A man from Coral Gables, Florida, has been sentenced to 60 months in prison and three years of supervised release for owning and administering online chat groups that shared and discussed graphic videos of monkeys being tortured, mutilated, and sexually abused, according to the Department of Justice. Francisco Javier Ravelo pleaded guilty in March to distributing […]

The post Florida Man Sentenced to Prison for Running Online Monkey Torture Groups 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.

Dogs and cats in Sulawesi, Indonesia, have been stolen from homes, trafficked across provinces, packed into cages, and slaughtered in brutal live-animal markets and slaughterhouses. But across the island, real change is taking hold. Lady Freethinker’s PROJECT Sulawesi is helping dismantle the systems that allow this cruelty to continue by targeting the trade at its […]

The post LFT Helps Make Historic Progress in Stopping Sulawesi’s Dog & Cat Meat Trade appeared first on Lady Freethinker.

Lady Freethinker has sent urgent funding to care for dogs and cats rescued from an alleged online fake rescue scam in Uganda, where dozens of animals were found suffering from malnutrition, parasites, infections, injuries, and other serious health conditions. Animal Welfare Alliance Uganda (AWAU), working with local authorities and veterinary groups, took custody of and […]

The post 58 Dogs and Cats Saved From Alleged Fake Rescue Scam in Uganda, Suspect Arrested appeared first on Lady Freethinker.

Portugal’s last circus elephant, a 40-year-old captive named Julie, is set to be relocated to an elephant sanctuary under a voluntary agreement that effectively ends the use of wild animals in the country’s circuses, according to The Guardian. Julie had been part of the Victor Hugo Cardinali circus since 1988 and stopped performing in 2024 […]

The post After Decades in Captivity, Portugal’s Last Circus Elephant Finally Heads to Sanctuary appeared first on Lady Freethinker.

After years of pressure from animal advocates — along with two recent “open rescue” actions that drew national attention — a controversial large-scale dog breeding and research facility known for supplying thousands of beagles for laboratory experiments each year has agreed to sell most of its dogs, according to the Associated Press. Under the agreement, […]

The post Good News! 1,500 Beagles to Be Freed From Notorious Wisconsin Facility That Supplied Labs appeared first on Lady Freethinker.

Activists from Lady Freethinker, In Defense of Animals, Animal Save Movement, SPCA International, Stray Dog Support and the IAWPC — a coalition representing over 80 organizations worldwide — gathered at the Vancouver Convention Centre during the 76th FIFA Congress on April 30 to protest the mass killing of dogs in Morocco ahead of the 2030 […]

The post Lady Freethinker & Other Activists Protest FIFA Congress Over Mass Killing of Dogs in Morocco Ahead of 2030 World Cup appeared first on Lady Freethinker.

Hundreds of Abusive Posts Removed for Violating Meta’s Policies Following Our Submission of a Shareholder Resolution A milestone has been reached in our efforts to stop online animal cruelty and torture content: following the submission of a shareholder resolution by Lady Freethinker, Meta has removed hundreds of posts shared with them by LFT that Meta […]

The post Lady Freethinker and Meta Reach ‘Milestone’ Agreement to Combat Animal Cruelty and Torture Content appeared first on Lady Freethinker.

Justice is continuing to catch up to people involved in the creation and distribution of cruel monkey torture videos. After years of documentation, investigations, and reporting by Lady Freethinker and other advocates, 2026 has already brought new arrests and prison sentences for individuals participating in this abuse. These cases are part of a growing international […]

The post 33 Prosecutions and Counting: Global Progress Against Monkey Torture Networks appeared first on Lady Freethinker.

A 33-year-old woman from Catlin, Illinois, pleaded guilty to conspiring to create and distribute, and distributing, illegal “animal crush” videos depicting the severe abuse of monkeys, according to federal prosecutors. Court records show that Amanda Leigh Fourez was an active member of several chat groups dedicated to creating and sharing videos depicting the sexual torture […]

The post Two More Individuals Plead Guilty in Monkey Torture Cases appeared first on Lady Freethinker.

A man who set out to harm and kill multiple cats in Singapore has now been given a record-breaking sentence for animal cruelty, according to CNA. Tan Yi Bin Ryan pleaded guilty to three charges, with three additional charges taken into consideration during sentencing. He received a 31-month jail sentence and a one-year ban on […]

The post PETITION UPDATE: Record Sentence for Singapore’s Serial Cat Torturer 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.

As the war in Ukraine continues to devastate communities, countless families are struggling to keep themselves safe through harsh winter conditions. Their companion animals face the same dangers — exposed to freezing temperatures, constant shelling, and the stress of living in an active conflict zone. To help protect these vulnerable animals, Lady Freethinker has partnered […]

The post LFT Sponsors 100 New Doghouses to Bring Warmth and Safety to Dogs in War‑Torn Ukraine 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.

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.

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.

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.

Dogs and cats in Sri Lanka are receiving veterinary care and shelter at a rescue sanctuary — thanks to an Urgent Need Fund grant sponsored by LFT supporter donations. Baw Baw Animal Welfare, an organization committed to caring for animals in Sri Lanka’s most underserved districts, launched sterilization and vaccination campaigns — both for beloved […]

The post Lady Freethinker Brings Critical Veterinary Care to Sri Lanka’s Dogs & Cats appeared first on Lady Freethinker.

This Valentine’s Day, years of love and dedication culminated in the return to the wild of 24 long-tailed macaques. Thanks to your support, Lady Freethinker was able to provide the funding our friends at Jakarta Animal Aid Network (JAAN) needed to safely relocate and release these macaques after months – and in some cases years […]

The post A Valentine’s Day Gift of Freedom: 24 Rescued Macaques Return Home appeared first on Lady Freethinker.

Thanks to compassionate advocates like you, animals around the world are seeing real, tangible change. We are excited to share some encouraging updates on petitions you signed. Your voice makes a difference for animals who cannot speak for themselves. Wyoming Ends Gas Chamber Use in Shelters The last two U.S. animal shelters still using gas […]

The post 6 Inspiring Animal Victories in Petitions You’ve Signed appeared first on Lady Freethinker.