Hi,

Growing up, I had an affinity for our black standard poodle, Mandy. She was as dear a friend as I had. It was so clear to me that she experienced a range of emotions, including—when I'd return home from college—pure and utter joy.

My dad grew up on a farm in Iowa in the ’30s and ’40s. He’d told me the animals had good lives until the day they were sent to slaughter. So when I took an Intro to Ethics course in my freshman year of college, learning about the plight of farm animals was like a punch in the gut.

For the first time in my life, I learned about gestation crates—the cages where factory farms confine pregnant mother pigs for months at a time, cages barely bigger than their own bodies. I learned about battery cages, the filthy wire cages the size of a filing cabinet drawer, where today’s egg-laying hens spend their entire lives. They never feel grass. They never see the sun. It broke my heart.

In the summer of 2000, I quit my job and headed out to Watkins Glen, New York to intern at Farm Sanctuary for the summer. The experience made me realize that farm animals weren’t unlike my beloved dog Mandy—with their appreciation for affection, their playful spirit, and their one-of-a-kind personalities.

And that’s how I came to be writing to you today. Knowing you’re a dedicated supporter, I feel deeply honored to partner with you to create a better world for farm animals. In my role, I’m lucky to communicate with supporters like you on a daily basis—and to experience firsthand how generous, compassionate, humble, and thoughtful today’s animal advocates are.

Because this work would truly be impossible without you. At The Humane League, we’re motivated by compassion—but we’re powered by support from folks like you. With your help, we’re able to employ strategic thinking and evidence to ensure that we’re having a maximum impact on farm animals around the globe. 

In 2015, just 6% of hens in the United States were out of cages. Just eight years later, that percentage has skyrocketed to 39.4% of hens spared from cages. Every day, I’m moved to see these tangible impacts of our work—and to witness progress happening at a pace I would have previously thought unimaginable.

I still think about Mandy often. The deep connection and love I felt for her inspires my work for all animals. It’s such a joy to be doing this work—and especially to be doing it alongside you.

Thank you for being here, for the animals.