Our History

From 2001 through 2011, Mercy For Animals conducted 17 undercover investigations, uncovering extreme abuse in slaughterhouses and factory farms. In 2012, an investigation into a Butterball turkey facility resulted in the first felony conviction for cruelty to factory-farmed birds in the United States. In 2021, one of our investigations revealed the hidden costs of Costco’s rotisserie chicken, shedding light on the dire conditions at a Costco supplier farm.

Mercy For Animals works directly with food companies and governments to secure policy changes and institutional reforms that alleviate animal suffering and promote plant-based foods. Notable successes include the ban on gestation crates in Canada and the enactment in California of one of the strongest animal protection laws.

High-profile celebrities have joined the fight for farmed animals and amplified our mission with their support. Public figures, such as Joaquin Phoenix, Moby, and Emily Deschanel, have lent their voices to Mercy For Animals campaigns, helping raise awareness about the plight of farmed animals and the benefits of plant-based eating.

In the 2010s, Mercy For Animals expanded internationally, establishing a presence in Mexico, Brazil, and India. In 2023, a partnership with Subway Mexico led to the launch of a plant-based chicken teriyaki sub across 780 locations. Our efforts in Brazil have introduced plant-based meals to schools, while in India we have influenced state bans on the confinement of pregnant and nursing pigs in crates.

In 2018, Leah Garcés took over as president of Mercy For Animals, bringing new initiatives and expanding the organization’s global reach. One of her key initiatives, The Transfarmation Project®, helps farmers transition from animal agriculture to growing specialty crops, reducing reliance on factory farming. So far Transfarmation has worked with more than 15 farms to help them exit factory farming and pursue sustainable alternatives.

Mercy For Animals prioritizes creating systemic change and lasting cultural and narrative shifts. By leveraging trigger events—powerful moments that expose factory farming’s cruelty—we spark global conversations and amplify awareness.

Our campaigns increasingly highlight the critical link between transitioning from industrial animal agriculture and curbing climate change, emphasizing the role of diet change in reducing emissions, deforestation, and water pollution.

Today, Mercy For Animals is one of the world’s leading voices in the fight against factory farming. Through undercover investigations, corporate partnerships, government policies, and public engagement, we work to alleviate animal suffering and promote plant-based eating.