ROT (TOO MUCH EXPOSURE TO THE ELEMENTS) WHILE THE THIRD HAD BEEN DEVASTATED WITH THE LOSS OF HUNDREDS OF ANIMALS, INCLUDING ALL HORSES. - ANIMALL WELLNESS TOOK IMMEDIATE ACTION BY PROVIDING THE FUNDS FOR BUILDING SUPPLIES FOR THE TWO STABLES NEEDING ROOF AND BEAM REPAIRS AND ALSO PAID AND ORGANIZED FOR A SIX-MONTH SUPPLY OF HAY TO BE SHIPPED TO THE ISLAND. A FINAL GIFT WAS USED TO REBUILD A WORK SHED AT ONE OF THE STABLES WHERE A ROOM WAS BUILT TO PROVIDE AN INDOOR SANCTUARY FOR SOME OF THE 100 RESCUE CATS WHO LIVE ON THE PROPERTY. THE ROOM HAS BEEN NAMED THE ANIMAL WELLNESS CAT LOUNGE. - ANIMAL FIGHTING IS THE PITS - ANIMAL WELLNESS FOUNDATION IS WORKING TO ENFORCE OUR LAWS AGAINST ANIMAL FIGHTING AND TIGHTENING THE LAWS WHERE NEEDED SO THAT ANIMAL FIGHTING DOES NOT CONTINUE AND CAUSE SUFFERING TO ROOSTERS AND DOGS CONSCRIPTED INTO THESE BLOODY BATTLES. - ANIMAL WELLNESS FOUNDATION IS WORKING TO ENFORCE THE FEDERAL LAW TO BAN ANIMAL FIGHTING EVERYWHERE IN THE U.S., INCLUDING IN THE U.S. TERRITORIES (PUERTO RICO, U.S. VIRGIN ISLANDS, GUAM, AMERICAN SAMOA, AND THE NORTHERN MARIANAS ISLANDS). SPECIFICALLY, WE HELPED CONDUCT A MAJOR INVESTIGATION REVEALING MORE THAN 500 SHIPMENTS OF ILLEGAL FIGHTING BIRDS FROM U.S. TO GUAM. OUR TEAM EXAMINED 2,500 PAGES OF LIVE-ANIMAL SHIPPING RECORDS OBTAINED FROM THE TERRITORIAL DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. THE RECORDS REVEALED THE ILLEGAL TRAFFICKING OF NEARLY 9,000 BIRDS TO GUAM ALONE IN A 33-MONTH PERIOD - TRANSLATING INTO AN ILLEGAL SHIPMENT, ON AVERAGE, EVERY OTHER DAY. OUR MULTI-DIMENSIONAL CAMPAIGN ON GUAM - FEATURING INVESTIGATIONS, REWARDS, ADVERTISING, AND WORKING WITH INFLUENCERS - HAS PRODUCED A 90% REDUCTION IN ANIMAL FIGHTING. - WE HAVE CONDUCTED FOLLOW UP INVESTIGATIONS TO HOLD 71 EXPORTERS OF FIGHTING ANIMALS TO GUAM ACCOUNTABLE. WE HAVE CONDUCTED INVESTIGATIONS IN ALABAMA, CALIFORNIA, OKLAHOMA, AND TENNESSEE, GENERATING MAJOR COVERAGE AND DRIVING COCKFIGHTERS OUT OF THE BUSINESS. - OUR ANIMAL WELLNESS NATIONAL LAW ENFORCEMENT COUNCIL URGES PROSECUTORS TO BRING CASES FORWARD WHERE THERE ARE OBVIOUS VIOLATIONS OF LOCAL, STATE, AND FEDERAL LAWS. OUR ANIMAL WELLNESS NLEC CONSISTS OF MORE THAN 25 LAW ENFORCEMENT PROFESSIONALS, INCLUDING 15 FORMER STATE ATTORNEYS GENERAL. NLEC MEMBERS ARE COMMUNICATING WITH U.S. ATTORNEY'S IN GUAM, OKLAHOMA, ALABAMA, AND OTHER STATES TO BRING CHARGES AGAINST DOZENS OF INDVIDUALS KNOWINGLY VIOLATING THE LAW. - WE HAVE A NATIONAL REWARDS PROGRAM TO PROVIDE $2,500 TO CITIZENS WHO REPORT ON ILLEGAL ANIMAL FIGHTING ACTIVITIES AND WHOSE TIPS RESULT IN SUCCESSFUL PROSECUTIONS. COCKFIGHTING IS INHUMANE AND IT'S ILLEGAL EVERYWHERE IN THE U.S., INCLUDING GUAM. IT'S ALSO A HAVEN FOR GAMBLING, WHICH CAN HURT OUR FAMILIES. WHEN WE PARTICIPATE IN THIS KIND OF ANIMAL ABUSE, OR EVEN WATCH IT, IT DESENSITIZES ALL OF US, ESPECIALLY OUR CHILDREN, TO THE SUFFERING OF OTHERS. - WE ARE ALSO INVOLVED IN DEFENDING THE NATIONAL ANTI-FIGHTING LAW IN THE FEDERAL COURTS AGAINST CHALLENGES FROM COCKFIGHTING INTERESTS. WE HAVE BEEN DEFENDING THE POSITION OF THE U.S. IN THESE CASES, SEEKING AFFIRMATION OF THE LAW. IN NOVEMBER 2019, A U.S. DISTRICT COURT IN PUERTO RICO AFFIREMED THAT THE LAW DOES BAN COCKFIGHTING IN ALL FIVE U.S. TERRITORIES, NONE OF WHICH HAVE ENACTED TERRITORIAL BANS ON THE BLOODY SPORT. - THE ANIMAL WELLNESS FOUNDATION WORKED IN 2019 TO PASS ANTI-COCKFIGHTING ORDINANCES IN VENTURA COUNTY, CALIFORNIA, FOLLOWING ON THE HEELS OF A SUCCESSFUL EFFORT IN 2018. WE HAVE TAKEN THAT CAMPAIGN TO ORANGE, FRESNO, AND KERN COUNTIES AND PLAN ON EXPANDING THAT WORK. WE RECOGNIZE THE IMPORTANCE OF LOCAL, STATE, AND FEDERAL LAWS AGAINST ANIMAL FIGHTING. - ANIMAL WELLNESS FOUNDATION HAS CREATED A MICROSITE DEVOTED TO ITS WORK AGAINST ANIMAL FIGHTING, WWW.ENDCOCKFIGHTING.ORG, WHICH IS THE MOST COMPREHENSIVE SITE ON THE TOPIC AND AGGREGATES INFORMATION ABOUT OUR WORK. - SHOWING HORSE SENSE - THERE ARE NO MAJOR ORGANIZATIONS THAT TAKE ON THE ARRAY OF INSTITUTIONAL FORMS OF CRUELTY TO HORSES. ANIMAL WELLNESS FOUNDATION IS WORKING ON FIGHTING CRUELTY, LED BY OUR DIRECTOR OF FEDERAL POLICY, HOLLY GANN. - ENDING SORING IN HORSE SHOWING - SORING IS A PAINFUL TECHNIQUE USED TO PRODUCE AN ARTIFICIALLY HIGH-STEPPING GAIT KNOW AS THE "BIG LICK" IN TENNESSEE WALKING, RACING, AND SPOTTED SADDLE HORSES. SHARP OBJECTS INSERTED INTO THE HORSES' FRONT HOOVES OR CAUSTIC CHEMICALS SUCH AS MUSTARD OIL OR DIESEL FUEL ARE APPLIED TO THEIR PASTERNS. THE HORSE PROTETION ACT WAS SIGNED INTO LAW IN 1970 TO STAMP OUT THE PRACTICE, BUT UNETHICAL TRAINERS AND OWNERS CONTINUE TO DEFY THE LAW. THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE (USDA) HAS NOT HAD THE RESOLVE TO STOP THEM. - IN JULY 2019, THE U.S. HOUSE PASSED THE PREVENT ALL SORING TACTICS (PAST) ACT, H.R. 693, BY A VOTE OF 333 TO 96. OUR GOAL IS TO SECURE THE ENACTMENT OF THE PAST ACT IN 2020 TO STRENGTHEN THE LAW AGAINST SORING AND TO PROMOTE ENFORCEMENT. - NO DOPING IN RACING - RACING HORSES ARE SUFFERING CATASTROPHIC BREAKDOWNS AT ALARMING RATES. NEARLY EVERY MAJOR MEDIA OUTLET IN AMERICA HAS COVERED THE 60 RACEHORSE DEATHS THAT HAVE OCCURED IN SANTA ANITA PARK IN ARCADIA, CALIFORNIA SINCE DECEMBER 2018 AND DEATHS AT OTHER TRACKS AROUND THE U.S., PRIMARILY DUE TO THE RAMPANT DOPING AND ABUSE OF MEDICATION PLAGUING THE SPORT. THE U.S. AND CANADA ARE THE ONLY TWO COUNTRIES IN THE WORLD THAT ALLOW THE USE OF DRUGS ON RACE-DAY. U.S. HORSE RACING OPERATES UNDER AN OUTDATED, STATE-BASED, BALKANIZED PATHWORK OF MEDICATION RULES THAT CREATE CONFUSION AND RISK FOR OWNERS AND TRAINERS AND CONTAIN GAPS IN RULES AND ENFORCEMENT. WE HAVE DRAWN MAJOR ATTENTION TO THE FATE OF HORSES IN THE INDUSTRY. - KEEPING THEM WILD - THERE IS A MAJOR MOVE TO DEPOPULATE WILD HORSES AND BURROS FROM THE RANGES IN THE WEST, AND IT'S OUR GOAL TO KEEP WILD HORSES AND BURROS IN THEIR NATIVE HABITATS AND TO MANAGE THEIR GROWTH THROUGH THE APPLICATION OF F
NTEE category: Animal-Related