The Female Force Behind Animal Welfare: A Women’s History Month Spotlight

Women have long powered the animal welfare movement, yet their leadership is often overlooked when we celebrate Women’s History Month. Today, women make up the vast majority of animal shelter staff, rescue volunteers, and animal rights advocates. Women also hold most leadership and frontline roles in shelters and advocacy groups across the country. 

On the whole, animal activism is overwhelmingly female.

This reality continues a long tradition. Throughout human and animal rights history, women have played key roles in changing legislation, policies, and public attitudes toward the treatment of animals. Yet despite their majority presence, women pioneers and leaders in animal welfare frequently remain underrecognized. Strengthening representation across all identities remains important, as organizations are encouraged to reflect the communities they serve.

Even so, women’s central role in advancing animal advocacy and protection is undeniable and continues to shape the movement today.

Women Pioneers and Leaders in Animal Advocacy

The modern animal welfare and rights movement owes much of its foundation to women who organized, educated, and pushed society to confront cruelty. Many of these leaders helped transform the treatment of companion animals, wildlife, farmed animals, and horses, building the framework used by advocacy groups today.

Early and Influential Trailblazers

One of the earliest and most significant American leaders was Caroline Earle White, who cofounded the Pennsylvania Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals in the 1800s and later established the country’s first animal shelter dedicated to dogs. Frances Power Cobbe, a prominent philosopher and women’s rights advocate, campaigned fiercely against vivisection and helped build the anti-cruelty movement in the United Kingdom.

In the 20th century, Jane Goodall revolutionized global understanding of animals through her groundbreaking research on chimpanzees and her ongoing conservation leadership. Meanwhile, Ingrid Newkirk, cofounder of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, brought mainstream visibility to animal rights campaigns beginning in the 1980s.

These are just a few of the many major figures in the history of animal welfare, and it’s well worth reading more about this fascinating journey toward ending the exploitation of and cruelty to animals.

The Vital Roles of Women Protecting Farmed Animals and Horses

Farmed animals — by far the largest population of animals impacted by human activity — remain the most underprotected and misunderstood category of animal welfare. Women have been instrumental in this aspect of activism as well.

Ruth Harrison’s 1964 book Animal Machines exposed the cruel conditions of industrial farming and sparked public debate about animal agriculture. Her work helped lay the groundwork for the farmed animal protection movement. Additionally, Miyoko Schinner, a leader in plant-based food innovation, has used her platform to advance both culinary change and animal advocacy.

Anna Sewell, author of Black Beauty, brought global attention to the suffering of horses used for labor and transport. Her storytelling helped shift public opinion and improve humane treatment standards.

In the farmed animal movement, Lorri Houston cofounded the nation’s first farmed animal sanctuary with her then-husband, Gene Bauer, in 1986. They worked to expose cruelty in modern farming while creating a model for farmed animal rescue. Leah Garcés, president of Mercy For Animals, has led corporate and legislative campaigns to reduce suffering in the poultry and meat industries.

Other leaders include Melanie Joy, whose work on carnism has helped the public understand the psychology behind eating animals, and Rachel Atcheson, who has advanced policy reforms to protect animals at the municipal level. Their efforts highlight the growing recognition that farmed animals face immense vulnerabilities that demand dedicated advocacy.

Continuing Influence

Across history, women have taken diverse approaches to animal advocacy, including research, legislation, rescue, corporate reform, and public education. Numerous female changemakers continue to shape the movement today. Their collective work demonstrates how women have consistently driven progress even when the broader field has overlooked their leadership.

Celebrating Women’s and Animal Rights History Through Support for Animal Welfare

Celebrating Women’s History Month provides an opportunity to recognize both the historical and current leadership of women in animal welfare. One of the most meaningful ways to honor this legacy is by supporting animal advocacy nonprofits that carry forward the work of protecting the most vulnerable animals.

The Riley Farm Rescue — a woman-founded organization in Canterbury, Connecticut, dedicated to saving farmed animals from neglect, abuse, and slaughter — reflects the spirit of this legacy. Farmed animals often endure the harshest conditions and receive the least public attention, making rescue and long-term sanctuary care especially critical.

People have been led to believe that farmed animals don’t have needs, emotions, or individual personalities in the same way pets and people do. The Riley Farm Rescue in Canterbury, Connecticut challenges that assumption.

As a woman-founded nonprofit, this organization has rescued hundreds of animals — chickens, ducks, geese, turkeys, goats, sheep, peacocks, reptiles, emus, mini horses, and more — from various situations, including factory farms and slaughterhouses. In addition to rescue, their mission also includes advocating for a completely vegan lifestyle.

You can honor women in animal rights history and help living farmed animals at the same time by visiting The Riley Farm Rescue’s website to learn more, planning a tour of the farm, or doing any of the following:

This Women’s History Month and throughout the year, let’s build on the work of the countless women who have shaped animal welfare. By supporting animal rescue and advocacy organizations such as The Riley Farm Rescue, we can ensure that progress continues in future generations.

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