American Anti-Vivisection Society

AAVS WORKS TO END EXPERIMENTATION ON ANIMALS IN RESEARCH, TESTING AND EDUCATION. AAVS INFORMS THE PUBLIC ABOUT THE PROBLEMS OF USING ANIMALS IN SCIENTIFIC EXPERIMENTS, AND ADVOCATES FOR EFFECTIVE SOLUTIONS. AAVS PROMOTES CRUELTY-FREE PRODUCTS (NOT TESTED ON ANIMALS), HUMANE EDUCATION, AND ALTERNATIVE, NON-ANIMAL TESTING METHODS. AAVS DIRECTLY HELPS SUPPORT FORMER LABORATORY ANIMALS LIVING IN SANCTUARIES.

ACTIVITIES INCLUDE PUBLIC OUTREACH, INVESTIGATIONS, AND CAMPAIGNS TO END EXPERIMENTS ON ANIMALS THROUGH EDUCATION AND ADVOCACY. AAVS'S VICTORY IN COURT IN 2020, FORCING USDA TO FINALLY REGULATE BIRDS COVERED BY THE ANIMAL WELFARE ACT, WAS A CONTINUED FOCUS, AS THE AGENCY WORKED ON STANDARDS OF CARE IN THE REGULATIONS. A 4-PAGE BI-MONTHLY NEWSLETTER AND A MONTHLY ONLINE NEWSLETTER PROVIDE TIMELY, RELIABLE INFORMATION TO OVER 25,000 MEMBERS AND SUPPORTERS SO THEY CAN TAKE EFFECTIVE ACTION FOR ANIMALS. SPECIAL TOPICS COVERED INCLUDED ALTERNATIVES RESEARCH FOR CHEMICALS REGULATION, GENETIC MODIFICATION OF ANIMALS, AND TRANSPORTATION OF PRIMATES SOLD FOR BIOMEDICAL RESEARCH. AAVS PLACES ADS IN NATIONAL MEDIA TO RAISE AWARENESS THAT DOGS, CATS AND OTHER ANIMALS SUFFER IN LABS. GRANTS TO SANCTUARIES, FOR CARE OF ANIMALS RELEASED FROM LABS, WERE MORE IMPORTANT THAN EVER IN 2021, INCLUDING FOR THE REMAINING 30+ CHIMPANZEES IN URGENT NEED OF RELOCATION AFTER A CALIFORNIA FACILITY IN A HIGH-RISK FIRE ZONE CLOSED. MANY SANCTUARIES FOUND IT HARD TO FUNDRAISE AND HAD CONTINUED INCREASED COSTS TO PROTECT ANIMALS AND STAFF FROM COVID-19. AAVS AWARDED MORE IN GRANTS THAN ANY PREVIOUS YEAR.

ANIMALEARN WORKS TO END VIVISECTION AND DISSECTION IN THE CLASSROOM, ADVOCATING AND PROMOTING HUMANE SCIENCE EDUCATION POLICY. ITS FREE LENDING LIBRARY, THE SCIENCE BANK, PROVIDES EFFECTIVE, NON-ANIMAL ALTERNATIVES FOR ALL GRADES, FROM ELEMENTARY SCHOOL THROUGH ADVANCED TRAINING FOR HEALTH PROFESSIONALS. AS SCHOOLS ACROSS THE U.S. CONTINUED TO COPE WITH THE UNCERTAINTY DUE TO COVID-19, ANIMALEARN ACCELERATED ITS ROLE AS A LEADING RESOURCE FOR STUDENTS AND TEACHERS WHO DISCONTINUED TRADITIONAL DISSECTION LABS. ANIMALEARN HELPED THEM OBTAIN UNIQUE EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS, PARTNERING WITH INNOVATIVE COMPANIES TO OFFER NEW EDUCATION TECHNOLOGY SUCH AS VIRTUAL AND AUGMENTED REALITY. THE ANIMALEARN PHILLY SCHOOLS PARTNERSHIP CONTINUED THROUGH 2021, OUTFITTING SCIENCE CLASSES IN TWO UNDER-RESOURCED SCHOOLS IN PHILADELPHIA WITH TOP TECHNOLOGY TO PROVIDE THE HIGHEST QUALITY LIFE SCIENCE EDUCATION ALTERNATIVES.

AAVS MANAGES THE LEAPING BUNNY PROGRAM OF THE COALITION FOR CONSUMER INFORMATION ON COSMETICS (CCIC), WHICH IS CHAIRED BY AAVS PRESIDENT SUE LEARY. THE LEAPING BUNNY PROGRAM PROVIDES A SERVICE FOR COMPASSIONATE CONSUMERS WHO WISH TO AVOID PRODUCTS TESTED ON ANIMALS. THE PROGRAM ADMINISTERS THE HIGHEST CRUELTY-FREE STANDARD AND THE INTERNATIONALLY RECOGNIZED LEAPING BUNNY LOGO, IN ORDER TO CERTIFY COMPANIES PRODUCING CRUELTY-FREE COSMETIC, PERSONAL CARE AND HOUSEHOLD PRODUCTS. THE LIST OF OVER 2000 CERTIFIED COMPANIES IS AVAILABLE ON LEAPINGBUNNY.ORG AND IN APPS FOR SMARTPHONES. IN 2021, LEAPING BUNNY CONTINUED TO IMPROVE A REDESIGNED WEBSITE FOR CONSUMERS AND SECURE, EFFICIENT APPLICATION PORTAL FOR COMPANIES. THE PROGRAM INCREASED THE NUMBER OF AUDITS IT CONDUCTS, INCLUDING REMOTE AUDITS, AND ANNUAL RECOMMITMENTS OF COMPANIES CONTINUED TO ENSURE COMPLIANCE WITH THE STANDARD. CONSUMERS WERE INFORMED THROUGH VERY ACTIVE AND ENGAGING SOCIAL MEDIA, AND A POPULAR MONTHLY ONLINE NEWSLETTER. PROGRAM STAFF REGULARLY SERVE AS A RELIABLE, RESPECTED RESOURCE FOR MEDIA, AND ARE REGULARLY INTERVIEWED ON THE TOPIC OF ANIMAL TESTING FOR COSMETICS.