Global animal rights' NEWS & ARTICLES
TikTok Linked to Illegal Sale of Endangered Pangolins
Four-month-old orca calf Teno exploited in Loro Parque shows
Four-month-old orca calf Teno exploited in Loro Parque shows
New research exposes TikTok’s role in the illegal wild meat trade in Togo, putting pangolins and other endangered species at risk.
An investigation by World Animal Protection has revealed that endangered wildlife is being openly sold through TikTok in Togo, West Africa.
Researchers found traders based in the capital, Lomé, using the social media platform to advertise and sell dead wild animals, including the endangered white-bellied pangolin.
The study, conducted between November 2022 and April 2024, examined 80 videos from two public TikTok accounts. These videos featured more than 3,500 carcasses of smoked wild animals, including at least 130 white-bellied pangolins.
https://www.worldanimalprotection.org/latest/news/pangolins-found-for-sale-on-tiktok/
Four-month-old orca calf Teno exploited in Loro Parque shows
Four-month-old orca calf Teno exploited in Loro Parque shows
Four-month-old orca calf Teno exploited in Loro Parque shows
Concerns rise over the welfare of four-month-old orca calf Teno after footage shows him performing at Loro Parque.
A four-month-old orca calf named Teno, born to the orca Morgan, is already being made to perform in loud, crowded shows at Loro Parque in Tenerife.
Footage shared on TikTok shows Teno and his mother being made to perform tricks in front of a packed stadium, rewarded only with dead fish.
We condemn this as 'lifelong animal suffering' and are calling on travel giant TUI to stop selling tickets to orca and dolphin shows.
Brazil’s President Partially Vetoes “Devastation Bill” — But Threats to Animals and Nature Remain
Brazil’s President Partially Vetoes “Devastation Bill” — But Threats to Animals and Nature Remain
Brazil’s President Partially Vetoes “Devastation Bill” — But Threats to Animals and Nature Remain
Brazil’s President has partially vetoed the so-called “Devastation Bill” (Bill No. 364/2019), a controversial piece of legislation that weakens the country’s environmental licensing rules. The move comes after widespread public concern over the bill’s potential impact on biodiversity, Indigenous communities, and millions of wild animals.
Following the partial vetoes, the bill was sanctioned as Law 15,090/2025. While the changes represent a small step in the right direction, they still leave significant loopholes that prioritise short-term economic gains over long-term environmental protection.
Shocking Report Uncovers Dolphin Suffering TUI Hides from Tourists
Brazil’s President Partially Vetoes “Devastation Bill” — But Threats to Animals and Nature Remain
Brazil’s President Partially Vetoes “Devastation Bill” — But Threats to Animals and Nature Remain
TUI markets dolphin shows as family fun, but our Stories of Suffering report tells a different story. See the reality behind the performances.
Despite claims to uphold animal welfare, the global travel giant continues to profit from facilities that breed dolphins for commercial purposes — a clear violation of their own policies.
TUI Group markets itself as a responsible, animal-friendly brand, offering “family-friendly” dolphin shows and experiences. However, a deeper look into what is on sale reveals a much darker reality.
https://www.worldanimalprotection.org/latest/news/tui-stories-of-suffering/
Global animal rights' NEWS & ARTICLES
What Lawmakers Did for Farm Animals in 2025
In March, we told you about a concerning trend of lawmakers rolling back laws that establish basic animal welfare standards, environmental policies and more.
Many states’ legislative sessions have ended for the year.* Here are some of the major developments you don’t want to miss:
https://www.aspca.org/news/what-lawmakers-did-farm-animals-2025
Animal Cruelty Task Force Performs Largest Dog Rescue in More than a Decade
On July 31, our Animal Cruelty Task Force (ACT) finished rescuing animals in dire need at the scene of a hoarding case in Christian County. The team first responded yesterday morning (see original post below), bringing 140 dogs to safety in two batches over the course of the day. The ACT team returned to the property early on July 31 to help rescue the remaining animals.
https://hsmo.org/christian-county-rescue-july-2025/
Putting animal welfare on the agenda at the UN High-Level Political Forum 2025
From 14 to 23 July, the UN High-Level Political Forum (HLPF) on Sustainable Development will review global progress towards two Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) essential for animal welfare: SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being) and SDG 14 (Life Below Water).
This HLPF offers a key opportunity to demonstrate that animal welfare is key to sustainable development.
https://wfa.org/un-high-level-political-forum-2025/
World News Wednesday: July 10–22 – Animal Rights on the Rise
From courtroom battles to consumer bans, the global fight for animals surged forward this week—despite setbacks in U.S. legislation.
Animal rights efforts gained momentum worldwide between July 10 and 22, as nations enacted new protections, corporations responded to activist pressure, and legal challenges pushed for greater accountability in animal industries.
Notable developments include a nationwide ban on piglet castration without anesthesia in the Netherlands, a major USDA lawsuit over research facility oversight in the U.S., and Switzerland’s expansion of its animal suffering labeling law to cover processed products.
https://humaneherald.org/2025/07/23/world-news-wednesday-july-10-22-animal-rights-on-the-rise/
Global animal rights' NEWS & ARTICLES
Ranchers in southern Mexico are struggling against a flesh-eating parasite infecting livestock
Ranchers in southern Mexico are struggling against a flesh-eating parasite infecting livestock
Ranchers in southern Mexico are struggling against a flesh-eating parasite infecting livestock
CINTALAPA, Mexico — With Mexican cattle again barred this month from entry to the United States over fears of spreading a flesh-eating parasite, ranchers and veterinarians in Mexico hundreds of miles from the border are fighting what has U.S. agricultural authorities so on edge.
In the southern state of Chiapas, which borders Guatemala, the New World screwworm fly’s rapid spread appears to have caught most ranchers off guard, despite memories of previous outbreaks in the 1980s and 1990s.
Arrested on 16 animal cruelty charges, Davie farm owner speaks out as he comes out of jail
Ranchers in southern Mexico are struggling against a flesh-eating parasite infecting livestock
Ranchers in southern Mexico are struggling against a flesh-eating parasite infecting livestock
A local farm sits empty of animals and children after Davie police arrested its owner Thursday on 16 counts of animal cruelty.
Officers said the animals at "Family Farms" were severely underfed, prompting their removal and charges against owner Robert Hoover.
Animals found in poor condition, report says
According to an arrest report, police conducted covert investigations and observed alarming conditions on the property.
Hotel reptile market plan in animal rights row
A row has broken out over plans to host a reptile market at a Blackpool hotel this summer.
The event at the Norbreck Castle will see people "buy and sell their surplus animals and offspring", according to the International Herpetological Society (IHS).
But some animal charities have condemned the market as a "gross violation" of reptile welfare and have urged Britannia Hotels to cancel it.
Blackpool Council said its officers would be at the event to make sure it complied with standards, while the IHS said its markets were "fully compliant with UK law".
PETA sues Maine Lobster Festival over steaming live lobsters
The animal rights group claims steaming lobsters alive violates state law banning animal torture and torment.
ROCKLAND, Maine — People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) filed a lawsuit Thursday in Knox County Superior Court against the Maine Lobster Festival and the City of Rockland over steaming thousands of lobsters alive at the event, according to a PETA news release.
The festival is an annual tradition in Maine that began in the 1940s, a couple of years after the end of World War II. The festival also helped bring Maine lobster and lobster fishermen into the limelight.
Global animal rights' NEWS & ARTICLES
Trump Is Suing to Overturn Prop 12 and Other Animal Welfare Laws
Grand Jury Indicts Two Individuals for Involvement with Online Groups
Grand Jury Indicts Two Individuals for Involvement with Online Groups
The administration says animal welfare laws in California are raising egg prices nationwide.
Last week, the Trump administration announced it filed a lawsuit against California over its animal welfare laws. The administration claims that the state’s welfare protections, which include Proposition 12, have caused egg prices to skyrocket nationwide. The lawsuit targets three laws in the Golden State aimed at improving living conditions for egg-laying hens, arguing that they violate federal statutes regulating egg production.
Grand Jury Indicts Two Individuals for Involvement with Online Groups
Grand Jury Indicts Two Individuals for Involvement with Online Groups
Grand Jury Indicts Two Individuals for Involvement with Online Groups
Grand Jury Indicts Two Individuals for Involvement with Online Groups Dedicated to Monkey Torture and Mutilation.
A grand jury indictment was unsealed today charging two individuals for their alleged involvement with online groups dedicated to creating and distributing videos depicting acts of extreme violence and sexual abuse against monkeys.
The indictment alleges that Katrina D. Favret, of Tennessee, and Robert M. Craig, of North Carolina, conspired with previously charged defendant Ronald P. Bedra, of Etna, Ohio, to create and distribute so-called “animal crush videos.” Favret is also charged with creating and with distributing animal crush videos.
New York carriage driver acquitted of overworking horse that collapsed
Swiss Government Mandates the Disclosure on Food Labels of Some Forms of Animal Abuse
Swiss Government Mandates the Disclosure on Food Labels of Some Forms of Animal Abuse
NEW YORK (AP) — A horse carriage driver was acquitted Monday of animal cruelty in a modern trial about the old-fashioned coaches that meander through New York’s Central Park.
A six-person jury found Ian McKeever not guilty of overworking a horse called Ryder, who collapsed en route back to his stable on an 84-degree Fahrenheit (29-degree Celsius) day in August 2022. The horse lay on an avenue near Times Square for nearly an hour as concerned bystanders gathered around and police cooled him with a hose and ice. The animal ultimately got up, to cheers.
McKeever had pleaded not guilty to the misdemeanor charge. His attorney, Raymond Loving, said the horse wasn’t overtaxed and simply tripped while changing lanes on a Manhattan street.
https://apnews.com/article/nyc-horse-carriage-collapse-trial-21d568a8ec454b990007874a0eb0fdf6
Swiss Government Mandates the Disclosure on Food Labels of Some Forms of Animal Abuse
Swiss Government Mandates the Disclosure on Food Labels of Some Forms of Animal Abuse
Swiss Government Mandates the Disclosure on Food Labels of Some Forms of Animal Abuse
On the 1st of July 2025, Switzerland introduced a new requirement for food labels to disclose whether the fabrication of products of animal origin involved specific painful practices, following a series of ordinances approved by the Swiss federal government. These regulations apply to meat, eggs, milk, foie gras, and other animal-derived foods, aiming to provide consumers with clearer information about the treatment of animals during production.
The government stated that labels must now indicate if any procedures — such as castration or dehorning of cows, or castration, tail docking, or teeth clipping for pigs — were performed without anaesthesia or stunning. The same rule applies to the cutting of frogs’ legs without anaesthetic.
Liver and meat from force-fed geese and ducks, such as foie gras, must also be labelled accordingly. Although force-feeding has been banned in Switzerland for more than four decades, the practice remains legal in other countries.
Global animal rights' NEWS & ARTICLES
Mexico bans dolphin shows in historic win for animal welfare
Factory farming giant JBS begins trading on the New York Stock Exchange
Factory farming giant JBS begins trading on the New York Stock Exchange
The Mexican Congress has approved a nationwide ban on dolphin shows and the use of marine mammals in entertainment.
With full support from both the Senate and the Chamber of Deputies, Mexico has passed legislation that prohibits the use of dolphins in shows, therapy, entertainment, research, and any other activity not related to conservation. The law also bans the breeding of dolphins in captivity.
Dolphins currently held in dolphinariums and marine entertainment facilities will remain in captivity but must be cared for under strict welfare standards until their natural death.
The authorities are now responsible for ensuring that these animals live out their lives in conditions that meet their physical and behavioural needs.
This legislative victory comes just weeks after shows were suspended at a controversial dolphinarium in the Riviera Maya, following public outrage and pressure from campaigners.
https://www.worldanimalprotection.org/latest/news/mexico-bans-dolphin-shows-in-historic-win/
Factory farming giant JBS begins trading on the New York Stock Exchange
Factory farming giant JBS begins trading on the New York Stock Exchange
Factory farming giant JBS begins trading on the New York Stock Exchange
Despite causing environmental devastation, immense animal suffering, human labour abuses, and tax evasion, JBS has began trading on the New York Stock Exchange.
On 12 June 2025, the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) is expected to begin trading shares of JBS - the world's largest meat producer.
This decision ignores overwhelming evidence of JBS's role in illegal deforestation, environmental destruction, animal cruelty and tax avoidance.
The NYSE is not just turning a blind eye. It is knowingly opening its doors to a corporation underpinned by criminal conduct and is may be risking complicity in money laundering.
This is not only a failure of corporate ethics. It is a threat to the rule of law, animal welfare and the future of our planet.
JBS is responsible for the suffering of millions of animals every year.
https://www.worldanimalprotection.org/latest/news/jbs-begins-trading-on-nyse/
Outrage as 246 pilot whales killed in bloody Faroe Islands hunt
Outrage as 246 pilot whales killed in bloody Faroe Islands hunt
Outrage as 246 pilot whales killed in bloody Faroe Islands hunt
A brutal whale hunt in the Faroe Islands leaves 246 dead. We are demanding an immediate end to this cruel tradition.
On 12 June 2025, one of the most disturbing whale hunts in recent years unfolded in the Faroe Islands.
A pod of 246 pilot whales, including 30 pregnant females and an unknown number of young calves, was brutally slaughtered in Leynar Bay in a drive hunt condemned internationally for its cruelty.
https://www.worldanimalprotection.org/latest/news/246-whales-killed-in-bloody-faroe-islands-hunt/
Marineland orcas in limbo as welfare crisis deepens
Outrage as 246 pilot whales killed in bloody Faroe Islands hunt
Outrage as 246 pilot whales killed in bloody Faroe Islands hunt
Orcas Wikie and Keijo remain in limbo as Marineland Antibes faces growing animal welfare concerns and staff cuts following venue closure.
The fate of orcas Wikie and Keijo remains uncertain as animal welfare concerns at Marineland Antibes, France's last marine park holding orcas, continue to escalate.
The park, owned by Spanish entertainment group Parques Reunidos, has been closed to the public since January, following France’s 2021 law banning captive whale shows by December 2026.
Yet behind closed doors, troubling questions remain about the ongoing care of the orcas still held in the facility's ageing tanks.
Reports indicate that Marineland has dismissed over 40 staff, including all veterinary personnel and animal caregivers.
https://www.worldanimalprotection.org/latest/news/marineland-orcas-wikie-and-keijo/
Global animal rights' NEWS & ARTICLES
Tourist mauled by tiger during Thailand selfie incident
Adidas and Asics end use of kangaroo leather in sports shoes
Adidas and Asics end use of kangaroo leather in sports shoes
A tourist was attacked by a tiger in Thailand during a selfie attempt. This incident exposes the dangers of wildlife tourism and photo ops.
An Indian tourist was attacked by a tiger at Tiger Kingdom in Phuket, Thailand, while attempting to pose for a photo inside the animal's enclosure.
The incident was caught on video and widely shared online, sparking international concern over the continued use of wild animals in tourism entertainment.
Multiple sources have stated that the tourist was encouraged to take a selfie with the big cat, and while getting closer, the tiger reacted and mauled the man.
https://www.worldanimalprotection.org/latest/news/tourist-mauled-by-tiger-in-thailand/
Adidas and Asics end use of kangaroo leather in sports shoes
Adidas and Asics end use of kangaroo leather in sports shoes
Adidas and Asics end use of kangaroo leather in sports shoes
In a progressive move for wildlife, global sportswear giants Adidas and Asics have announced they will no longer use kangaroo leather in their footwear lines.
The decision marks a major shift in industry practices and follows growing public concern over the commercial killing of kangaroos.
Adidas has confirmed it has stopped sourcing kangaroo skins for its athletic shoes, including football boots and trainers.
The company is now increasing its use of recycled synthetic materials and exploring bio-based alternatives.
However, it has not yet disclosed what materials will directly replace kangaroo leather.
One year on: Animal Equality UK marks anniversary of broken promise to ban foie gras imports
One year on: Animal Equality UK marks anniversary of broken promise to ban foie gras imports
One year on: Animal Equality UK marks anniversary of broken promise to ban foie gras imports
On 4th June 2025, animal rights activists gathered outside the Government’s Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) to mark one year since Secretary of State Steve Reed MP promised to ban the importation of foie gras made through force-feeding.
The controversial pâté is produced by force-feeding ducks and geese until their livers swell to up to 10 times their natural size. Though its production has been outlawed in the UK on cruelty grounds for almost two decades, imports continue, allowing the suffering to persist abroad for British consumers’ plates.
Prime video Espana released documentary on animal abuse at Vivotecnia
One year on: Animal Equality UK marks anniversary of broken promise to ban foie gras imports
One year on: Animal Equality UK marks anniversary of broken promise to ban foie gras imports
Prime Video España has today given worldwide release to ‘Infiltrada en el Búnker’ (Undercover Inside the Bunker), a documentary on the unlawful abuse and widespread animal suffering exposed at the Vivotecnia contract-testing laboratory in Madrid, Spain.
Because each species of animal can react differently to the same substance, there can be no certainty that these tests are reliable for ensuring safe and effective drugs, and safe use of chemicals, for humans. We, along with many others, believe that humane, reliable non-animal methods should replace all tests on animals.