What Mercy For Animals does

Mercy For Animals is a U.S.-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 1999 and headquartered in Los Angeles, California, with a secondary mailing address in Hagerstown, Maryland. Its mission is to end industrial animal agriculture by exposing cruelty in factory farms and slaughterhouses, shifting public narratives about food systems, and driving down demand for animal products through plant-based initiatives. The organization serves a diverse stakeholder base: individual donors (including monthly "Animal Allies" and the $1,000-$10,000 "Compassion Collective"), 1,500+ organized volunteers in six regional hubs (United States, Canada, Brazil, India, Mexico, and Southeast Asia), food industry companies targeted for animal-welfare policy adoption, government bodies engaged in legislative advocacy, and corporate employers enabling workplace giving.

The organization's core capabilities center on undercover investigations using hidden cameras and drone-mounted high-definition video, producing documentary evidence used to drive corporate accountability campaigns, animal welfare scorecards (e.g., the fifth-edition Canada Animal Welfare Scorecard ranking 46 food brands), and legislative advocacy. Supporting programs include the Transfarmation Project (helping farmers transition to plant-based crops), the ChooseVeg.com consumer education platform, volunteer-driven grassroots organizing, and targeted campaign microsites (e.g., FrankenChickens.com, CompassCruelty.com). The organization is currently undergoing a leadership transition under newly appointed president and CEO Arash Yomtobian, accompanied by a board expansion in June 2026.

Mercy For Animals is funded entirely through charitable giving, with no goods or services exchanged for donations. Revenue streams include individual one-time and recurring donations, the Compassion Collective major-gift circle, workplace giving (including CFC #30027 for federal employees), donor-advised fund grants through Fidelity Charitable, Schwab Charitable, and Vanguard Charitable, appreciated stock donations via Overflow, cryptocurrency donations via The Giving Block, vehicle donations through CARS, legacy/estate gifts through Mercy's Meadow, and third-party fundraisers via GoFundMe Charity. Approximately 70 cents of every dollar is directed to programs, and the organization reports 1.9+ billion animals spared across all programs, 50+ government policies won or defeated, and 30,000+ restaurants, coffee shops, and schools with new plant-based menu options.

Name

Mercy For Animals

Legal name

Mercy For Animals, Inc.

Website

https://mercyforanimals.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1999

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Mercy For Animals is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1999 that exposes factory farm cruelty through undercover investigations, drives corporate animal-welfare policy adoption, runs volunteer organizing in six countries, and advances plant-based eating for individual donors, food companies, and governments.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Animal Welfare Advocacy

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Animal Cruelty Prevention, Investigation & Humane Law Enforcement (BPAGAIAG)

akta.pro secondary industry

Advocacy, Policy & Public Awareness (Animal Welfare) (BPAGAIAJ)

Keywords

• Animal welfare advocacy
• Farmed animal protection
• Undercover farm investigations
• Corporate welfare campaigns
• Plant-based advocacy

Headquarters

HQ city

Los Angeles

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: One-time and recurring donations from individual supporters, including monthly Animal Ally program, one-time gifts, tribute donations, and round-up programs. The Compassion Collective targets major annual donors giving $1,000-$10,000.
2. Stock and Crypto Donations: Donors can contribute appreciated securities and cryptocurrency directly, offering tax advantages while supporting the organization. Stock donations processed through Overflow platform.
3. Workplace Giving: Corporate matching gift programs, payroll deduction, and Combined Federal Campaign (CFC #30027) for federal employees, enabling workplace-based charitable giving.
4. Donor-Advised Fund (DAF) Contributions: DAF grants from charitable sponsors such as Fidelity Charitable, Schwab Charitable, Vanguard Charitable, and others, providing tax-smart giving options for donors.
5. Vehicle Donations: Vehicle donation program through partnership with CARS (Charitable Adult Rides & Services), accepting vehicles in any condition across all 50 U.S. states.
6. Legacy and Estate Gifts: Planned giving options including bequests, retirement plan designations, and inclusion in estate plans through Mercy's Meadow legacy program.

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels8 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

Mercy For Animals is an international nonprofit that exposes cruelty and ends the worst practices of industrial animal agriculture. It conducts undercover investigations at factory farms and slaughterhouses, runs corporate campaigns to push food companies toward higher animal welfare and plant-based commitments, drives legislative advocacy, organizes a volunteer movement across six regions, and supports farmers in transitioning to plant-based crops through the Transfarmation Project. It funds this work through individual donations, monthly and major-gift programs, workplace giving, DAFs, stock and crypto donations, vehicle donations, and grants.

Product overview

Mercy For Animals is a nonprofit advocacy organization (not a software product) offering a portfolio of programs focused on ending industrial animal agriculture. Core programs include undercover investigations (documenting factory farm cruelty via hidden cameras and drones), corporate animal welfare campaigns (pushing food companies to adopt cage-free and welfare policies), restaurant and institution outreach (expanding plant-based menu options), and volunteer organizing (with hubs in major cities). Supporting initiatives include the Transfarmation Project (helping farmers transition to plant-based crops), the ChooseVeg.com resource platform, and animal welfare scorecards grading corporate progress. The organization also operates fundraising programs including monthly giving (Animal Ally) and major donor circles (Compassion Collective).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• The Transfarmation Project: A project supporting farmers in transitioning from industrial animal facilities to growing plant-based crops such as fruits, vegetables, mushrooms, hemp, flowers, and specialty crops.

Products and services

• Undercover Investigations

Quantifiable outcome

• 1.9+ billion animals spared worst abuses through corporate and government policies
• +9 more outcomes

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered minor.

• CARS (Charitable Adult Rides & Services)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorVehicle donation partner accepting vehicles in almost any condition in all 50 U.S. states on behalf of Mercy For Animals.
• GoFundMe CharityminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorFundraising platform enabling supporters to create personal fundraisers for Mercy For Animals, including no-minimum DAF gift option.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• World Animal Protection: Global animal welfare NGO operating in dozens of countries with farmed-animal, wildlife, and disaster-response programs. Comparable global footprint and corporate-partnership approach, though with a broader mission that extends well beyond industrial animal agriculture.
• The Humane Society of the United States: Largest US animal welfare organization, with a much broader scope spanning companion animals, wildlife, and farmed animals. Directly comparable on corporate campaigns, legislative advocacy, and shelter/rescue operations, though its portfolio extends well beyond Mercy For Animals' farmed-animal focus.

Direct peers

• Animal Legal Defense Fund: US nonprofit using undercover investigations, litigation, and legislative advocacy to protect animals including farmed animals. Highly comparable on the legal/legislative and investigation dimensions of MFA's work, with deeper specialization in courtroom strategy.
• Animal Equality: International farmed-animal protection nonprofit operating in the US, Europe, India, Brazil, and Mexico. Uses undercover investigations, corporate campaigns, and legislative advocacy, with a multi-country footprint that directly mirrors Mercy For Animals' six-region structure.
• Animal Outlook: US farmed-animal advocacy organization (formerly Compassion Over Killing) conducting undercover investigations, running corporate campaigns (notably the "Reforming Hearts and Minds" food-service program), and publishing corporate welfare scorecards comparable to MFA's Canada Animal Welfare Scorecard.
• Direct Action Everywhere: Grassroots farmed-animal advocacy network conducting open rescue investigations and corporate accountability campaigns. Comparable on the volunteer-driven, investigation-backed advocacy model, though more confrontational in tactics.
• People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA): Major international animal rights organization that conducts undercover factory farm and slaughterhouse investigations, runs corporate and legislative campaigns, and operates a global volunteer/donor network. Closest peer in mission and tactics, though with a more confrontational public posture and broader companion-animal scope.
• Farm Sanctuary: US farmed-animal protection nonprofit combining advocacy with operating sanctuaries and running the "Compassionate Celebrations" and plant-based promotion programs. Closely comparable on corporate welfare campaigns and shift-the-narrative work, though with an added direct-care operating model.
• Sinergia Animal: International farmed-animal advocacy organization headquartered in Brazil with operations across Latin America and Asia. Combines undercover investigations, corporate campaigns, and legislative advocacy in emerging markets, directly comparable to MFA's Brazil, India, Mexico, and Southeast Asia regional model.
• Compassion in World Farming: Global farmed-animal welfare organization headquartered in the UK with EU and US operations. Focuses on legislative advocacy (notably EU cage bans) and corporate engagement on welfare standards, directly comparable to MFA's policy and corporate-campaign playbook.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/mercyforanimals
• YouTubeyoutube.com/mercyforanimals
• Facebookfacebook.com/mercyforanimals
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/mercy-for-animals
• Instagraminstagram.com/mercyforanimals
• TikToktiktok.com/@mercyforanimals_us

Compliance9 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Mercy For Animals