Ranking of the most effective animal welfare organizations: Who will be in the top 10 in 2025.

According to Vox: If you care about animals and want to reduce their suffering but don't know where to start, Animal Charity Evaluators (ACE) is ready to help you.

This nonprofit organization based in California publishes an annual guide to recommended charities focused on animal welfare. Recently, they released their current list for the year 2025.

Most of these organizations focus on improving conditions in industrial operations, where most of the animal suffering occurs. Every year, over 10 billion farm animals are killed in such operations in the United States, and their confinement in tight spaces restricts movement and leads to cruel living conditions.

ACE Criteria for Selecting Charities

ACE examines and promotes the most effective ways to help animals. For recommending organizations, they use three main criteria:

• Charities should 'be able to significantly and cost-effectively reduce the suffering of many animals' – meaning they do highly effective work and have evidence for it.
• Organizations should 'have room for funding' – which means that if they receive additional resources, they can use them effectively.
• Charities should demonstrate strong 'organizational health', indicating good management and a positive, stable culture.

Recommended Charities for 2025

ACE has compiled its list of recommended charities for 2025:

1. Sinergia Animal: This organization actively fights against industrial meat production in Latin America and Asia, investigating conditions on farms and urging companies to improve animal welfare standards.
2. Aquatic Life Institute: Founded in 2019, it advocates for improving the living conditions of aquatic animals and seeks changes in legislation for fish and crustaceans.
3. Dansk Vegetarisk Forening: An organization in Denmark that works to increase the availability of plant-based food and change government policy.
4. Sociedade Vegetariana Brasileira: Aims to introduce plant-based nutrition in institutions like schools and hospitals in Brazil.
5. Good Food Fund: Works to advance changes in China's food system in favor of plant-based nutrition.
6. The Humane League: Conducts campaigns to improve animal welfare standards in the US and the UK.
7. Wild Animal Initiative: Researches ways to improve the welfare of wild animals.
8. Animal Welfare Observatory: Works to improve farm conditions in Europe, particularly in Spain.
9. Çiftlik Hayvanlarını Koruma Derneği: A Turkish organization that advocates for improving the living conditions of farm animals.
10. Shrimp Welfare Project: Focuses on improving the welfare of shrimp, raising public awareness, and working with producers.

If you decide to support any of these organizations, you can be sure that your funds will be used effectively to reduce animal suffering.

Questions of Responsibility Towards Animals

In the US, outrage over animal protection issues is growing. Surveys indicate that more people believe animals deserve legal protection. However, some believe we should focus more on humans suffering from poverty and other social issues.

Research shows, however, that concern for the welfare of animals and humans does not exclude each other: By showing compassion for animals, we can actually strengthen our ability to help people as well.

“In the first part of the study, they used data from the General Social Survey to check if people who advocate for animal rights also support various human rights.”

Therefore, it is important to become active in animal welfare issues: Such compassion, as research shows, can also strengthen our ability to help people.