Animal Companions

Animal Cruelty & Neglect

In Defense of Animals fights to end animal abuse, cruelty, and neglect.

Animal companions including cats, dogs, and rabbits are often victims of domestic violence and hoarding. Many situations can lead to animals who are not properly cared for. 

Additionally, animal companions are frequently subjected to heinous acts by cruel individuals. 

All 50 states and many other countries have animal cruelty laws. We work independently and collaboratively with partners and animal activists, and in concert with law enforcement to aid animal victims. 

In Defense of Animals also works to end organized animal abuse such as dogfighting, which often involves cruelty to rabbits and other animals designated as “prey” animals as well. Learn more about our efforts to end dogfighting.

In Defense of Animals seeks justice for animals who are abused, mistreated, and killed. Visit our Justice for Animals campaign page to learn more.

If you see something, say something. Contact your local animal rescue group or In Defense of Animals’ activist support hotline:

You can help by signing our alerts and petitions and donating to end animal cruelty, bolster animal cruelty laws, get justice for animals, and end kitten and puppy mills!

• Donate
• Learn more about our Justice for Animals Campaign
• Hear From our Justice For Animals Campaign Director Doll Stanley
• Learn more about our work to end kitten and puppy mills

Animal Homelessness

It is estimated that around 700 million cats and dogs are without homes in the United States. In Defense of Animals partners with rescue organizations to ensure animals find their forever homes and supports community cat care and rescue.

Many people struggle to access affordable services, and often cannot keep their animal companions due to city ordinances and building restrictions that discriminate against certain dog breeds. Homelessness among human populations impacts animal companions as well. Access to affordable "pet-friendly" housing, pet food pantries, and low-cost vet clinics and spay-neuter programs are essential to combatting animal cruelty and homelessness.

Animals outdoors without homes face many challenges such as starvation and predation and are more at risk from diseases, car accidents, poisoning, and abuse from cruel humans. Their lives tend to be much shorter and more unpleasant.

In Defense of Animals works to end animal homelessness directly on the ground in Mississippi, South Korea, and India. 

In Mississippi, our Hope Animal Sanctuary takes in and rehomes around 500 animals every year. We also offer a forever home to animals who are too traumatized to leave. 

In Korea, we rescue dogs from the dog meat trade and pull dogs dumped in kill shelters — often by puppy mill operators. These puppies are at risk of falling into the hands of dog meat traders. With our partner Jindo Love Rescue, we rehabilitate them and fly them to loving forever homes in the U.S. and Canada.

In India, we fight with our partner IDA India to end the killing of dogs and cats living on the streets by providing veterinary care and spay and neuter services to over 1,000 cats and dogs every month.

Help Us Fight Animal Homelessness!

• Find out how we help end animal companion homelessness at our sanctuaries:
  • Hope Animal Sanctuary
  • IDA India
  • Jindo Love Rescue
• Discover how to help “feral” community cats

Adoption, Spay & Neuter

It is important to spay and neuter your animals because there are already so many animals in need of homes! The bonds formed between people and their animal companions can enhance the lives of all involved. Please always adopt when welcoming a new companion into your family. There are rescue groups for almost every kind of companion.

Why not consider adopting a dog we have rescued from the meat trade with our partner at Jindo Love Rescue?

Cat & Dog Meat

Millions of dogs (and a small number of cats) are affected by the meat trade. We work to end this cruel practice and to rescue dogs from the meat industry in South Korea with our partner Jindo Love Rescue. 

Learn more about our advocacy work to end the dog meat trade. 

Learn more about our hands-on rescue and adoption work with our Korean partner, Jindo Love Rescue.

Education

Caring for animal companions is a full time commitment and here at In Defense of Animals, we can help you to prepare for caring for your loved ones. We have several resources for spaying and neutering your animals, facilitating adoptions, and learning how to care for your animal companion. 

Our advocacy doesn't stop at cats and dogs though! We also advocate for fish, rabbits, and small mammals who are kept as companions.

We also fight to update the way we think about animals. Animals are sentient beings who deserve compassion, understanding, respect, and rights, which is why we established the Guardian campaign. Join us to change the way society thinks about animals by pledging to use respectful, pro-animal language: Take the Guardian Pledge!

Check out our resources for keeping you and your animals safe, healthy, and happy!

• Disaster Preparedness
• Parrots As Pets
• Pitbull Injustice
• Humane Summer School
  • Learn about animals
  • Take our pop quiz
  • Find out what you can achieve by going vegan
• Guardian Campaign
• Fireworks
• Caring for Animals in Hot Weather
• Dogs in Hot Cars

What We Do To Defend Animal Companions

In Defense of Animals seeks justice for animal companions who have been abused and killed. We launch pressure campaigns at officials to ensure that animal abusers receive maximum sentences and that animals who are mistreated get the justice they deserve. We help to ensure that heinous crimes committed against animals are not repeated in the future. You can discover more about our Justice for Animals campaign.

What You Can Do To Defend Animal Companions

• Support our lifesaving work for dogs, cats, horses, and other animals with a regular donation.
• Escort dogs to their forever homes if you fly between South Korea and North America.
• Subscribe and get the latest animal companion news and action alerts in your inbox.
• Adopt one of our dog meat survivors.
• Sign our urgent animal companion alerts.