Lemon Grove, CA, could soon end commercial bird sales in pet stores and allow rescued birds to be adopted instead — and Lady Freethinker supporters helped move this effort forward. On November 3, voters will decide whether to approve Measure E, a citizen-led initiative that would extend California’s rescue-only retail standards for dogs, cats, and […]

The post LFT Helps Drive Effort to Protect Birds in Lemon Grove From Commercial Sale Cruelty appeared first on Lady Freethinker.

The European Union recently approved legislation to increase the welfare and traceability of millions of dogs and cats across the continent. Dogs and cats throughout the EU will soon share the same basic care standards. Better record requirements will make it easier to see where each animal came from and halt illegal sales. The new […]

The post New EU Laws Aim to Protect Dogs & Cats From Illegal Breeding and Sales appeared first on Lady Freethinker.

Leaving a dog or cat tethered outdoors day after day will soon be illegal in Poland. President Karol Nawrocki has signed a new law that will improve protections for dogs and cats, including sparing the animals from languishing on chains. The legislation goes into effect July 2027. The law only allows short-term restraint in limited […]

The post Good News for Dogs! Poland Signs Chaining Ban into Law appeared first on Lady Freethinker.

In November 2025, officers with the Los Angeles Police Department and LA Animal Services rescued 14 dogs and puppies from a Skid Row encampment as part of the city’s new animal cruelty pilot. Now the partnership behind that work is permanent. Los Angeles has trained more than 100 police officers to spot cruelty and collect […]

The post Los Angeles Boosts Animal Protection With Cruelty Investigation Program and Monthly Vet Clinics appeared first on Lady Freethinker.

At the 2025 Sangamon County Fair, capuchin monkeys Gilligan and Bert were reportedly dressed in children’s clothing and tethered to dogs’ backs as the dogs raced around a ring. A witness told the Chicago Tribune that the monkeys grabbed at a rail as if trying to get off. Now, a new Illinois law prohibits the […]

The post Illinois Expands Traveling Animal Act Ban to Big Cats, Bears, and Primates appeared first on Lady Freethinker.

New York Attorney General Letitia James has sued a Brooklyn store accused of illegally advertising and selling hundreds of puppies after New York’s Puppy Mill Pipeline Act took effect. The lawsuit targets Quality Canines Inc., which operates as Puppy Boutique, according to the Attorney General’s Office. The office said the business continued advertising and selling […]

The post New York Sues Brooklyn Pet Store Over Alleged Illegal Puppy Sales appeared first on Lady Freethinker.

Ducks and geese used for foie gras can be force-fed through tubes until their livers become painfully diseased and swollen far beyond a healthy size. Portland, Oregon, has now approved a ban on selling foie gras made from force-fed birds, a win for animals who should never be treated as luxury food products. Portland city […]

The post Victory! Portland Bans Sale of Foie Gras Made From Force-Fed Birds appeared first on Lady Freethinker.

From endangered animals torn from their natural homes to protected species boxed up for profit, wildlife trafficking turns living beings into cargo. The United Arab Emirates (UAE) is warning traffickers that exploiting endangered animals can carry prison terms of up to 15 years and fines as high as Dh2 million, or about $545,000 USD, according […]

The post UAE Imposes 15-Year Jail Terms for Wildlife Trafficking appeared first on Lady Freethinker.

Illinois is one step away from strengthening protections for wild animals used in circuses and other traveling shows, as lawmakers move to expand the state’s existing ban beyond elephants to include lions, tigers, bears, non-human primates, and several other species. House Bill 4255 will add cougars, jaguars, leopards, lions, tigers, non-human primates, bears, and any […]

The post Illinois Poised to Ban Cruel Traveling Circuses That Exploit Lions, Tigers, & Bears appeared first on Lady Freethinker.

Across Spain, caregivers are filling food bowls, arranging sterilization appointments, rushing sick animals to veterinarians, and trying to keep abandoned dogs and community cats safe. Now, nearly €4 million in new government funding could help make that daily, lifesaving work stronger and more sustainable, according to Spain’s Ministry of Social Rights, Consumer Affairs and 2030 […]

The post Spain Commits Almost 4 Million Euros to Animal Welfare appeared first on Lady Freethinker.

PETITION TARGET: U.S. Speaker of the House Mike Johnson and U.S. Senate President Pro Tempore Chuck Grassley A 1-month-old kitten was reportedly grabbed and thrown from a fourth-floor balcony into busy traffic during an argument at a Florida apartment, according to the Twelfth Judicial Circuit State Attorney’s Office. In that same incident, officers also found […]

The post SIGN: Require Department of Justice to Study Link Between Animal Cruelty and Violence Against People appeared first on Lady Freethinker.

PETITION CLOSED PETITION TARGET: Delaware Lawmakers UPDATE (7/30/2026): The House substitute for HB 415 has been signed into law. Lady Freethinker thanks the 32,000+ individuals who signed our petition to help pass this critical measure. — Lady Freethinker * A frightened dog limps into a veterinary exam room with untreated wounds. A cat arrives weak from […]

The post SIGN: Require Delaware Vets to Report Suspected Animal Cruelty appeared first on Lady Freethinker.

PETITION TARGET: Leadership of the U.S. Senate and U.S. House of Representatives Dogs, cats, and other animals in U.S. laboratories are forced to endure some of the most horrific cruelties imaginable, living in isolation, enduring painful procedures, and being exposed to toxic chemicals. When the experiments conclude, animals are routinely killed, their short lives consisting […]

The post SIGN: Allow Dogs, Cats, & Other Animals Used in Cruel Experiments to Retire Instead of Being Killed appeared first on Lady Freethinker.

Delhi is taking a significant step toward becoming a kinder place for animals. The city has announced that new Societies for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCAs) will be set up in all 13 of its revenue districts, according to India’s News. Each district SPCA will be led by its District Magistrate. The aim is […]

The post Delhi, India to Launch SPCA Committees Throughout Territory to Strengthen Animal Protection appeared first on Lady Freethinker.

Some good news from south of the equator: New Zealand’s ban on the cruel practice of live animal exports by sea will remain in place, marking a reversal from earlier government plans to bring the trade back. The ban, which took full effect in April 2023, followed years of criticism over the severe risks animals […]

The post Good News! New Zealand Government Retains Ban on Cruel Live Animal Exports appeared first on Lady Freethinker.

PETITION CLOSED PETITION TARGET: Florida Legislature Rabbits are placed in restraints, their fur shaved, and products rubbed into their skin repeatedly until they suffer from chemical burns — This is the reality of cosmetics testing on animals. Every year, countless animals are subjected to tests of cosmetics and personal care products — enduring pain, stress, […]

The post SIGN: Urge Florida to Ban Cosmetics Testing on Animals 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.

The Dutch Senate has voted to phase out public funding for experiments involving nonhuman primates at Europe’s largest primate research facility and shift toward human-focused research, according to the NL Times. Under the amendment, around €12.5 million ($14.5 million) in annual government funding will be redirected from primate research at the Biomedical Primate Research Centre […]

The post Dutch Senate Votes to Phase Out Funding for Nonhuman Primate Experiments appeared first on Lady Freethinker.

PETITION TARGET: Michigan House Agriculture Committee Declawing is not a simple grooming procedure. Rather, it’s the painful severing of a cat’s toe bones or tendons, much like cutting off a person’s fingers at the knuckles closest to the hand. Following the surgery, these mutilated felines may suffer from chronic pain, stress, nerve damage, and impaired mobility […]

The post SIGN: Tell Michigan to End Cruel Cat Declawing appeared first on Lady Freethinker.

In a significant win for animal companions, the Las Vegas City Council voted 5-2 to phase out the sale of dogs, cats, rabbits, pot-bellied pigs, and guinea pigs in pet stores within city limits, according to the Las Vegas Review-Journal. The ordinance affects all new pet shop licenses immediately, while 13 existing shops will have […]

The post Victory! Las Vegas Bans the Sale of Dogs, Cats, and Other Animals in Pet Stores appeared first on Lady Freethinker.