Animal Wellness Action (AWA) is a left-of-center animal rights group that advocates and support what it describes as pro-animal political candidates as well as pro-animal policies, bills, and legislation at the local, state, and national level. ¹ AWA maintains a network of campaigns and councils staffed with former state and federal government officials to advance its animal-first policy agenda. ^{2 3}

AWA has two sister organizations, the Center for a Humane Economy and the Animal Wellness Foundation, both federal 501(c)(3) nonprofits committed to animal protection. ⁴

AWA’s founder Wayne Pacelle was accused of sexual harassment at his previous organization, the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS), which he left to found AWA. He and AWA have been criticized for working with Republican lobbyists and fundraising for candidates of both parties, despite holding left-of-center political affiliations. ^{5 6 7}

Activities

Animal Protection Campaigns

Animal Wellness Action (AWA) has several projects and initiatives it sponsors regarding animal protection advocacy. It manages 20 campaigns that range from state-specific projects, such as a Maine campaign focusing on phasing out the use of lead ammunition and lead fishing tackle in Maine Wildlife Refuge areas, to animal-specific campaigns such as ending cockfighting, greyhound racing, and dogfighting. ^{8 2 9}

Councils

Animal Wellness Action (AWA) operates several councils at the international and national levels. Its Global Council for Animals is a volunteer group that strategizes international protection plans for specific animals. ¹⁰ AWA also maintains a National Law Enforcement Council, a group of current and former local and state prosecutors, state attorneys general, and other law enforcement professionals who campaign against animal cruelty. ^{3 11}

AWA’s National Veterinary Council advocates for highlighting veterinarians as part of efforts in public projects to protect animal wellness. ¹²

Other Activities

Animal Wellness Action (AWA) also publishes a blog and podcast, and circulates news from the animal protection advocacy world through press releases, webinars, videos, and other media campaigns. ^{13 14 15 16 17}

AWA also encourages activism among its members and donors by having them contact their congressional representatives, signing petitions, and endorsing AWA-sponsored bills in various legislatures across the country. ¹⁸

Political Influence

Endorsements and Spending

Animal Wellness Action (AWA) endorsed and provided financial support to several candidates for elected office during the 2024 election cycle. AWA announced that seven of its endorsed candidates won their election bids in the United States House of Representatives, including U.S. Reps. Adam Gray (D-CA), David Valadao (R-CA), Nancy Mace (R-SC), Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA), Derek Tran (D-CA), John Mannion (D-NY), and Don Davis (D-NC). AWA conducted independent expenditure campaigns for each of the candidates. ¹⁹

According to an article republished by AGProfessionals, Animal Wellness Action (AWA) and another animal rights group, the Humane Society Legislative Fund, had combined for a total of $1,200,000 in political spending on federal campaigns in 2020 and $2,000,000 in 2022. ²⁰

According to OpenSecrets, Animal Wellness Action, through its political action committees, individual members, employees, or owners, and those individuals’ immediate family members, contributed $1,331,462 during the 2024 election cycle. This included $312,915 in political contributions, $600,000 in lobbying, and $418,547 in outside spending. AWA’s top funded candidates for the 2024 election cycle were U.S. Reps. Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA) and Troy Carter (D-LA), as it contributed $10,000 to each candidate. ²¹

As of March 2025, AWA had spent $39,047.52 on political campaigns through its political action committee. ²²

Legislative Advocacy

In 2024, Animal Wellness Action (AWA) opposed the passage of the Ending Agricultural Trade Suppression (EATS) Act, H.R. 4417, a bill it claims seeks to federally overturn state laws ensuring the humane housing of farm animals. To oppose the bill, AWA endorsed and supported several political candidates for election in the United States House of Representatives, including a key race in California where AWA claimed to help defeat former U.S. Rep. John Duarte (R-CA) who supported the EATS Act. ¹⁹

AWA also supported Proposition 127, a Colorado state ballot initiative from the November 2024 election that sought to prohibit trophy hunting of mountain lions, bobcats, and lynxes. The ballot proposal was ultimately defeated. AWA reported that two Washington, D.C.-based political action committees (PACs) donated over $3,000,000 in resources to defeat the measure. ^{23 24}

In 2022, AWA and its sister organization, the Center for a Humane Economy, took credit for the passage of the Federal Drug Administration (FDA) Modernization Act 2.0 through Congress, a bipartisan law that eliminated an animal-testing mandate that had been in place since the 1930s. However, the two groups claimed that the FDA did not enforce the law and instead continued to maintain its animal testing mandate rather than employ other non-animal-testing methods for drug testing. ²⁵

In response to the FDA’s alleged lack of enforcement, AWA and the Center for a Humane Economy lobbied for the passage of the FDA Modernization Act 3.0 which passed the Senate through bipartisan support in December 2024. The piece of legislation advocated for enforcing the FDA Modernization Act 2.0 while ending the FDA’s animal-testing mandate. ²⁶ The House of Representatives counterpart bill died in committee. ²⁷

Lawsuits

Animal Wellness Action (AWA) has also been involved in several lawsuits related to animal protection. In July 2024 AWA joined a coalition of animal rights groups who filed a complaint and eventually a lawsuit against the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) for its refusal to give Endangered Species Act (ESA) protections to gray wolves in the West, in violation of the ESA and the Administrative Procedure Act (APA). The lawsuit remains ongoing as of 2025. ^{28 29}

In 2022, AWA and the Center for a Humane Economy filed a civil lawsuit against the California-based sportswear and equipment retailer, Soccer Wearhouse. The suit alleges that the retailer sold shoes made of kangaroo leather, despite a 50-year-old ban on the products in that state. ³⁰ Due to pressure from this and similar lawsuits, Nike announced in 2023 that it would stop using kangaroo leather in shoe production. ³¹

Sister Organizations

The Center for a Humane Economy is a 501(c)(3) federal nonprofit sister organization of Animal Wellness Action (AWA). The center seeks to influence corporations and other institutions to support animal protection from an economic standpoint. Practices used include campaigning for laws and corporate regulations, educating consumers, and partnering with companies to transition from what it claims are practices harmful to animals. ^{32 4}

The Animal Wellness Foundation is another 501(c)(3) nonprofit sister organization of AWA. The foundation is an animal rescue based in Los Angeles. ^{33 4}

Controversy

In 2018, Wayne Pacelle, the founder and executive director of Animal Wellness Action, resigned from his then-position as CEO of the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) amid allegations of sexual misconduct and sexual harassment. ⁵ Pacelle founded AWA in 2018 following his departure from HSUS. ³⁴

In 2024, Pacelle was criticized for hiring two Republican Party-affiliated lobbyists for AWA despite the organization’s left-of-center positions. ⁶

Leadership

Wayne Pacelle is the founder and executive director at Animal Wellness Action (AWA). Before joining Animal Wellness Action, Wayne Pacelle was the president and CEO of The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) until he stepped down amid sexual harassment allegations. He founded the Humane Society Legislative Fund and prior to that, he was executive director of The Fund for Animals. Pacelle authored two New York Times bestselling books about animal rights. He has led efforts to pass 1,500 state laws related to animal rights, more than 100 federal laws and amendments, 30 ballot initiatives, and 500 corporate agreements. He is a graduate of Yale University. ^{35 5}

Annie Harvilicz is the co-founder of AWA. She is also the founder and chief medical officer of Animal Wellness Centers in Marina Del Rey, California. Harvilicz has authored several studies on evolutionary genetics and biology and appeared on the Discovery Channel’s “Animal Precinct” television program while working at the ASPCA’s Bergh Memorial Animal Hospital in New York City. Harvilicz is a graduate of the College of William and Mary in Virginia and received her DVM degree from the Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine. ³⁶

Deborah Wilson is chair of the board at AWA. She is a board-certified gynecologist based in Scottsdale, Arizona. She attended George Washington University Medical School and completed a residency at St. Joseph’s Hospital in Phoenix. Wilson also owns Circle L Ranch Rescue and Sanctuary, a small farm and animal sanctuary. ³⁷

Finances

In 2023, Animal Wellness Action (AWA) reported $1,574,991 in total revenue, $1,172,187 in total expenses, and $2,388,901 in total assets. ³⁸

In 2023, AWA received $1,000,000 in grants from the Berger Action Fund, a left-of-center lobbying nonprofit and the advocacy arm of the Wyss Foundation, the grantmaking foundation funded by Swiss billionaire Hansjorg Wyss. ^{39 40}

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