Thank you so much for supporting our work to help animals in need, you will see from this round-up of recent events that we continue to make a difference.

This month also marked the 10-year anniversary of ADI’s Operation Spirit of Freedom to empty the circus cages in Peru and Colombia. The impact of the mission continues to reverberate in the circus bans that followed in Latin America and elsewhere and in the lives of the animals saved still enjoying their freedom in the ADI Wildlife Sanctuary (like Africa and Kiara above) and sanctuaries in Peru. Read more here.

This work continues and the past month has seen another US state ban exotic animals in circuses, Colombia’s historic bullfighting ban was signed into law and the country’s cosmetics testing ban came into force, and there was more progress on fur.

Read on to see the impact we are having, together, to change lives…

Massachusetts became the sixth US state to ban the use of exotic animals in circuses. After years of campaigning for the legislation, giving testimony and more, H4915 bans the use of elephants, big cats, primates, giraffes, and bears in traveling exhibits and shows. Our thanks to the bill sponsors and everyone who helped support the bill’s passing. We did it!

For a nationwide ban, please urge your Congress members to support the reintroduction of the Traveling Exotic Animal and Public Safety Protection Act (#TEAPSPA). 

Our family of rescued donkeys that roam the ADI Wildlife Sanctuary recently took in a young springbok who was rescued after being injured and chased to exhaustion by hunters with dogs. We had expected her to join the other antelope, instead she joined our family of donkeys, and on cold nights the adult donkeys gather around her and the infant donkeys to keep them warm.

Over 1,000 people, including members of Congress, watched Colombia’s President Gustavo Petro sign Colombia’s bullfighting ban into law at a celebration with music and speeches in Bogota’s bullring. ADI and Colombia Sin Toreo presented President Petro with an award recognizing his commitment to end the suffering. The ban will come into force in three years and will face challenges from the bullfighting lobby. Please help ADI keep working to protect the ban.

Five people were injured, with one man gored by a bull on the first day of the San Fermin Festival, Pamplona, Spain, as terrified bulls are chased by mobs through the streets and later killed by bullfighters.  Tourists continue to support this suffering which is sold as ‘tradition’.  Help ADI continue the progress we have made in Latin America. Write to Pedro Sanchez, the Prime Minister of Spain and urge him to ban bull-runs and bullfighting. 

Law 2047 banning animal testing of cosmetics which ADI worked with House Representative Juan Carlos Losada to secure in 2020 has come into force after a four-year implementation period. As well as prohibiting the experimentation, importation, manufacture and marketing of cosmetic products tested on animals, the law supports development and implementation of non-animal methods, and government action to publicize the ban. ADI Colombia is pressing the Government for a clear plan to monitor and enforce the ban.

Nine years ago US dentist Walter Palmer lured Cecil the lion from a protected reserve in Zimbabwe, wounded him with a bow and arrow and, hours later, shot him dead. The incident highlighted the wanton cruelty of trophy hunting and the disregard for basic conservation measures and protections – Cecil was even wearing a radio collar. Despite global outrage, the killing for kicks continues. The US imports more hunting trophies than any other country, and the previous UK Government failed on its promise to stop trophy hunting imports. It’s time for a real commitment for change.

Urge your US Congress members to support the Prohibiting Threatened and Endangered Creature Trophies (ProTECT) Act (HR7795), to prohibit taking and importing endangered or threatened species into the US as a trophy.
In the UK, ask new Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer to bring in legislation to stop hunting trophy imports.

Alaska has prohibited using bait to attract brown bears for hunters to kill. Hunting has caused a decline of brown bears and disrupted ecosystems. The ban on baiting eliminates a particularly cruel and cowardly way of killing bears but other cruel methods of hunting and trapping remain unaddressed on Alaska’s national preserve lands.

Work has begun at the ADI Wildlife Sanctuary to integrate Dhubiya, Saif (above) Aziza, and Muheeb, as either a single pride or two pairs. The four rescued from the Kuwait illegal wildlife pet trade have settled in well. Dhubiya and Aziza have been spayed so they don’t breed and to prevent the risk of pyometra and some cancers later in life.  We have modified the habitats so the whole group can be rotated through the 2.5-acre area to get used to one another. It will be a slow process as we carefully monitor how they like each other. This will take some time, and we cannot guarantee success but we always work to try and avoid lions living alone.

The Opposing the Cultivation and Trade of Octopus Produced through Unethical Strategies (OCTOPUS) Act seeks to ban commercial octopus farming in the US and prohibit imports of farmed octopus. The sentience and intelligence of these animals, which are so essential to marine ecosystems, is increasingly recognised, octopus farming is environmentally damaging and leads to suffering and sickness. Washington state has already banned the cruel practice. Please urge your Senators to support the OCTOPUS Act.            

Simba and Rey were rescued ten years ago by ADI from a circus in the Andes mountains, Peru. The Dodo has just made this video celebrating the remarkable lives and loyalty of these senior lions who crossed the mountains through sleet and snow and then the world to come home to the ADI Wildlife Sanctuary, South Africa.  

Natural England issued permits to cull badgers as part of the former UK Government’s ill-considered policy to control bovine TB. This was despite their director of science Dr Peter Brotherton affirming: “based on the evidence, I can find no justification for authorising further supplementary badger culls in 2024 for the purpose of preventing the spread of disease and recommend against doing so”. Urge the UK Government to invest in an effective bovine TB plan which prioritises animal welfare.

Max Mara Fashion Group, one of the last fashion houses to sell fur, has gone fur-free. The fashion group’s 2,500 stores across 105 countries join luxury fashion houses including Dolce & Gabbana, Valentino, Gucci, and Versace, who have all said no to fur.

In the US, ADI and 50 other organizations and experts have sent a letter to the US Agriculture Committee leadership opposing a provision in the Farm, Food, and National Security Act of 2024 (HR 8467) which would earmark taxpayer dollars for the mink industry. A far better move would be to get HR3783 phasing out mink farming nationwide passed! Please urge your Congress members to support HR3783 .

The Josephine County Fair in Oregon, hosted Sea Lion Splash this month, with sea lions performing twice a day over five days. These animals travel the country in trailers with tiny portable pools and tanks. The show claims it’s “educational” but seals balancing balls and doing handstands and other tricks is anything but.  Please urge the Josephine County Fair to stop hosting wild animal acts and exhibits. Call 541-476-3215. Email fairgrounds@josephinecounty.gov.

Did you know that you can support our work for the animals, at no additional cost to you? These are just some of the ways you can help:

• Link your Ralphs (US) rewards card to Animal Defenders International and easily earn Community Rewards while you shop!
• Walmart (US) allows you to round up your purchase total to the nearest dollar at checkout and donate the “change” to ADI.
• Good Shop (US) links you to thousands of stores while donating a percentage of what you spend to ADI.
• Easy Fundraising (UK) donates a percentage of your online purchases to ADI
• Host a fundraiser on Facebook.

This is just a sample of the work we are doing together to make a difference for animals.

To help support our campaigns, rescue and sanctuary work:
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