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 TARGET: Delaware Lawmakers A frightened dog limps into a veterinary exam room with untreated wounds. A cat arrives weak from neglect. An animal’s body may tell a heartbreaking story of suffering behind closed doors, and veterinarians are often among the first people able to see the warning signs before an animal in need is […]

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 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, and sometimes […]

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.

Proponents of animal testing have long claimed it’s a necessary step for medical breakthroughs and human safety. But a growing body of research shows that it’s not only cruel — it’s also failing to deliver on its promises. Scientists, doctors, and advocates are increasingly calling for change, pointing to more effective ways to study human […]

The post Why Animal Testing Is Failing Humans and Animals appeared first on Lady Freethinker.

PETITION TARGETS: Pennsylvania Lawmakers Declawing is a surgical procedure that removes part of a cat’s toes or cuts the tendons that control their claws — forcing them to walk unnaturally on the backs of their feet and putting them at greater risk of developing back pain, chronic discomfort, mobility issues, anxiety, and even increased aggression. In […]

The post SIGN: End Cruel Cat Declawing in Pennsylvania appeared first on Lady Freethinker.

In war-torn Ukraine, animals displaced by conflict are finding healing and hope — thanks in part to Lady Freethinker supporters. At the LFT–sponsored Fluffy Pants shelter, kittens Belka and Strelka arrived frightened and fragile. After receiving veterinary care and compassion, they’re finally starting to trust people again. Today, they spend their days napping, playing, and […]

The post Dogs and Cats Rescued From War in Ukraine Are Safe — Thanks to You appeared first on Lady Freethinker.

PETITION TARGET: U.S. Lawmakers Last year, a man in New York allegedly lured a bear with cracked corn and sunflower seeds, fatally shot the innocent animal, and then posed for photos with the lifeless body — shamelessly flaunting his cruelty on social media, according to local news. Bear baiting — the act of luring bears with […]

The post SIGN: End Cruel ‘Bear Baiting,’ In Which Bears are Lured with Food and Killed appeared first on Lady Freethinker.

PETITION TARGET: Joint Committee on Environment and Natural Resources Every year in the United States, millions of dogs and cats — along with other animals — suffer in overcrowded, stressful shelters. Hundreds of thousands pay the ultimate price: killed in large part because people choose to buy them from pet shops instead of giving homeless […]

The post SIGN: Ban the Sale of Dogs, Cats, Rabbits, and Guinea Pigs in Massachusetts Pet Stores appeared first on Lady Freethinker.

A bipartisan bill that would give students real freedom of choice in the cafeteria — access to plant-based milk options — is on track to pass, according to advocates on the ground in Washington, D.C. The FISCAL Act — short for the Freedom in School Cafeterias and Lunches Act (FISCAL)— is co-authored by Switch4Good and […]

The post Students May Soon Have Plant-Based Milk Options at School, Thanks to New Bill appeared first on Lady Freethinker.

PETITION TARGET: House Subcommittee on Livestock, Dairy, and Poultry Chair Tracey Mann In 2021, University of Minnesota researchers anesthetized a 1-year-old kitten named Tammy to drill into her skull and insert an electrode in her brain. Despite being put under anesthesia at least 15 times since she was just 10 weeks old — and struggling […]

The post SIGN: Help Pass Bill to Restrict Cruel Animal Testing appeared first on Lady Freethinker.