It has been another great week for ADI as Colombia’s President Gustavo Petro signed Law No. 2385 to ban bullfighting! It has been a long, hard ADI campaign and the law will not come into force until 2027.  Nevertheless, it was cause to celebrate with a concert, speeches and ADI’s Eduardo Pena presented the President with an award, in Bogota’s bullring!

Despite ADI’s remarkable advances against the abuse of animals for entertainment – over 50 countries with animal circus bans ­– there is still much to do.

Now, is that time of year when many are considering a summer break, to relax and spend time with our loved ones, at home or abroad. Sadly, for animals that can mean holiday hell.

Worst of all many of these animal attractions specifically target people’s love of animals or a false promise of soaking up local culture.

NO SELFIES WITH WILD ANIMALS…..  Percy (above) was in a circus in Bolivia. To separate him and the other cubs from their mother, workers used sticks and metal bars to beat the lioness to the back of the cage. The cubs were then hauled through the feeding hatch, then taken to parks and town centres for people to pose for photos with them. Luckily ADI exposed his plight and rescued the family.  You can see that story in Lion Ark the movie here.

To keep the animals used in photo ops compliant, they are isolated and made dependent on their captors. Some are drugged. Traffickers kill families to capture baby monkeys and other animals in the wild. Don’t believe it when you hear claims that baby animals have been “rejected by their mothers”.  ADI has rescued many monkeys where the teeth have been broken to stop them biting. In one case the teeth were so infected that pus was erupting all over the little monkey’s face – luckily the ADI veterinarians were just in time.

There’s nothing pretty about selfies with wild animals, it’s an ugly business.

NEVER RIDE ELEPHANTS…. It can be a seductive holiday image, a line of elephants carrying tourists in the Asian sunset.  Don’t be fooled, it’s a brutal business. These gentle giants are beaten with bull hooks and sticks to break their spirit as babies. For a few minutes of “entertainment,” elephants pay a heavy price. ADI investigators have filmed the beatings and electric shocks used to train elephants – and seen how seemingly harmless gestures in public like pats, are in reality threats of pain if the elephant doesn’t obey. There are also serious risks with the public not adequately protected from these large, stressed animals.

BOYCOTT THE BULL RUN…. ADI investigators on the ground have witnessed the drunken mobs terrorise, spit on, kick and beat frightened bulls to drive them through city streets. No matter how much it is claimed to be tradition it is animal torture plain and simple. ADI secured a ban on Ayacucho’s notorious bull run in Peru but there are still attempts to stage illegal events and in Spain there are more than 1,820 municipalities holding such events each year. These often end in the bullfighting ring. One of the most grotesque examples of people getting pleasure from the public torture of an animal. Nothing brave, nothing noble, just torture and death. The victory in Colombia is showing that these barbaric pastimes are on the decline and sustained by a cruel few. Let’s consign them to history. Make sure you let travel operators promoting such events know how you feel.

STOP CIRCUS SUFFERING…. Circuses cannot meet the needs of animals. Animals are confined in small cages, chained or tethered, deprived of their physical and social needs. ADI evidence behind the scenes has shown how these animals are forced to perform tricks through physical violence and intimidation.  A quarter of the world’s nations have banned wild animals in circuses. Jade (pictured) was rescued after Guatemala banned all animal acts and now enjoys acres of space at the ADI Wildlife Sanctuary, South Africa. So, it seems extraordinary that countries like the USA, Germany, and Brazil still allow this archaic misery. Only support human acts. That’s the future and that’s where you’ll see real talent.

DON’T WALK WITH LIONS…. It may be a bucket list activity for some, but these interactions compromise welfare and can cost the animals their lives. A continuous supply of young lions is needed for customers to either pet, cuddle, or walk with. There’s not much future as they get older, and they end up in canned hunts and their bones sold. The South African government has promised action to end the captive lion farms and these interactions and ADI is has submitted evidence to the Ministerial Task Force. But it is vital tourists boycott these attractions NOW.

Remember: If you see suffering on holiday, be sure to report it and send pics to ADI and ensure travel operators know. Never support animals being used for entertainment.

Please support our work to help animals suffering in the name of entertainment, we are making real progress but there is still much to do, please Donate UK £ I Donate US $

With ADI’s US supporters enjoying Independence Day yesterday, my thoughts turned to all the animals taking their first steps to freedom thanks to your support – their own Independence Day.

There is something magical about those first steps from their travel crates at the ADI Wildlife Sanctuary, South Africa, or indeed back to the rainforest in our ADI funded facilities in Peru.

Here are a few memories and videos of these special moments…

It’s been less than 2 months since we brought Dhubiya, Shujaa, Saham, Muheeb, Aziza, and Saif home, but what a transformation we have seen in this short time!

The ‘Kuwait 6’ were rescued from the illegal wildlife pet trade, after owners abandoned the young lions in the streets of the city, and some dumped in the desert to die.

It has been a joy seeing them relax and settle in. I promise this video of the young lions, exploring the world nature intended for them, will put a smile on your face.

Most of the animals we save cannot return to the wild. They are in-bred and often mutilated with toes cut off to stop claws growing and teeth broken, leaving them defenceless and without the tools necessary for survival. So, it is special when we can rehabilitate and return animals to the wild.

We have released hundreds of rescued tortoises and turtles in Peru and at ADIWS. I have fond memories of the fox we saved from an illegal Peruvian zoo, bolting out of the crate for freedom. Although there is a special place in my heart for Maruja, Peru’s last circus monkey. Watch the moving story of her rescue, reunion with her own kind and return to the rainforest.

When we emptied Guatemala’s circus cages, the gruelling 18-month operation concluded with an epic flight home to Africa for 17 tigers and lions, from Guatemala to Mexico to Belgium then Qatar for a flight change, then finally home to South Africa.

You were perhaps one of the people watching and cheering us on, as we brought the cats to the ADI Wildlife Sanctuary. Jade and the other cats must have felt a bit bewildered as they stepped out into the sunshine, open sky above their heads, grass beneath their feet, space all around them, but they certainly took no time at all, in embracing their new world.

This video captures the airlift and those first incredible steps.

Dear Ruben’s time with us was all too short, but from that first big paw hitting African ground, he seized every moment. He played, he drove himself on to walk, and he roared again, home in Africa. In seven months in the land of his forefathers he transformed and inspired us all.  We miss him so much, but he will always be with us. He has left his legacy.

Next month marks ten years since Operation Spirit of Freedom saw us rescue over 100 animals from circuses in Peru and Colombia, when we flew David and 32 other lions home to South Africa. We had emptied the cages again.

The life changing first steps for these animals symbolise everything we work for.

It takes us many stages to achieve permanent change: our undercover investigations, exposing the evidence we film, publicity and creating awareness, securing legislation, and then those huge missions to empty every circus cage in Bolivia, Peru, Colombia and Guatemala.

Each time we leave behind another empty cage and another animal steps free, I think of that as an “ADI Independence Day”. Your help has given us many happy endings, I hope you will help give that gift to more animals. Donate US $ | Donate UK £