Inspiring Action 2020 Impact Report
Letter From the President
As you will see below, we impacted an estimated 360,000,000 animals. That’s 360 million individuals whose lives we saved or spared from suffering.
While I will never meet these animals, this progress inspires me to continue to fight for their brothers and sisters trapped and enduring extreme cruelty on factory farms and slaughterhouses.
Your support makes this work possible, and I hope you feel incredibly proud of all that you have accomplished for animals.
As we flip our calendar to the new year, the hard work of building on our past successes continues. I have never been more sure that together we will one day achieve a world where all animals are respected and protected.
In gratitude,
Sharon Núñez
President, Animal Equality
2020 Impact By the Numbers
Exposing Cruelty Through Investigations
Animal Equality released 13 investigations, exposing cruelty to animals used for meat in wet markets, during transport, and on factory farms worldwide.
international reach
Our investigations in the United Kingdom, Spain, Italy, Germany, India, China, and Vietnam exposed the tortures inflicted on chickens and hens, pigs, cows, cats, dogs, sheep, buffalo, and other animals raised and killed for food.
Wet Markets
At the onset of the COVID-19 outbreak, we launched a global campaign and petition calling for the immediate closure of cruel and dangerous wet markets. The petition to the United Nations has already received nearly 600,000 signatures.
Dog & Cat Meat Trade
We launched an international campaign calling for the ban of the dog and cat trade and released an investigative exposé on the ongoing illegal trade of dog and cat meat and fur in China.
Environmental Impact
Our documentary, Enemy of the Planet, uncovered the environmental impact of raising pigs for food in Jalisco, Mexico. The footage was captured using drones over two industrial pig farms that house more than 89,000 pigs.
Corporate Progress
Animal Equality convinced 40 companies worldwide to adopt animal protection policies that will reduce the suffering of more than 300 million hens and chickens used for eggs and meat each year.
Historic Victories
- After four years of campaigning and negotiations, South America’s biggest grocery chain, GPA, has finally committed to going 100% cage-free in Brazil by 2028.
- Assoavi, the trade association that represents 70% of egg producers in Italy, committed to adopt in-ovo sexing technologies, sparing the lives of 25 million chicks a year. This groundbreaking commitment works to eliminate the routine mass culling of unprofitable male chicks in the egg industry.
- Our sister organization, Alianza Alimentaria, secured a commitment with Zero Wellness & Food Services. Alianza Alimentaria works with public and private institutions in Mexico to meet government-imposed social responsibility requirements through committing to a percentage reduction in animal products served at their dining facilities.
Legal Advocacy
Animal Equality engaged in proactive legal initiatives, ensuring animals receive the legal protections they deserve.
Increasing Protection
- Animal Equality participated in seven ongoing lawsuits, including a constitutional challenge to Arkansas’ Ag-Gag law and two deceptive advertising lawsuits with some of the largest meat producers in the U.S.
- We worked to get a new animal protection regulation approved by the government council of Zapopan, Mexico, which establishes protections for farmed animals and criminalizes farmed animal cruelty.
- Naucalpan made history as the first city in Mexico to add cameras inside slaughterhouses. This new set of regulations includes reforms recommended by Animal Equality Mexico and establishes protections for all species of animals— including farmed animals — and criminalizes cruelty against them. Failure to stun these animals prior to slaughter, as well as any mutilation or veterinary negligence, will now be punishable by law.
- Animal Equality joined the Aquatic Animal Alliance to improve the fish welfare standards in various seafood certification programs. We are also working with a state aquaculture industry trade group in an attempt to collaborate on fish welfare legislation.
Raising Awareness
Our outreach team employed creative and innovative ways to encourage people all around the world to leave animals off their plate and replace it with delicious plant-based foods.
Media & Events
- Joaquin Phoenix, animal advocate and award-winning actor, joined Animal Equality in a surprise protest against factory farming. Alongside Animal Equality activists and staff, Joaquin dropped a 390 square-foot banner from the Tower Bridge in London that read “Factory farming is destroying our planet. Go vegan.” as a plea to the public to break its dependence on animal products.
- Our work was featured in 2,679 media outlets around the world, including BBC News, Público, The Mirror, The Independent, and Business Insider.
