We arrived at the “farm” long before dawn. Imagine: rows and rows of vast sheds, each packed with thousands of clucking hens in metal cages. As we donned full PPE gear, we were instructed to be careful not to fall into the chicken waste. I remember thinking, Okay… I don’t think I’ll accidentally do that. But then we went inside.

I was utterly shocked by the enormous mounds of waste underneath the cages. Seeing the hens up close—their mangled limbs, their raw patches of skin, the pitiful way they clamored over each other to reach a drink of water… It’s a sight I’ll never forget.

As a corporate negotiator at The Humane League, I get a few minutes of facetime with busy executives to explain why their company should end the cruelest practices for the millions of animals in their supply chains. Usually, they shake their heads and give me one of many familiar excuses. That’s when I say: “By the way, we run massive public campaigns that call out brands for animal cruelty.”

That gets their attention.

You are the force behind those campaigns. I don’t mean “you” as in “our supporters.” I mean you, personally. As a changemaker, you’re a critical link in the chain reaction that happens when a company refuses to budge on animal welfare. I know I can count on you to be there—making the call, making the donation, making the campaign happen.

I ask you because monthly donors are the backbone of our campaign work. Consistent gifts fuel our campaign strategy—and campaigns are truly the “secret sauce” that makes THL so effective. Thanks to our reputation as a campaigning organization, the world’s largest companies are scared of us. But campaigns don’t happen without you.

I’ve heard every excuse in the book. “Our company is too small to have any impact.” “Our company is too large to change.” But you know what?

There’s no excuse for trapping hens in the tiny, filthy cages I saw that day. There’s no excuse for raising “fast-growth” chickens, bred to grow so quickly that their legs buckle underneath them at just a few weeks old. There’s no excuse for confining mother pigs in cramped stalls for weeks on end.

I’m here because I know there are no excuses. I know animals deserve better. Thank you for knowing that, too.

With gratitude,

P.S. When corporate leaders ask me if cage-free is really better than the alternative, I can say “yes” without a doubt. Seeing the conditions that these gentle hens endure made me realize just how much of a difference this work really makes. Will you fuel this historic fight for animals?