If You Care About Reducing Animal Suffering, Here’s How You Can Help
If you care about animals and want to reduce their suffering but aren’t sure exactly how, Animal Charity Evaluators (ACE) is an organization that might be able to help.
The California-based nonprofit puts out an annual guide for recommended animal charities, and it recently released its list for this year. (Disclosure: ACE has helped fund some of Future Perfect’s work since 2020.)
Factory Farming: A Source of Massive Suffering
Most of the top charities focus on improving conditions on factory farms, which makes sense given that these are sites of suffering on a massive scale. In the US alone, factory farming kills more than 10 billion land animals each year. It’s not just the death that is concerning; the suffering that animals endure while alive is heart-wrenching. Hens, calves, and pigs often find themselves confined in spaces so small they can barely move, with conditions so troubling that “ag-gag” laws exist to hide the cruelty from the public.
Many individuals may wish to reduce their meat consumption but are unsure where to start. If you find yourself in this position, you can sign up for Vox’s Meat/Less newsletter course. The course provides five weekly emails filled with practical tips and food for thought to help you incorporate more plant-based foods into your diet.
Choosing the Right Charities
When we learn about some of the disturbing conditions animals face—like how chickens are forced to produce eggs at such a fast rate that their intestines sometimes partially fall out—it becomes imperative to find organizations that truly make effective use of our donations to combat these issues.
ACE researches and promotes the most high-impact, effective ways to help animals. The group uses three main criteria to decide whether to recommend an organization:
- Charities must be “likely to significantly and cost-effectively reduce the suffering of many animals,” indicating high-impact work supported by evidence.
- Charities must have “room for more funding,” meaning they are prepared to effectively utilize any additional contributions received.
- Charities must have strong “organizational health,” signifying that they are well-managed with a positive culture.
Top Animal Charities for 2025
With these criteria in mind, ACE has selected its recommended charities for 2025:
- Sinergia Animal: Founded in 2018, this organization has swiftly become a leader in fighting against industrialized meat production throughout Latin America and Asia.
- Aquatic Life Institute: Established in 2019, this group focuses on advocating for the welfare of wild-caught and farmed fish and crustaceans, influencing legislative changes in states like California and Washington.
- Dansk Vegetarisk Forening: Operating in Denmark, this organization works towards making plant-based foods more accessible, having helped the government allocate approximately $200 million to advance the plant-based industry.
- Sociedade Vegetariana Brasileira: Targeting Brazil’s high rate of meat consumption, this group has facilitated over 530 million plant-based meals at institutional levels since 2009.
- Good Food Fund: This organization aids in transitioning China’s food system toward more plant-based options through various educational and advocacy initiatives.
- The Humane League: Founded in 2005, this organization runs successful campaigns urging corporations to improve animal welfare standards and has built a global coalition of farm animal welfare groups.
- Wild Animal Initiative: Focusing on the welfare of free-ranging animals, this group researches methods to enhance their quality of life.
- Animal Welfare Observatory: This European organization aims to improve conditions on farms throughout Spain and beyond.
- Çiftlik Hayvanlarını Koruma Derneği: Based in Turkey, this group advocates for significant farming reforms and aims to ban cages from the egg industry.
- Shrimp Welfare Project: An organization dedicated to improving welfare standards for shrimp through awareness and collaboration with producers.
If you choose to support any of these charities, you can feel confident that your contributions will effectively work to minimize animal suffering. If you’re unsure which organization to support, you can opt to donate to the Recommended Charity Fund, allowing ACE to allocate your donation based on what their research indicates is the most effective at any given time.
Worrying About Animals vs. Human Suffering
As concern for animal welfare grows, some skeptics argue that focusing on animal suffering might divert attention from pressing human issues like poverty. However, research indicates that concern for both human and animal welfare can coexist and even reinforce each other.
According to a study from Harvard and Dartmouth, there is a correlation between compassion for animal rights and support for various human rights issues. Moreover, states with strong protections for animals often parallel robust protections for human rights. While this observation may prompt debate about causality, it suggests that progress in one area may lead to advancements in the other.
As we navigate the complexities of ethical considerations surrounding animal welfare, it becomes increasingly crucial to support efforts that advocate for compassionate treatment of all sentient beings. This not only contributes to a healthier planet but may also bolster initiatives focused on assisting humans in need.
For more in-depth insights into effective animal welfare charities, click Here.
Image Credit: www.vox.com
