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Thank you for your concern for animals around the world. We've provided answers to our most frequently asked questions here, so please check below to see if we've responded to your query. If we haven't already addressed your concern, you're welcome to contact us using the submission form at the bottom of this page.
Click on a question below to view our response:
Current Issues
HSI: Our Work
Issues Around the World
How Can I Get Involved?
Miscellaneous
Q. Is it true that a Central American artist used a starving dog in an art exhibit?
Please click here and here for more information.
Q. What types of programs do you run internationally? In which countries?
HSI continues to focus on humane animal control and farm animal welfare and humane slaughter in different countries. Our offices around the world cover topics such as the illegal wildlife trade, companion animal welfare, anti-fur campaigns and disaster response.
HSI has operated in many countries around the globe and works closely with local organizations to pass on our knowledge and expertise. We always learn a lot from our international colleagues as well.
Please browse our website to learn more about past, current and upcoming programs.
Q. How does HSI work with different cultures effectively? What are the challenges?
HSI emphasizes that we are successful in our work in part because we place an emphasis in not being ethnocentric. We work closely with animal welfare groups around the world, which helps us navigate local customs, laws, cultural traditions and languages.
Our challenges lie mostly in showing people who live in severe poverty that animals are our responsibility, and humane treatment is important in bettering their economic conditions. Many do not see animals as creatures who possess the same basic feelings that humans have, like loneliness, pain, fear and happiness. The majority of people are positively responsive to our programs and we often return to the areas to see the conditions much improved for both the people and animals.
Q. What are the groups you work with around the globe and what do they do? How can I donate to them?
We currently work with about 50 groups around the world. Seventeen of these groups are HSI Animal Advocates. While we do not list all of the organizations on our website, profiles and contact information for our Animal Advocates are listed here. You may contact us for information about groups in specific countries. You may also search World Animal.Net, which lists animal welfare organizations worldwide by country. Please note that HSI is not familiar with many of these groups.
Most of the groups we are affiliated with have donation information on their websites or via their emails. Our programs are done in conjunction with local organizations and donations to HSI are used to assist these groups by creating and overseeing sustainable projects to benefit animals and the communities in which they live.
Q. What is being done about the dog and cat meat/fur trade in China and other parts of Asia?
China is not the only country that peddles cat and dog fur, or slaughters these animals for meat. The Philippines, Vietnam and South Korea are also at the center of the debate over the consumption of dogs and cats. In addition, though the bulk of the cat and dog fur/meat trade is in Asia, illegal fur farms have been discovered in Europe, and the illegal slaughter of cats and dogs is suspected in Asian markets around the world, even in the United States.
China is of particular interest because of the 2008 Olympics in Beijing. It is the hope of animal advocates around the world that the attention from this event and China's desire to more further penetrate the global market will place pressure on the Chinese government to implement animal protection laws. Currently, none exist.
There is an animal welfare law on the books in Korea, but enforcement is lacking. Many Koreans claim that the brutal slaughter of dogs and cats is a cultural right. Many also believe that consuming these animals can cure ailments, even though this has not been proven and consumption of dogs and cats violates the country’s own animal protection laws. A majority of Koreans abhor these cruel practices, and organizations such as CARE-Korea, Voice for Animals, Korean Federation for Environment Movement, and Animal Freedom Korea address these issues.
We are working to raise the status of cats and dogs in Asia. Our colleagues at Animals Asia Foundation, for example, have great educational outreach projects, such as their Dr. Dog program. In November 2007, HSI co-sponsored with Animals Asia a conference on small animal welfare in China. Local activists and organizations were given a platform to speak about their goals and obstacles. Though their work is no small task, we will continue to support and guide these protectionists, who are already inspiring change in their country.
While it is difficult to ask other countries to change their culture, we are clear that our focus is the inhumane and brutal methods of slaughter.
Killing for Fur
The killing of animals for their fur is particularly cruel and wasteful. Many of these animals are skinned alive and sometimes suffer for as long as 15 minutes before they succumb.
Humane Society International has for many years conducted undercover work into the cruel raising and brutal slaughter of cats and dogs in Asia solely for their furs and skins. As a result of our investigation, the U.S. government has federally banned the import and export of these products. But there is still more work to do.
On June 19, 2007 the European Parliament voted unanimously to ban dog and cat fur from being imported or exported into European Union countries.
If you are interested in getting involved, you can write the appropriate embassies to express your concern over these issues.
For further information about the overseas fur trade, please contact our Fur Free Campaign at furfree@hsus.org.
Q. I just visited [country]/came back from a cruise/saw a video/TV show, and saw a large amount of stray animals/ zoo abuse/equine abuse/etc. What are you doing/what can I do?
We hear from many people who witness animal abuse and inhumane animal control on their travels. While we try to address many of the larger issues, we unfortunately do not have the resources to respond to individual cases (i.e. captive animals at resorts and hotels, a stray dog living outside of a restaurant, feral cat colonies, etc.). In these instances, we highly suggest contacting organizations already in that country. You may find a list of organizations by country at World Animal.Net. Please note that HSI is not familiar with many of these groups.
We also suggest writing to the embassy and office of tourism in the country of your concern. We have found that letter-writing, especially mentioning tourism will sometimes prompt the government or local officials to act. Please emphasize that you wish the government work with local animal welfare organizations to ensure a humane response.
For cases of zoo or captive animal abuse, please contact the Born Free Foundation. This organization has a ZooCheck program that monitors zoos across the globe.
If you witnessed animal abuse while on a shore excursion for a cruiseline, please contact the cruiseline's corporate office and offer suggestions on how they may support local tour agencies in designing shore excursions that do not involve the use or exploitation of animals. Emphasize that many fellow passengers also expressed concern and decided to choose excursions that did not involve animals (i.e. rainforest kayaking, city walking tours, bicycle tours, etc.)
Equine abuse is a common complaint from travelers. The Society for the Protection of Animals Abroad, International League for the Protection of Horses, the Brooke Hospital for Animals and the International Fund for Horses all have wonderful global programs that address the issue of working equine welfare.
You may also wish to post your compassionate thoughts on travel blogs. Many people are eager to give fellow travelers advice on which places to avoid and which destinations offer animal-friendly alternatives. It is also a good way to become familiar with the animal welfare organizations in each country.
HSI strives to keep up to date on many international issues involving animals, but we always appreciate being apprised of any issues you think should be brought to our attention. In most cases, we are already aware and would be able to provide you with an update. Please also check our website often, as we try to have news stories on issues that are reported in the mainstream media and the response that HSI is taking.
Q. What can I do about the poisoning of stray animals in [city]/[country]?
We unfortunately hear about this often. Poisoning, shooting, beating and electrocution, among other cruel methods, are used across the globe to control street animal populations.
HSI is staunchly against these methods of euthanasia and animal control for several reasons:
- They are cruel and the animal suffers enormously.
- They have been proven to not efficiently control overpopulation, as more animals will continue to fill the void.
- They pose a health hazard to the public and a danger to pets and children, especially eradication by poisoning.
- They negatively affect tourism and the public image of the region or country.
The only acceptable method of euthanasia, when necessary, is the administration of an injection of sodium pentobarbital in a controlled atmosphere by a compassionate and trained individual.
HSI has worked with several organizations across the world on humane animal control policies and has tirelessly campaigned to end the practice of culling street animals. Populations can be humanely controlled by intensive sterilization and vaccination projects in conjunction with government authorities, humane euthanization of suffering or ailing animals, community education, and active implementation of TNR (Trap-Neuter-Release), CNVR (Catch-Neuter-Vaccinate-Release) and ABC (Animal Birth Control) programs. Even a small team of animal welfarists can make a big difference when given the proper training and equipment. HSI has over 10 years of experience with this issue.
We strongly suggest that travelers, tourists and residents concerned about the effects of inhumane animal control write to the relevant tourism ministries in that country and ask that they work closely with local animal welfare organizations to implement humane animal control policies. We have found that continuous complaints from tourists and visitors have profoundly impacted the decisions that governments make regarding animal control. For a list of tourism offices in different countries, please see here.
Q. I recently witnessed a cockfight/bullfight/animal fight in [city]/[country]. What is being done about this?
Animal fighting is an issue HSI is tackling head-on. Our International Animal Fighting Campaign seeks to end this barbaric practice by making it illegal and pushing for enforcement of these laws to the fullest extent.
Animal fighting is becoming a bigger issue with international animal welfare organizations, and there has been a push in recent years to really clamp down on this activity.
You may wish to contact local organizations in your area. These groups should know your country's laws and regulations and would better be able to answer your questions. Please visit World Animal.Net for lists of animal welfare contacts worldwide, but please note we are not familiar with all of the organizations listed.
Bullfighting is an abhorrent cultural practice that has little support worldwide and is opposed by the majority of people in the countries where it occurs. A few groups that focus on this issue and run grassroots and international campaigns are:
Learn more about the HSUS campaign against animal fighting in the United States.
Q. I saw a website with animal cruelty. Is this real? What can I do/what are you doing?
Unfortunately, most websites with animal cruelty are genuine. Some are simply hoaxes (i.e. Bonsai Kitten), although these may also inspire true cases of animal abuse.
We are very aware that these sites take months, sometimes years to disappear completely, if they ever do. The posting of these types of sites on the Internet has become common as people realize that there is a loophole in the law that prevents them from being removed in many cases. We have looked into legislative and regulatory options to deal with them, and we will continue to work towards their removal.
However, the Internet is very difficult to monitor and regulate. Oftentimes, even though the abuse is apparent, there is nothing that can be done. The good news is, in recent years Internet Service Providers (ISPs) are getting better about taking offensive websites down, but the creator can simply find another host.
You may be interested to know that in response to the rising number of websites that promote, glamorize or trivialize cruelty to animals, a group of animal welfare professionals and pet lovers have joined together to stop this encouragement of animal abuse. The goal is to coordinate efforts of the online community through targeted, legal and time-efficient methods so that such sites are removed quickly, thus thwarting the site creator's intent to draw attention to themselves and their site. For more information, please visit Hugs for Homeless Animals' Stop Cruelty webpage.
You may also report a website to the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center.
The best advice we can give at this point for animal advocates and concerned citizens is this: do not contact this person at all, and please do not pass the site on to your friends. Doing so only perpetuates the website's existence.
For websites such as YouTube or MySpace, please contact them directly to report animal abuse. These companies have clear content policies and are generally responsive in removing offensive material.
Please note that we do not open links sent to us. Include a description of the offensive website and we will do our best to investigate. In most cases, we are already aware of certain websites and will be able to provide you with an update on the issue.
Additonal resources on this issue include the World Society for the Protection of Animals' Report Cruelty webpage, and Pet-Abuse.com.
Q. I would like to start a humane society/animal shelter in my city/country. How can I do this? Can you provide funding and advice?
HSI commends those would like to start their own humane organizations, but we discourage the establishment of shelters for several reasons. Building and running a shelter takes a vast amount of time and money, and efforts could be better used to establish an organization that works with local government officials on a variety of animal welfare issues. We understand that the first reaction to homeless and sick animals is to want to house and care for them, but if you are not prepared to run a shelter, you may find yourself in over your head.
Please refer to our article on HSI's E-Library and the following link:
Please note that our E-Library has resources in several languages and is continuously updated.
If HSI works with a group in your general area, we suggest that you join their efforts instead of starting your own group, especially if you do not have funding or staff.
However, many of our Animal Advocates began with the small hope of establishing a humane organization in a place where none existed. Please visit our E-Library for more information and guidance on how to start your own association [PDF] (for Spanish, click here).
To search lists of animal welfare organizations in your country, please contact World Animal.Net (please note that HSI is not affiliated with all of the organizations listed).
As one of the world's leading animal protection organizations, HSUS/HSI is inundated with requests for assistance from organizations and individuals who wish to pursue animal protection programs around the world. Unfortunately, we are not able to grant requests to all of these organizations, though we do try to provide resources when we can.
You may try other international animal welfare groups for possible assistance, collaboration or advice:
When we do offer funding, it is a long-term commitment and involves a specific program (i.e. sterilization clinics, humane education workshops, farm animal welfare education, etc).
For obvious reasons, we cannot fund organizations that we are not familiar with. All of the groups who have received our help have:
- established relationships with HSI;
- been in existence for at least a year;
- a holistic approach to animal welfare in their region;
- a long-term plan of action (how they plan to use their funds);
- the capacity to sustain these programs.
We do accept grant proposals on behalf of affiliates that we have established a relationship with. You may email us with questions. Please remember to give specifics about what your organization does and how it serves animals in your area, but please be brief. Though we respect the fact that English is not the first language of most people, we do ask that your correspondence be as clear as possible. Limited assistance with translation of certain languages may be available.
Q. What can I do to help in international disasters?
We appreciate your willingness to help! The best thing you can do is donate to our International Disaster Fund.
We never know when disasters will strike around the world and some are enormous (like the 2004 tsunami in Asia), with long periods of recovery. Donations from our supporters are essential as they allow our disaster responders to put all of our resources into the lengthy recovery process, when support is critical for rebuilding.
While supplies are often needed in large-scale disasters, it can become cumbersome for rescue workers to have to focus their energy on intake of supplies that may end up spoiled, expired or otherwise unused.
If you have specific disaster training or credentials (i.e. you are a veterinarian, vet tech or certified disaster responder with experience in animal disaster response), please visit the National Disaster Animal Response Team site to fill out an application.
For updates on HSI's disaster response, please click here.
Q. How can I, as an international supporter/member, help with U.S. or international issues? Are there any petitions I can sign or people I can write? Will it even help?
Yes, it certainly does help! Our online advocates have made a huge difference for animals of all kinds in many countries. Sign up to become an HSI online advocate now.
Though international supporters may not have a direct influence on U.S. policy, the attention garnered from our worldwide audience is certainly a good way to persuade lawmakers and U.S. citizens to be more aware of the voices outside of our borders. The fact that word spreads internationally is a great sign that animal protection issues matter not only to Americans, but billions from around the world, no matter in which country they occur.
Action alerts are frequently on our main page, where international and domestic supporters can sign petitions, get more information about certain issues, and voice their opinions. We always ask that our supporters remain polite and calm when calling embassies or officials. HSI strives to maintain a diplomatic demeanor when dealing with other cultures and we ask that you do the same.
Q. How can I volunteer internationally?
The HSUS/HSI rarely has volunteer opportunities, but we do have job openings and internship positions available. Click here for more information.
The HSUS' Rural Area Veterinary Services (RAVS) accepts applications from people with experience in the animal care field (i.e. vets, vet techs, vet nurses, etc). Please see their website for current opportunities.
HSI also occasionally seeks qualified veterinarians who are experienced in training other vets or vet techs in cultures which are sometimes vastly different from their own, and in environments that don't always offer even the most basic necessities. Sessions can vary from a few weeks to a few months or even longer. If you have the flexibility and would be interested in getting involved, please email us for more information.
HSI has established a small internship program for university students or other individuals interesting in getting experience in the international animal welfare field. Please email us for more information.
Q. How can my group become an Animal Advocate/member of The HSUS/HSI?
Per our bylaws, it is not possible for organizations, societies, or foundations to be "members" of The HSUS/HSI, as there is a fee for membership. Instead, we place such entities on our emailing list at no charge. Although donations are appreciated if possible, they are not required.
If you would like to be placed on the mailing list for The HSUS, please forward the name and address of your organization to membership@hsus.org.
Organizations and individuals are welcome to receive HSI's free emails. Please sign up here.
To find out more about our Animal Advocates program, please click here.
Q. Does my signing the action alerts have any actual effect?
YES! Our petitions and online action alerts not only give our supporters and members a way to help when they may not be able to assist other ways; they have also succeeded in changing laws and making positive strides for animal welfare.
For example, so many people signed on to The HSUS' campaign to get Ben and Jerry's to use cage-free eggs that the company agreed to talk with us less than a week after we initiated the online action alerts. The outcome? Ben and Jerry's will no longer use eggs from battery cage hens. This is only one example of many.
This applies globally, too. After we had our supporters sign an action alert and contact Chinese officials late last year, China's President Hu Jintao ordered an immediate halt to all dogs culls in China. It is significant that, in a country where no animal welfare laws exist, a high-ranking official would bend to international pressure. This success has also opened doors for local NGOs to take action against animal cruelty and gain worldwide support.
So—please keep signing our action alerts, writing letters, starting up campaigns and raising awareness in your community!
Q. I recently purchased puppies/dogs over the Internet from a seller/foster home and I found that the payment has been routed through Africa. I am now being asked to pay to get the animals out of UK quarantine. Is this a scam? Can you help?
A. You are likely the victim of a scam. We have received dozens of pleas from people who have answered local ads for purebred puppies, but there is little that we can do aside from offering advice and asking that you share your story so that others do not fall prey. (Please note that this is not legal advice and that you should be wary of sharing personal information over the Internet.)
The stories behind these ads vary from missionaries to aid workers in Africa (usually Cameroon or Nigeria) who have adopted purebred Yorkies, English Bulldogs, etc., and are asking to send them to a loving home in the U.S., requesting only that you pay for shipping. They may come across as genuine, asking whether you can provide a good home, if you will spay/neuter, and if you have children. This only adds to the deceptive appeal that plays on people's emotions and good intentions.
Please see ScamBusters.org for more information.
If you think you have been a victim if this scam, you can do several things.
First, you could ask the newspaper or website to remove the ads.
Post your story anonymously on one of the many blogs regarding this issue (you can do a Google search).
Spread the word about being a responsible animal adopter. HSI and The HSUS never recommend purchasing animals over the Internet or from pet stores, which may source from puppy mills. While we strongly encourage adopting from local rescue organizations and animal shelters, we can also provide information on choosing a responsible breeder.
Websites such as www.pets911.com and www.petfinder.org host local organizations and provide a place where you can find animals for adoption in your area, including from purebred rescues. We always recommend that you visit the animal and its caretakers first before making the decision to adopt.
For more information about adopting a pet, please email our Companion Animals section.
Q. How can I take my pet overseas? How can I bring an animal back to the U.S.?
HSUS/HSI does not normally suggest you travel with your pet if you can avoid it, especially by air. Travel is very stressful for some pets and can exacerbate underlying medical problems.
However, there are ways to safely travel overseas with your pet. Please click here for more information about US regulations on traveling with animals.
The most important thing to remember is to make sure your pet is healthy, sterilized, up-to-date on vaccinations and medical paperwork is current. Be sure to call ahead to confirm that your airline will allow pets to travel. And if you have stopovers in certain countries, please be sure to research that country's regulations.
For a listing of all embassies worldwide, please click here.
For military personnel or others wishing to bring adopted animals back from Iraq, Afghanistan or other conflict zones, please email us for more information about how we are helping to address this issue.
If none of the responses above answers your question, please use the form below to contact Humane Society International.
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