2023 Top 10 for Animals & People
The Gregory J. Reiter Memorial Fund of The Foundation for Enhancing Communities is dedicated to making the world a better place for animals — emphasizing programs that promote systemic change and also benefit people.
Top 10 highlights of organizations and programs to which the Greg Fund contributed in 2023 are:
1 – Helping Ukraine War Victims: Since war began in February 2022, the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) Global Compassion Fund and PETA Deutschland have shipped 40 tons of animal food into Ukraine each month, and supported Animal Rescue Kharkiv in saving over 15,000 animals from missile strikes and disasters. In June, PETA presented its 8th annual Gregory J. Reiter Award to Animal Rescue Kharkiv.
2 – Saving Race Horses: PETA’s Equine Matters team persuaded the California Horse Racing Board to pass a first-in-the-nation rule prohibiting its 16,000 licensees from attending illegal and often deadly “bush track” races. PETA released an investigation of lethal timed sprints at 2-year-old Thoroughbred auctions, together with a proposal to protect these horses who are too young for coverage under federal laws. And PETA rescued former US race horses from near-certain slaughter in South Korea.
3 – Reaching 18 Million via Vegan Podcast: The Exam Room™, the plant-based podcast from nutrition experts at the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, crossed the milestone of 500 episodes recorded since 2017, downloaded over 18 million times in 150+ countries.
4 – Providing Low-Cost Companion Animal Spay / Neuter: In 2023, PETA provided free and low-cost spay and neuter services for some 12,000 cats and dogs in underserved Virginia and North Carolina communities around its US headquarters; and for thousands more around the world, including in Mexico, Peru, the Philippines, and Ukraine.
5 – Bringing Vegan Health to Live Audiences: The Exam Room podcast of the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine hosted its first live in-person panel discussions with leading experts on nutrition in medicine. Hundreds of guests attended each event in Los Angeles, New York City, and Washington D.C.
6 – Showing that Animal Abuse Doesn’t Sell: In February, a PETA investigative report revealed that Anheuser-Busch Companies amputated the tails of Clydesdale horses bred at its Missouri farms to pull Budweiser beer wagons at events – a practice done for cosmetic purposes, illegal in ten US states. After PETA’s nationwide campaign calling for an end to this practice, Anheuser-Busch announced in September that it had stopped amputating its Clydesdales’ tails.
7 – Promoting Compassion for Farmed Animals: Woodstock Farm Sanctuary provides lifetime refuge for 400 cows, pigs, sheep, goats, rabbits, chickens, ducks, and turkeys at its New York location, and welcomes over 3,000 visitors annually to public education programs. Its nationwide outreach includes leading the Fair Coalition, an initiative to end cruelty toward animals at state and county fairs.
8 – Rescuing Animals and Educating People: Humane Long Island works in New York and beyond to rescue wild and farmed animals — particularly domestic fowl — in collaboration with wildlife rehabilitators and sanctuaries. It advises municipalities and schools on humane practices, advocates to stop cruel uses of animals in entertainment, and organizes vegan events.
9 – Helping Farmers Transition from Animals to Crops: The Transfarmation Project of Mercy for Animals helps farmers transition from animal agriculture to raising crops for human consumption. Since launching in 2019, Transfarmation has provided guidance to farmers in Texas, North Carolina, Georgia, Iowa, and Indiana; and published farmer resources like conversion plans and crop guides.
10 – Supporting Animal Advocates with Data: Faunalytics conducts original research and maintains an online library to help animal advocates save lives. A key research project in progress this year is “Reducing Harm Or Encouraging Exploitation: The Impact Of Humanewashing On Consumer Behavior.”