1877

American Humane addresses the humane transport of livestock on trains; enforces the 28-hour law.

1878

American Humane calls for humane slaughter of animals.

1881

American Humane condemns the premature shearing of sheep and the ocean transport of cattle.

1883

American Humane opposes excessive branding of cattle.

1885

American Humane opposes de-horning of cattle.

1886

American Humane advocates for legislation that requires ranchers to adequately provide for and shelter animals grazing on federal rangeland.

1887

American Humane addresses the inhumane overcrowding of poultry cages.

1902

American Humane debates humane slaughter of farm animals.

1903

American Humane launches programs to educate ranchers and the public on protecting animals that graze on the open range.

1904

American Humane condemns current methods of slaughter and asks Congress to license and regulate slaughterhouses.

1913

American Humane lobbies Congress on a "minimum speed bill" for trains to shorten trips for livestock.

1930

American Humane pressures Congress to amend the 28-hour law to include trucks.

1945

American Humane launches campaign to protect calves during livestock auctions.

1946

American Humane pressures the Department of Agriculture to extend the 28-hour law to trucks, establishes regulation pen sizes, and creates feeding standards for animals in transit via trucks.

1951

American Humane develops campaign to stop injuries during loading and unloading of cages during transport.

1952

American Humane revisits humane slaughter issues.

1955

American Humane supports bill requiring slaughterhouses to quickly and painlessly stun animals before slaughter. The federal law only applies to slaughterhouses that sell meat to the federal government, leaving some 13 million animals still unprotected.

1960

American Humane takes humane slaughter campaign to states; certifies slaughterhouses.

1964

American Humane leads legislative efforts to have trucks covered under 28-hour law fail.

1971

American Humane pushes effort to have another bill introduced to extend the 28-hour law. Bill fails to pass.

American Humane begins campaign to protect animals transported by air.

1974

American Humane instrumental in legislation proposed to Congress to cover air shipment of animals.

1975

The National Livestock Dealers Association and the American Trucking Association approach American Humane to develop guidelines.

1977

American Humane supports amendment to the Animal Welfare Act to cover transportation of animals by air.

Final Humane Slaughter Act is passed.

1983

American Humane works with dairy farmers to successfully oppose the Hot Iron Face branding requirement in the federal dairy buy-out termination program.

1989

American Humane supports the Veal Calf Protection Act, which prohibits placing veal calves in crates that do not allow them to turn around or move.

1992

American Humane supports the downed animal legislation, which prohibits the transportation of animals that are injured or sick.

1995

American Humane is the only humane organization to serve on the Federal Advisory board, which writes the "Guide for the Care and Use of Agricultural Animals in Research and Teaching."

1996

American Humane lobbies against the use of rBGH (bovine growth hormone) in dairy cows because of negative animal welfare implications.

2000

American Humane creates animal welfare standards for farm animals; launches the American Humane Certified Free Farmed™ program to improve the lives of farm animals.

2002

American Humane expands the farm animal welfare certification program to include more producers and more products!

2007

American Humane renames the Free Farmed program to American Humane Certified, to reflect the broader scope of American Humane's certification program.