The combination of campaigning, creating awareness, securing legislation, and saving animals is at the heart of ADI’s work. Together these combined strategies bring lasting change for animals. Here we look back at some of our activity over the past month, as we continue to work around the world for animals.

Ruben’s new world: Ruben, the lonely lion we rescued from Armenia, continues to inspire us all. His incredible determination when walking is clear, and his all-round mobility is improving. This month, following an examination by veterinarian Dr Caldwell, Ruben was given access to the next section of his habitat at the ADI Wildlife Sanctuary. This is a larger, more challenging, half-acre space with grassy slopes up to a platform, trees, and longer grass. It will help build his muscles. It was magical seeing this old warrior, who has endured so much, really looking at home in Africa.  More…

Cosmetics testing victories: Chile’s Senate has voted unanimously to ban animal testing for cosmetics, as well as the manufacturing, import, and marketing of cosmetics tested on animals elsewhere. In addition, Canada’s ban on testing for cosmetics and sale of newly animal-tested cosmetics came into effect December 22nd. The Canadian government also amended the Canadian Environmental Protection Act to phase out toxicity testing on animals which, if effectively implemented, could have a huge impact.
Help call for a ban in the US! Urge your Congress members to support the Humane Cosmetics Act (HR5399).

Brookline became the fifteenth town in Massachusetts to ban wild animals in traveling acts, passing with overwhelming support. It remains shocking that the US is behind some 50 countries with national animal circus bans, but steady progress is being made at local and state levels.
HELP GET A NATIONWIDE BAN: Please urge your Congress members to call for and support the reintroduction of the Traveling Exotic Animal and Public Safety Protection Act. If you live in Massachusetts, please urge Committee Chairs to support the passage of state bills H3245 / S2189 / S2197. 

Will you host an ADI screening in 2024? ADI supporters in Los Angeles enjoyed a special preview of ‘Inside Liberty’, a 90-minute documentary about ADI’s Operation Liberty to empty Guatemala’s circus cages. The audience got an idea of the huge challenges ADI faced and it was wonderful to hear their laughter as they watched the lions and tigers play for the first time, and quite a few happy tears as they stepped out into their new homes. Tim and I hosted a Q&A at this inspiring event, showing just what we can achieve together. Please get in touch if you would like to host a screening with us from April 2024 onwards. 

Roosevelt and Churchill (two pot-bellied pigs) became our latest ADI Wildlife Sanctuary residents when they arrived just in time for Christmas. The adorable 5-year-old brothers are extremely friendly and were initially rescued from a pet shop. With nowhere for them to go, they joined our growing community of rescued misfits which includes donkeys, goats, sheep, and Matilda the cow.

Miserable reindeer at Novikov Restaurant, London: ADI continues to campaign against the use of reindeer as Christmas events. They are trucked around the country in transporters and then forced to sit all day in tiny pens in town centers. Keep urging venues to stick to inanimate decorations!

Our ADI Latin America team continues to tour Colombia to raise awareness about the country’s animal experiments – particularly malaria experiments on owl monkeys. On one stop, they spoke to 140 children from the first and second grade of San Cristobal Sur IED School!

Veterinary care at ADIWS: Most of the health challenges our rescued residents face is a result of their tragic past. Jade suffers from spondylitis, as a result of in-breeding and malnutrition in the circus, giving her a stiff stepping motion. However, she recently had a cut on her paw and was hospitalized – it was almost certainly the result of boisterous play. She’s back with her sisters and as lively as ever! Dr Caldwell was at the Sanctuary for one of his multi-patient veterinary days. He sedated 21-year-old Leo to trim two overgrown claws and has prescribed medicine to help Leo’s mobility. We held our breath as he examined a lump near Leo’s tail and were relieved it was a hernia which is not troubling him. Ruben had a full physical examination before being cleared to use the larger section of his habitat. Lupe had a sore spot on her abdomen checked. If you missed the Facebook lives from the day, you can see them here. 

Baby donkey at ADIWS: After being abandoned at a holiday lodge which closed, a family of donkeys arrived at the Sanctuary last year. Little did we know one of them was already pregnant – a donkey pregnancy can last up to 14 months! Mom gave birth to a beautiful foal named Nugget in December. Now it appears that another female is looking large and there may be another baby on the way!

The landmark US Endangered Species Act, passed 50 years ago, has helped save the bald eagle, gray wolf, humpback whale, southern sea otter, green sea turtle, grizzly bear, and many other species from extinction. It has, however, suffered many attacks to weaken it. Please urge President Joe Biden to fully restore the Endangered Species Act so that it can continue to protect, conserve, and recover wildlife.

If you missed the videos of the ADIWS residents and our rescued animals in Peru enjoying their festive treats, you can watch the lions, tigers and other Sanctuary residents here and monkeys, coatis and bears here.
 
We look forward to sharing campaigns and progress for animals with you, over the coming year. To support the range of our work for animals please donate here.  

Thank you so much for your support.

On this day last year, I was in Armenia and met Ruben for the first time. Back then he was an angry, frightened lion, and barely able to go a few paces without stumbling and falling. What a difference today, standing with him this morning at the ADI Wildlife Sanctuary (pictured above), he was happy, relaxed, and confident in his habitat.

Ruben’s story captured hearts and headlines around the world: The lonely lion who went home to Africa to roar with his own kind again, and his heroic battle to walk and play again.

2023 was certainly Ruben’s year, but there were other important achievements for animals. Here is our countdown of our top ten magic moments of 2023:

One of the most joyous sights of the year was Matilda the cow and her ragtag family of goats and sheep running together at ADIWS. Saved from suffering and abuse – the sheep were on their way to be killed at a political rally – there really was nowhere for them in our region until ADI stepped in to provide them a home at ADIWS. Thank you to everyone who helped.

In Colombia, we celebrated a ban on the use of horses and dogs for riot control. It was one of several unheralded but important laws for animals during the year. The UK’s Online Safety Act was a first, aiming to protect people from harmful content online, and includes a measure to crack down on animal abuse for online entertainment. Also, the UK Animals (Low-Welfare Activities Abroad) Act was passed, to end UK promotion and sale of cruel and low welfare animal experiences overseas like elephant rides.

Two more unplanned residents for ADIWS were rescued pot-bellied pigs, Roosevelt and Churchill, who arrived just in time for Christmas. Maybe the 5-year-old brothers will decide to join our dogs Rollo and Milo on their walks in the near future!

Once the target of an ADI investigation, what a great day it was in 2023 when the last of Norway’s fur farms closed, just two years before the country’s ban came into force. Elsewhere, Lithuania banned fur farming, Hudson’s Bay Company and Harvey Nichols went fur-free, and Lexington became Massachusetts’ sixth municipality to ban the sale of new fur products.

Throughout the year, we released over 20 rescued tortoises into the 455 acres of ADIWS. Most were seized from the illegal pet or food trades, seven were rescued from wildfires. With a lifespan of 80-100 years, most have very long, happy lives ahead.

From the start, ADIWS has been committed to being a green sanctuary, leading by example against climate change, and in 2023 we took a giant step, with all operations moving to solar power! Our fences, motorized gates, cameras, and water supply pumps were already solar – now everything including freezers, accommodation, computers, heating, etc., are powered by the sun!

One of the most horrific circus industries ADI has exposed was in Spain. Few will forget the harrowing findings of our undercover team, the beatings, or the tiger who lay dead among his cage mates for a day and was then dragged out and skinned in front of them. Now it’s over, with Spain joining 50 other countries with bans on wild animals in circuses.

Surely, the US must act soon? There was progress: UniverSoul, one of the first circuses ADI investigated, dropped animal acts; Moolah Shrine dropped their bear, big cat, and elephant acts; Circus World in Wisconsin ended elephant performances; and Ringling Brothers returned without animals.

In May, a family of six donkeys who had been abandoned when a tourist lodge closed found a new life at ADIWS. With a donkey pregnancy lasting up to 14 months, what we didn’t know was that another little donkey was on her way! Just before Christmas, Mom gave birth to a beautiful baby foal. Both are doing well and have rejoined the herd roaming the Sanctuary.

Canada passed a ban on animal testing for cosmetics and sale of animal tested products, and also amended the country’s Environmental Protection Act to begin a phase-out of toxicity testing on animals which, if effectively implemented, could have a huge impact.

The US now lags behind over 40 countries on cosmetics testing, although state action is progressing, with Oregon becoming the eleventh cruelty-free state in the US. The Humane Cosmetics Act (HR5399) was reintroduced to ban cosmetic tests on animals nationwide. Please urge your Congress members to support.

My top magic moment is, predictably, Ruben’s arrival at ADIWS. As his travel crate was opened and supporters all over the world held their breath as he stepped out, his huge paws touching African soil for the first time. He wobbled but stayed on his feet with great determination and went on to play with his first-ever toy. Ruben’s life transformed before our eyes. Watch the video here. Ruben’s progress has been nothing short of inspirational; he has a zest for life which we had not seen before, and we cannot wait to see what this year holds for him. Thank you to everyone who cheered him on and helped bring him home.

These magic moments represent just part of ADI’s work which you helped make possible. Some transforms the lives of individuals like Ruben, while other work impacts countless animals for years to come – nearly a million animals were once killed on Norwegian fur farms every year.

Together we made a difference in 2023. Will you help make 2024 a special year for animals? Please consider a donation today.

Happy New Year and as always, we thank you for your support.