Humane Society International

The Humane Society International (HSI) is the international division of The Humane Society of the United States. Founded in 1991, HSI has expanded The HSUS's activities into Central and South America, Africa, and Asia. HSI's Asian, Australian, and European offices carry out field activities and programs.

Activities

Humane Society International (HSI) addresses issues such as inhumane practices and conditions affecting companion and farm animals, illegal trade in wildlife, threats to endangered species, slaughter of marine mammals, and the use of animals in research and testing. HSI works with national and jurisdictional governments, humane organizations, and individual animal protectionists in over 35 countries worldwide to find practical, culturally sensitive, and long-term solutions to common animal problems and to inculcate an ethic of respect and compassion for all life.

Methods

Humane Society International (HSI) cooperates with policymakers on international treaties and free trade agreements to conduct briefings and to help draft legislation, regulations, policy statements, and resolutions affecting animals. HSI supports the efforts of governments, industries and NGOs to promote the protection of animals through trade capacity building projects in developing countries and international campaigns to reduce suffering caused by exploitation of marine mammals, factory farming, the fur trade, trophy hunting, and animal fighting and cruelty.

HSI represents The HSUS as a regular and active participant in meetings of international bodies such as the International Whaling Commission, the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species, and the International Union for the Conservation of Nature, and enjoys Category I A General Consultative Status with the United Nations.

Global Offices

Humane Society International (HSI) is the largest animal protection organisation in the world with over 10 million supporters globally. We have offices in the United States, Central America and Europe, and special conservation projects in many other countries.

Australia

Humane Society International (HSI) was established in Australia in May 1994 for the Asia Pacific region and already has one of the fastest growing memberships of any non-government conservation organisation in Australia. With over 40,000 Australian supporters and a number of significant achievements, HSI is now in a strong position to advocate change for the benefit of all animals. Currently, our campaigns include work on Federal environment legislation, listing of endangered species throughout Australia and on the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Flora and Fauna, and many, many other topics.

Our international efforts encompass relationships with the United Nations and work with various treaty and international agreements, including the World Trade Organization and the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation, affecting animals and their habitats. HSI works with national and jurisdictional governments, conservation NGOs, humane organizations, and individual animal protectionists to find practical, culturally sensitive, and long-term solutions to common environmental and animal problems.

HSI Australia has a particular emphasis on the following areas:

• national and international biodiversity policy and implementation to protect habitats critical to the survival of many native species;
• climate change, and the protection of ‘carbon sinks' such as rainforests and areas of high biodiversity value;
• habitat protection in Australia with the 'Wildlife Land Trust, a not-for-profit network of wildlife sanctuaries around Australia;
• the “Humane Choice” food label to improve the lives of farm animals and address the unsustainable practice of intensive farming;
• disaster relief support in developing countries to rescue stricken and abandoned animals;
• Extinction Denied NGO grants program for animal protection and environment programs across Asia, Africa and India; and
• national and international marine campaigns against whaling, and seeking greater protection for sharks, turtles, albatrosses and threatened fish species.

References

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