PETITION TARGET: Henrico County Commonwealth’s Attorney Shannon L. Taylor A cat named Hayden was found to have a fractured skull and spine, several broken ribs, and appeared to have been drugged — all while being presented online as having cancer and only days left to live, according to local news. Disturbingly, a man in Virginia allegedly […]

The post SIGN: Justice for Cats Allegedly Tortured & Killed for ‘Fake Rescue’ Social Media Scam appeared first on Lady Freethinker.

Online marketplace Etsy has announced it will ban all animal fur sales beginning in August 2026, marking a meaningful win for the movement against cruelty-based fashion. The change followed sustained pressure from advocates and public criticism, including more than 50 protests to Etsy and affiliate locations in 17 cities, a disruption of Etsy’s Morgan Stanley […]

The post PETITION UPDATE: Progress! Etsy Bans Animal Fur appeared first on Lady Freethinker.

PETITION TARGET: Bureau of Land Management (BLM)  Wild horses are chased across rugged terrain by deafening helicopters and funneled into crowded traps, leaving them exhausted and panicked. Some horses die soon after capture, while others suffer broken bones, shredded legs, or suffer in a system of long-term confinement — the kind of brutality that leaves a […]

The post SIGN: Stop Deadly Wild Horse Helicopter Roundups appeared first on Lady Freethinker.

We’re excited to share a major breakthrough in Central Sulawesi: Parigi Moutong Regency has issued official circulars (Surat Edaran) that explicitly prohibit the trade, slaughter, and distribution of dogs and cats for consumption, and mandate enforcement and monitoring by local authorities. This is a critical step forward in our fight to end the dog and […]

The post Major Progress in Our Fight to End the Dog and Cat Meat Trade in Sulawesi, Indonesia appeared first on Lady Freethinker.

Fake rescues are among the most common forms of animal cruelty content circulating online. In Lady Freethinker’s Scrolling Through Cruelty report, more than a third of what our investigators found involved these deceptive “rescue” posts — making them the second most prevalent category after monkey torture. Sadly, many caring individuals may inadvertently contribute to the […]

The post How Fake Rescue Content Is Harming Animals and Deceiving The Public appeared first on Lady Freethinker.

Federal authorities have recently taken action against two more individuals tied to online groups that created and shared videos depicting monkeys being tortured, mutilated, and sexually abused. One of the cases involves Francisco Javier Ravelo, a 36-year-old man from Coral Gables, Florida, who pleaded guilty to distributing “animal crush” videos and is facing up to […]

The post Monkey Torture Ring Update — One Pleads Guilty, Another Charged appeared first on Lady Freethinker.

PETITION TARGET: Illinois State Legislature Under harsh floodlights on an Illinois evening, pickup trucks roll up to a weigh‑in station and unload their bounty — bodies of coyotes streaked with blood, some ripped apart by high‑powered rifle fire. As the lifeless animals are callously dumped on the blood-stained pavement, excited voices clamor to determine whose […]

The post SIGN: Tell Illinois to Ban Cruel Wildlife Killing Contests appeared first on Lady Freethinker.

In a grisly case of animal cruelty, dozens of dogs suffered miserable deaths at what was falsely advertised as a rescue center in Essex, England. Decomposing bodies of 41 dogs were found scattered throughout the property while the 21 surviving canines were starving, and left without access to water, inside filthy kennels filled with feces.  […]

The post Dozens of Dogs Starved to Death at Horrific ‘Fake Rescue’ appeared first on Lady Freethinker.

Last month, U.S. federal authorities and Indonesian environmental organizations convened a workshop designed to equip Indonesian officials with the tools to tackle illegal timber and wildlife trafficking, strengthen international cooperation, and support criminal prosecutions in cases involving animal crush videos, according to the Office of Public Affairs. The workshop, led by the U.S. Department of […]

The post U.S., Indonesian Partners Target Wildlife Trafficking and Monkey Torture appeared first on Lady Freethinker.

PETITION TARGET: Kentucky House Agriculture Committee A total of 3,208 animals, including 194 dogs and 89 cats, were utilized for animal testing in Kentucky in 2024, according to USDA records. Behind closed doors, these animals endure severe pain and distress, while critical details about these experiments remain hidden from public view—and when their exploitation ends, many […]

The post SIGN: End ‘Extreme Suffering’ for Animals Trapped in Kentucky’s Research Labs appeared first on Lady Freethinker.

The famous Bali Zoo has announced that it will end elephant rides, marking an important step forward for animal welfare in Indonesia. The decision, effective as of Jan. 1, follows a December 2025 directive from Indonesia’s Ministry of Forestry requiring licensed conservation institutions to terminate elephant riding programs, in line with strengthened animal welfare standards. […]

The post A Step Forward for Elephants: Bali Zoo Announces End to Elephant Rides appeared first on Lady Freethinker.

Since launching PROJECT Sulawesi in July 2025, Lady Freethinker, together with Jakarta Animal Aid Network (JAAN) and Bali Animal Welfare Association (BAWA), has driven unprecedented progress towards ending the dog and cat meat trade on the island of Sulawesi, Indonesia – home to a network of supply and demand hubs, including the infamous live animal markets […]

The post PROJECT Sulawesi: Ending the Dog and Cat Meat Trade in Sulawesi, Indonesia appeared first on Lady Freethinker.

A man from Scituate, Massachusetts, was convicted of participating in online groups that created and shared videos of monkeys being tortured and sexually abused, according to the Office of Public Affairs. The sentence includes 30 months in prison, three years of supervised release, and 100 hours of community service. Following a guilty plea, Garrett Fitzgerald was […]

The post Massachusetts Man Imprisoned for Role in Online Monkey Torture Ring appeared first on Lady Freethinker.

From California to Gorontalo, Indonesia, wins for animals were everywhere in 2025. As we look ahead to what is possible in 2026, let us also take a moment to celebrate the monumental compassionate changes advocates like you ushered in over the past twelve months. The Dog and Cat Meat Trade The fight for dogs and […]

The post Progress! Building on 2025’s Biggest Wins for Animals appeared first on Lady Freethinker.

Lady Freethinker, which holds a voting share in tech giant Meta, has filed a shareholder proposal urging the company to remove rampant animal cruelty from its platforms and to publish a report on its content moderation practices. According to our report titled Scrolling Through Cruelty, more than 2,300 animal cruelty videos on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, X, […]

The post Lady Freethinker Submits Shareholder Proposal Calling on Meta to Address Rampant Animal Cruelty Content appeared first on Lady Freethinker.

A new report compiled by investigators at Lady Freethinker, Scrolling Through Cruelty, reveals thousands of disturbing videos circulating openly on major social media platforms, where animals are tortured and killed, forced into staged rescues, pitted against one another in fights, and even sexually abused — all for views, clicks, and profit. Collectively, these videos racked […]

The post New Lady Freethinker Report Finds Over a Billion Views on Animal Cruelty Videos appeared first on Lady Freethinker.

In a win for animals, Madison, Wisconsin, has banned the sale of cats and dogs in pet stores — a move that effectively closes off the commercial breeder-to-pet shop pipeline in the city, according to local news. Violators will face a $1,000 fine for the first animal sold, offered for sale, or delivered, and a […]

The post Victory! Wisconsin’s Capital Bans the Sale of Dogs and Cats in Pet Stores appeared first on Lady Freethinker.

In a move that could signal a turning point for primate research in the United States, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has ordered a complete phase-out of its monkey experiments. The decision affects roughly 200 macaques used in infectious disease studies and could take effect by the end of the year. While […]

The post Good News! CDC to Phase Out Monkey Experiments in Landmark Move appeared first on Lady Freethinker.

PETITION TARGET: South Africa’s Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment Across multiple facilities in South Africa, lions and tigers are being bred, torn from their mothers within days of birth, and kept in filthy, overcrowded cages so tourists can pose with them. These young animals endure fear, stress, injury, and disease — then are often […]

The post SIGN: End South Africa’s Cruel Captive Lion and Tiger Trade appeared first on Lady Freethinker.

A new Lady Freethinker investigation has revealed the disturbing exploitation of lions and tigers across multiple tourist attractions in South Africa, despite the government’s 2021 pledge to phase out the country’s captive lion industry. Our investigator documented big cats being abused and neglected across several facilities that promote themselves as “educational” or “conservation” establishments — […]

The post Lady Freethinker Investigation Exposes Heartbreaking Cruelty to Lions and Tigers Bred for Profit in S. Africa appeared first on Lady Freethinker.