Dear Friends, the first-ever felony charges for cruelty THANK YOU to factory-farmed chickens. We also “Spectacular” doesn’t come close to made history with the first conviction of a describing just how monumental a year Canadian company for animal cruelty based 2015 truly was for Mercy For Animals. With on an undercover investigation. your help, we’ve made groundbreaking progress toward creating a more In May, following an intense, multi-year compassionate world for farmed animals. campaign, Walmart—the country’s largest food retailer—announced it would end its In 2015, you helped us inspire more people cruel confinement of pigs, calves, and egg- than ever to adopt cruelty-free lifestyles. laying hens. We also pressured food giants After viewing our resources, more than Nestlé, McDonald’s, Sodexo, Aramark, 650,000 people pledged to go vegetarian, Saputo, and many others to improve the each one sparing dozens of farmed animals treatment of animals in their supply chains. per year from a lifetime of suffering. More than 2 billion people viewed our pro-veg I’m humbled by your phenomenal, content on social media, and in addition enduring support, without which we could to expanding our outreach in Canada, we never have achieved these and many other extended it to Latin America, China, and victories for farmed animals in 2015. It’s you India. and your tireless dedication that give me the greatest hope for even more successful Our brave investigators conducted nine years ahead—and for a future world free of undercover investigations, revealing cruelty and full of compassion. horrific cruelty inside 23 factory farms and slaughterhouses. One exposé at With gratitude, a McDonald’s supplier even led to the permanent shutdown of the chicken factory farm.
Through these investigations, we secured charges of nearly 50 counts of animal Nathan Runkle cruelty against animal abusers, including President
WE BELIEVE IN MERCY FOR ANIMALS
We believe that mindful treatment of the weakest living beings would result in a more physically and spiritually sustainable world. When we researched animal rights organizations, we found that MFA was the most innovative and effective in bringing its genuine message of compassion to the broader global community. Our interactions with the MFA team over the past two years have only strengthened our conviction in the organization’s ambitious, thoughtful, holistic, and constantly refined approach.
-GRO Foundation, Girish and Shikha Bhakoo
A trailer hauling 2,200 piglets wrecked on a highway near Xenia, Ohio, this year. The surviving piglets were sent to slaughter except for one. A good Samaritan found this lone piglet and delivered him safely to a Maryville, Ohio sanctuary. The piglet was appropriately named Nathan in honor of Ohio-born Nathan Runkle, who inspired me 16 years ago to go vegan and never look back. To ensure the I support Mercy For Animals Most of the public doesn’t continued work of MFA, I’ve included them in my will. because of their tireless, know, or sometimes doesn’t efficient, and compassionate want to know, about the -Peggy Kaplan work to make the world a incredible suffering endured better place for farm animals. by billions of animals raised By showing what really for food. MFA’s investigations Dr. Elizabeth “Betty” Farians, who throughout her lifetime goes on behind the curtains and educational campaigns spoke out boldly against oppression of women and in the animal agriculture are great at shedding light animals, was a true pioneer and social justice activist. As industry, promoting more on this horrific issue and her friend Mary Kay Riestenberg shared with MFA, “She humane ways of eating, and opening people’s eyes was also a visionary woman and theologian, creating the advocating for corporate and and minds to making more groundbreaking course Theology and Animals, which she political changes for animal compassionate choices. taught at Xavier University until 2008.” A 30-year vegan, welfare, they are making a Betty passed away at age 90, her extraordinary legacy huge difference. including a very generous estate gift to Mercy For Animals. -Marco Verrelli Thank you, Betty. Your compassion and dedication inspire -Houston Wong and Marko Zonta us every day. 2015 BY THE NUMBERS
37.2 MILLION 2.1 MILLION 49 criminal animal cruelty egg-laying hens no longer cows no longer subjected to charges filed suffering in battery cages painful mutilations like tail docking 2.7 MILLION 9 undercover investigations In 2015, Animal Charity pigs freed from gestation released crates 300 MILLION Evaluators (ACE) named chickens no longer shackled, shocked, and cut open alive at MFA a “top charity for 175,000 slaughterhouses 9,300 newspaper, calves unchained from cruel television, and radio stories maximum effectiveness” veal crates about MFA’s work generated for the third year in a row. ACE reviewed more than 170 animal organizations worldwide and published 2.1 BILLION recommendations for IMPRESSIONS OF MFA’S PRO-VEGAN those most effective in CONTENT ON FACEBOOK using donation dollars to save the greatest number of animals. MFA 4,370,445 110 MILLION 20 MILLION drew ACE’s praises as Facebook followers online video views visitors to MFA websites an “exceptionally strong organization” because of its “willingness to adjust 1,287,093 signatures on 1.4 MILLION programming to seek MFA campaign petitions pro-vegan leaflets distributed maximum effectiveness” 650,000 750,000 and the “range of pledges to go vegetarian vegetarian starter guides distributed programs” undertaken with “good results.” FINANCIALS 2015 INCOME 2015 EXPENSES $7,141,132 $4,816,217 4% NET ASSETS $7,133,525 PROGRAMS 21% Education 37% Investigations Corporate Outreach MERCY FOR ANIMALS Legal Advocacy IS DEDICATED TO PREVENTING CRUELTY 6% Development TO FARMED ANIMALS Administration AND PROMOTING
9% MFA uses income-based budgeting, using the prior year’s revenue to COMPASSIONATE determine the current year’s expenses. We will immediately mobilize 2015’s revenue increase in the 2016 expense budget as we continue FOOD CHOICES AND 23% to expand our programs. POLICIES. Final figures based on our 2015 audit will be provided at MercyForAnimals.org when available. Mercy For Animals is a registered 501(c) (3) nonprofit organization, Tax ID number 542076145. UNDERCOVER INVESTIGATIONS MFA’s intrepid Investigations Department went all out in 2015 with the release of nine undercover investigations at a total of 23 factory farms and slaughterhouses in North America. By refining our strategies and focus, we managed to more than double the amount of media exposure for investigations this year—opening the eyes of more people than ever before to the horrors of industrial animal agriculture.
OUR SIXTH WALMART INVESTIGATION In addition to shining a bright light PUT THE FINAL NAIL IN THE COFFIN on animal cruelty at Perdue, the FOR ONE OF THE CRUELEST FACTORY investigation highlighted the need FARMING PRACTICES. for increased transparency in food production and the dangers of ag-gag After a brave MFA investigator laws that seek to sweep evidence of documented sick and injured pigs animal abuse under the rug. packed into filthy, overcrowded pens and workers viciously beating pigs and striking their faces and backs with heavy WE BROUGHT THE HEAT TO ONE cans and boards, the world’s largest OF THE WORLD’S LARGEST MEAT retailer announced one of the most PRODUCERS, TYSON FOODS, WHICH comprehensive animal welfare policies SLAUGHTERS MORE THAN 2 BILLION of its kind, including a promise to phase CHICKENS A YEAR IN THE UNITED out inherently cruel gestation crates STATES. OUR THREE UNDERCOVER across its entire global supply chain. INVESTIGATIONS LED TO ARRESTS, CONVICTIONS, AND FARM CLOSURES.
OUR INVESTIGATIONS TEAM KEPT The owners of a Tyson contract chicken PRESSURE ON THE NOTORIOUSLY farm and McDonald’s McNuggets CRUEL DAIRY INDUSTRY WITH AN supplier pled guilty after we caught EXPOSÉ AT A DAIRY FARMERS OF them on video bludgeoning animals to AMERICA SUPPLIER. death with spiked clubs. Several Tyson slaughterhouse workers face 33 total OUR INVESTIGATION INTO MAPLE The shocking video footage shows dairy counts of criminal animal cruelty for LODGE FARMS—CANADA’S LARGEST workers in Colorado viciously punching, punching, throwing, and tormenting POULTRY PRODUCER—SENT kicking, beating, and stabbing cows, and chickens for fun and ripping off their SHOCKWAVES ACROSS THE COUNTRY. violently slamming milking equipment heads while they were still alive and into them as they walk through the conscious. filthy milking parlor. The investigation Garnering incredible media attention, amassed statewide and national media this investigation awakened millions coverage, exposing countless consumers WE EXPOSED FOSTER FARMS of Canadians to the cruelties inherent to the animal cruelty running rampant in AND AMERICAN “HUMANE” in the nation’s poultry industry. The the dairy industry. ASSOCIATION’S “HUMANE MEAT” stomach-turning video footage showed SCAM. birds violently slammed into metal shackles before being painfully shocked WE EXPOSED HORRIFIC ANIMAL TV legend Bob Barker narrated the with electricity and having their throats ABUSE AT A PERDUE FACTORY FARM undercover video exposing birds cut open while still conscious and able IN NORTH CAROLINA MERE WEEKS scalded alive at Foster Farms—a to feel pain. Countless animals also BEFORE THE STATE’S SHAMEFUL AG- company certified as humane by froze to death while transported without GAG LAW TOOK EFFECT. American Humane Association—and protection from Canada’s extreme workers maliciously punching and weather. A courageous MFA investigator throwing chickens, and ripping out documented workers throwing and their feathers for fun. The investigation kicking chickens, and birds purposely spanned a total of 12 Foster Farms bred to grow so unnaturally fast facilities, proving the abuses are Graphic Video Shows they often suffered from painful leg widespread throughout the company. deformities and died of heart attacks. McDonald’s, Tyson Supplier Stabbing Chickens
Man arrested after undercover video reveals Humane-Certified Foster Farms Under alleged abuse at Perdue chicken supplier Investigation After Video Shows Abuse, Torture Of Live Chickens LEGAL ADVOCACY In 2015, MFA’s legal advocacy department secured groundbreaking and precedent-setting victories for farmed animals in the U.S. and Canada. Fourteen individuals and companies faced charges of a staggering 49 total counts of animal cruelty, including historic felony charges for extreme cruelty to chickens. In a series of “first-evers,” MFA’s legal advocacy work led to greater accountability at the top by securing convictions of factory farm owners and major corporations for animal abuse.
OUR LEGAL ADVOCACY EFFORTS OUR EFFORTS HELPED IMPROVE LED TO THE CONVICTION OF THE THE LEGISLATIVE LANDSCAPE FOR WORLD’S LARGEST PRIMARY TURKEY FARMED ANIMALS. BREEDER FOR ANIMAL CRUELTY. Alongside a host of other animal Following an undercover investigation protection, food safety, environmental, of Hybrid Turkeys in Ontario, Canada, and workers’ rights groups, MFA helped MFA’s legal team worked with law defeat three out of the four dangerous enforcement to hold this corporate ag-gag bills introduced this year. factory farm accountable for the cruelty Our powerful demonstrations, strong and violence we exposed. Thanks to our media presence, and active network of efforts, Hybrid Turkeys was ultimately members and supporters helped shine convicted of animal cruelty, marking the a light on the agricultural industry’s first time a Canadian factory farm had shameful attempts to criminalize been found guilty of animal cruelty as a whistleblowing and abuse animals with result of an undercover investigation. impunity.
A MCDONALD’S CHICKEN MFA JOINED A COALITION THAT MCNUGGETS SUPPLIER PERMANENTLY SUCCESSFULLY INTRODUCED A CLOSED ITS DOORS AFTER THE HISTORIC BALLOT MEASURE IN as “humane” by AHA. AHA standards, OWNERS WERE CONVICTED OF MASSACHUSETTS. which cover more than 1 billion animals, ANIMAL CRUELTY. fall far below those of virtually every Countless hours of grassroots efforts by other humane certification program, MFA’s legal advocacy work resulted in more than 1,000 dedicated volunteers, and barely exceed even the minimal the criminal animal cruelty convictions of including many MFA members, resulted standards set by the factory farming two Tyson contract factory farm owners in a landmark campaign to ban the industry itself. who supplied chicken for McDonald’s most extreme confinement of animals Chicken McNuggets. Following their in the state’s factory farms. If passed, convictions, the owners closed the doors the measure will require that pigs, JUSTICE WAS SERVED IN NEW of their factory farm for good. chickens, and calves be given at least MEXICO WITH THE CONVICTION OF enough room to turn around, stand up, A DAIRY WORKER CAUGHT ON VIDEO and freely extend their limbs, effectively STABBING AND WHIPPING COWS. MFA’S LEGAL TEAM SECURED THE banning gestation crates, battery cages, FIRST-EVER FELONY CHARGES FOR and veal crates. It will also ban the sale Our investigation at Winchester Dairy CRUELTY TO FACTORY-FARMED of pork, eggs, and veal from intensively exposed multiple workers engaged in CHICKENS IN U.S. HISTORY. confined animals raised outside of sickening and malicious cruelty. Due Massachusetts. to the persistence of our legal team, The charges stemmed from video one worker has been convicted and footage taken by a brave MFA three others, whose cases are still investigator at two Perdue contract MFA FILED A COMPLAINT WITH pending, have been charged with chicken factory farms. MFA’s legal case THE FEDERAL TRADE COMMISSION multiple counts of animal cruelty. At was so compelling that law enforcement AGAINST FOSTER FARMS AND the time of the investigation, the now arrested a worker for felony animal AMERICAN HUMANE ASSOCIATION closed Winchester Dairy provided milk cruelty the same day we reported the (AHA) FOR TORTURING ANIMALS AND to Leprino Foods, the world’s largest abuse. These precedent-setting charges LYING TO CONSUMERS ABOUT IT. mozzarella cheese producer. not only show law enforcement’s shift toward taking farmed animal abuse The complaint was based on seriously, but send a clear message to graphic undercover video exposing the factory farming industry that animal a widespread pattern of cruelty at Ex-Mcdonald’s Suppliers abuse will not be tolerated. multiple Foster Farms facilities certified Plead Guilty to Cruelty 2015 Is Tipping Point in Our Long Battle Against Extreme Confinement of Animals on Factory Farms CORPORATE OUTREACH Corporations control the fate of billions of farmed animals. That’s why we push the biggest food industry players to eliminate the cruelest farming practices and adopt meaningful animal welfare policies. 2015 saw a historic commitment from Walmart and major progress from other leading food producers. MFA’s achievements are ushering in a new era for animals, bringing us closer than ever before to a world in which the cruelest factory farming practices are relegated to the dustbin of history.
FOLLOWING AN INTENSE, THREE- CANADA’S LARGEST DAIRY YEAR CAMPAIGN BY MFA, WALMART, PRODUCER, SAPUTO, AND THE WORLD’S LARGEST RETAILER, LARGEST MEAT PRODUCER, MAPLE ADOPTED ONE OF THE MOST LEAF FOODS, COMMITTED TO COMPREHENSIVE ANIMAL WELFARE IMPLEMENTING ANIMAL WELFARE POLICIES EVER. REQUIREMENTS FOLLOWING MFA INVESTIGATIONS. The mega retailer has committed to ending needless mutilations without Saputo’s global policy pledges to painkillers and the intensive confinement eliminate tail docking and mandates of pregnant pigs in gestation crates, pain relief during dehorning. Maple Leaf baby calves in veal crates, and egg- Foods’ pork and poultry policy reaffirms laying hens in battery cages throughout a commitment to eliminating gestation its entire supply chain. The industry- crates, but most notably commits to leading policy follows six MFA implementing Controlled Atmosphere undercover investigations, 150 protests Stunning—a pioneering move that will at Walmart stores nationwide, full-page spare birds the horrific suffering of being newspaper ads, mobile billboards shackled, shocked, sliced open, and circling Walmart headquarters, 640,000 scalded alive while conscious and able petition signatures, and A-list celebrity to feel pain. support from Joaquin Phoenix, Ryan Gosling, Sia, Pamela Anderson, and Emily Deschanel. LEPRINO FOODS, THE LARGEST MOZZARELLA CHEESE MAKER IN THE WORLD, AND GREAT LAKES CHEESE, We launched hard-hitting campaigns NESTLÉ AND MCDONALD’S, TWO A MAJOR U.S. DAIRY SUPPLIER, coupled with groundbreaking OF THE WORLD’S LARGEST FOOD BOTH COMMITTED TO ENDING THE undercover investigations and eye- COMPANIES, COMMITTED TO ENDING PAINFUL MUTILATIONS OF COWS opening protests to demand the world’s THE USE OF CRUEL BATTERY CAGES FOLLOWING MFA INVESTIGATIONS. largest poultry producers put an end IN THEIR EGG SUPPLY CHAINS. to their cruelest practices. Specifically, Leprino, which supplies Domino’s, Pizza we’re calling on Tyson, Perdue, Foster Their groundbreaking new policies Hut, and Papa John’s, set the most Farms, and others to stop breeding have created a tipping point that has aggressive deadline for phasing out chickens to grow so fast they suffer from all but ensured the end of battery tail docking of cattle. These landmark crippling leg deformities and die from cages throughout the entire egg policies also call for providing safe, painful heart attacks, and to replace industry. Nestlé’s policy, affecting U.S. clean, and sanitary environments for live-shackle slaughter methods with less egg suppliers, is an expansion of the cows; pain relief during disbudding or cruel systems that eliminate the horrific broader Nestlé Commitment on Farm dehorning; proper veterinary care for suffering caused by shackling, shocking, Animal Welfare established with MFA’s sick or injured animals; and third-party and slitting the throats of conscious guidance. McDonald’s commitment, audits to ensure compliance. animals. affecting U.S. and Canadian egg suppliers, follows two investigations and two petitions bearing the combined OUR WORK BROUGHT THE PLIGHTS signatures of nearly 200,000 concerned OF “BROILER” CHICKENS, WHO MAKE consumers. MFA also helped secure UP MORE THAN 95 PERCENT OF THE cage-free commitments from industry ANIMALS KILLED FOR FOOD, TO THE Nestlé to Shift to Cage- titan Costco and foodservice giants FOREFRONT. Aramark and Sodexo. Free Eggs in U.S. by 2020
The Latest Scramble In The Egg Industry: Walmart Is Taking A Huge Step To Protect McDonald’s Is Going Cage-Free Animals And The Food Supply EDUCATION We’ll only ever see a just world for animals when people view them as the thinking, feeling, and irreplaceable individuals they are. In 2015, MFA’s Education Department paved the way to this kinder future with cutting- edge, data-driven advocacy aimed at inspiring people to care about farmed animals and move toward vegan eating. By changing hearts and diets, we reduce the demand for animal products—sparing millions of animals each year from a lifetime of suffering on factory farms.
OUR ONLINE ADVERTISING Last year we brought crucial resources CAMPAIGNS LED 650,000 PEOPLE to China, India, and Brazil in order to AROUND THE WORLD TO PLEDGE TO help people transition to vegetarian GO VEGETARIAN AND SIGN UP FOR eating. These countries all have massive MFA’S VEGETARIAN EATING EMAIL populations, rapidly increasing meat SERIES. consumption, and little effective vegetarian advocacy. Our new resources From the United States and Canada to include comprehensive websites with all Mexico, Chile, the United Kingdom, the whys and hows of vegetarian eating, Australia, and beyond, our powerful vegetarian starter guides, email series online ads inspired dietary change that to guide people through changing their will spare millions of animals from a diets, factory farming videos, and robust lifetime of misery. To help people stick social media campaigns. with a compassionate diet, everyone who pledges receives a Vegetarian Starter Guide, a two-month email series WE AMASSED 2.1 BILLION VIEWS OF to guide them through the process PRO-VEGETARIAN CONTENT ON of going vegetarian, and one-on-one SOCIAL MEDIA. personal support if they’re having problems with the transition. From our 4 million worldwide Facebook followers to our expanding presence on Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest, Tumblr, and OUR PRO-VEGETARIAN VIRAL VIDEOS Snapchat, our army of compassionate GARNERED MORE THAN 110 MILLION advocates helped us generate a cascade VIEWS. of compassion through social media. From helpful blogs and tear-jerking starter guides, inspiring thousands of From hard-hitting pieces exposing photo memes to breaking news and Ivy League students to pledge to cut the cruel reality of factory farming powerful videos and calls to action, back on their meat consumption, or to thought-provoking speeches and our inspiring and empowering content publishing dozens of op-eds in major adorably cute montages encouraging helped shift social norms and inspire media outlets like the Los Angeles compassion for farmed animals, our a slew of personal, corporate, and Times, The New York Times, and USA viral videos led thousands of people legislative victories for animals. Today, our grassroots volunteers created worldwide to message us letting us an even greater groundswell of support know the videos inspired a change of for vegetarian eating and farmed animal heart—and of diet. OUR GRASSROOTS OUTREACH protection. PROGRAM EMPOWERED MORE THAN A THOUSAND VOLUNTEERS WE LAUNCHED A COMPREHENSIVE NATIONWIDE TO MAKE MAJOR SET OF VEGETARIAN EATING CHANGE FOR FARMED ANIMALS. RESOURCES AND PRO-VEGETARIAN SOCIAL MEDIA CAMPAIGNS IN INDIA, Whether distributing upwards of 1.5 CHINA, AND BRAZIL. million pro-vegetarian leaflets and
Vegetarianism Exploding Into Mainstream Culture The (Fake) Meat Revolution We can change the world and make it a better place. It is in your hands to make a difference.
—Nelson Mandela
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