This month, our brave Sanctuary lioness, Tanya, passed away. Tanya and her lifelong love, Tarzan, stole people’s hearts all over the world with their affection and devotion to each other. They were rescued in 2018 during ADI’s Operation Liberty following the Guatemalan Government’s animal circus ban, where ADI seized all wild animals from circuses in Guatemala and emptied the cages. Tanya and Tarzan were given a forever home at the ADI Wildlife Sanctuary (ADIWS) in South Africa and enjoyed their reign as our resident “Sanctuary Sweethearts,”. Tanya is deeply missed by everyone. Read the tribute to Tanya here.

Featuring in Tiger King, Bhagavan “Doc” Antle received a 12-month sentence in federal prison after pleading guilty to trafficking exotic and endangered animals, in violation of the Lacey Act. Antle was banned from working with, trading, possessing, and engaging in other activities with non-native exotic wildlife in South Carolina for five years. Selling his Myrtle Beach Safari zoo to his partner has allowed the zoo to remain open to visitors. To keep animals compliant for photo ops, captors isolate and often drug these animals. Stay away from any animal venue offering photo opportunities and tell your friends and family to do the same.

Ridglan Farms, a Wisconsin facility which breeds beagle dogs for experiments, is under criminal and disciplinary investigation for alleged animal cruelty. Former staff reported painful, unanesthetized surgeries by unlicensed personnel. In March 2025, La Crosse County DA Tim Gruenke was appointed to review possible charges, but none have been filed. The facility’s lead vet, Dr. Richard Van Domelen, remains under investigation but retains his license; surgeries are now limited to licensed vets using anesthesia.

Please urge the Wisconsin Veterinary Examining Board to revoke Dr. Richard Van Domelen’s license, release the 3,200 dogs to sanctuaries or adopters, and end the use of dogs in experiments. Email datcpveb@wisconsin.gov | Call (608) 224-5012

Colorado Parks and Wildlife has denied Trunks & Humps a permit to bring elephants to this year’s Colorado Renaissance Festival. Under Colorado’s 2021 Traveling Animal Protection Act, wild animals in traveling performances are banned. ADI undercover footage exposed Trunks & Humps presenter Mike Swain viciously shocking, hooking, and beating his elephants.

Trunks & Humps is currently hosting elephant rides at the Minnesota Renaissance Festival. Please contact the festival at info@renaissancefest.com or 952–445–7361 and politely urge them to end animal rides and adopt a no animal policy.

ADI is campaigning to end online animal cruelty. For International Cat Day, we called on US congressmembers to take action to end the brutal torture of animals for online ‘crush’ videos. We need to push hard to force the social media companies to ACT. They must set up a system to identify, report, and shut these videos down.  How you can help: DO NOT watch, engage, tag, or share such content. Clicking the angry emoji or commenting (even if condemning it) actually drives the post, increasing its visibility and profitability. Report it directly to the platforms and to ADI at whistleblower@ad-international.org

Earlier this year, horrific fires blazed across Los Angeles County. As the heartbeat of ADI operations in the US, many ADI team members, supporters, and close friends were faced with incredible devastation – homes lost, neighborhoods destroyed, both humans and animals running for their lives. ADI supporters across the region opened their doors and offered animal transport help to neighbors and provide sanctuary for all creatures. Local animal rescues were overwhelmed with donations at first, but when coverage of the fires dwindled, so did donations. ADI was happy to contribute by delivering trunk loads to help replenish their greatest needs, including baby squirrel, raccoon, and opossum formula; syringes and feeding nipples; towels and blankets; small animal homes and hideaways; wet and dry food; and toys and treats. Thank you to our supporters who helped.

Lady tragically collapsed and died on a Manhattan street while being pushed to work on a sweltering summer day. Her death was just weeks after a carriage driver was acquitted of animal abuse. His horse, Ryder, had also collapsed in extreme summer temperatures, video showed the driver flogging him as he lay in the road. Horses used for carriage rides spend their days dragging heavy loads through congested city streets in all weather conditions, and their nights in bare, cramped stalls. In the UK, 9-year-old Trueshan lost his life after a fatal leg injury on the opening day of the Goodwood Festival. The British Horseracing Authority’s director of equine welfare described it as ‘just an accident’. Horses are not expendable commodities; they are intelligent, communicative individuals who have a right to compassion and legal protection.

If you live in New York City, please urge your city council members to support Ryder’s Law, which would phase out horse-drawn carriages once and for all. Find your council member here.

GREAT NEWS! The President of Brazil signed Law 15,183 to ban the use of animals in testing cosmetics, perfumes, and personal hygiene products. Health authorities will have two years to implement a strategy for non-animal methods, oversight and validation. Standards such as “not tested on animals” and “cruelty free” will be established and regulated.

Colombian Congress members Esmeralda Hernández and Juan Carlos Losada received the Lord Houghton Award in recognition of their tremendous work to pass the law banning bullfighting last year as well as other efforts to defend animals. Presented by ADI Colombia’s Yani Mateus and Eduardo Peña, Senator Hernández and Representative Losada have played a key role in transforming Colombia’s legislative approach to a more ethical and compassionate vision for animals. They are truly deserving recipients of the Award!

Europe’s largest primate facility, Biomedical Primate Research Centre (BPRC), Netherlands, receives €12.5 (almost $17 million) a year in government subsidies. The Netherlands Parliament has voted for 100% of public funds provided to the facility to be used for animal-free research, and development of advanced technologies. ADI investigated BPRC and exposed primates experiencing fear, confusion, immobilization in crush cages, injury, and death. Adoption of modern, advanced science to replace monkeys is a positive move for scientific standards and for ending the suffering at BPRC and other such facilities.

Help call for animal tests to stop: In the US here | In the UK here

In a chilling echo of the killing of Cecil that shocked the world, 5-year-old male lion named Blondie was lured from the protection of Zimbabwe’s Hwange National Park, using chunks of meat, and killed by trophy hunters. Like Cecil, Blondie had been GPS-collared as part of an Oxford University research project and was the dominant male lion of a pride, fathering 10 cubs. As long as trophy hunting remains legal, the hunters will keep doing what it takes to get around the law and keep killing. Hunting is to satisfy a bloodlust and has no role in conservation. If the countries where the killing takes place won’t act, target the home countries of the killers – urge your government to ban the import of hunting trophies – Colombia has done it and so can we.

In the US, urge your lawmakers to back the ProTECT Act | In the UK, urge Prime Minister Keir Starmer to bring in a ban

Over 40 people were injured and one man gored at Spain’s ‘running of the bulls’ event at the 8-day San Fermin Festival in Pamplona. 60 bulls were killed. Each morning, terrified bulls were chased by mobs through the streets—only to be stabbed to death in the bullring. This cruel spectacle, widely covered by the media and sold as ‘tradition,’ is torture, not culture. Please speak out if you see travel operators promoting this event.

Voice your concern to Spain’s Ministry of Culture (MinisteriodeCultura). Also, email ADI in the UK | in the US and provide details of where you have seen such events advertised.

The European mink is critically endangered. Its competition? The non-native American mink, introduced to the continent by fur farmers in the 1920s, and now established in the wild in a number of countries. The species has been added to the EU’s list of invasive species of concern, which bans the breeding, sale, keeping, and transport of American mink across the continent. However, EU member states can apply for an exemption. ADI supported the Fur Free Europe citizens’ initiative, calling for an EU-wide ban on fur farming and sales of products, gaining support from 1.5m citizens. The ban is now being considered by the EU; an announcement is expected by March 2026. Cruelty on a massive scale, more than 100 million animals are killed for their fur worldwide every year. Fur is never humane.

Tell everyone you know – when you buy fur you buy cruelty. In the US, please urge your Congress members to support the Mink Virus Act, to phase out mink farming and help farmers transition away from the industry to protect public health and the animals.

Colombia’s 2020 Law 2027 banning testing of cosmetics on animals has yet to be implemented due to successive government delays. The Law provides for a 2024 implementation deadline. Although there are alternative non-animal tests already available in Colombia, the delays appear to relate to governmental lack of willingness and, it is thought, pressure from foreign brands which sell their animal-tested products in Colombia.

The law’s author, Representative Juan Carlos Losada, has filed a Compliance Action (a legal device when legislation has not been actioned) and has obtained a favourable/favorable ruling from the Council of State. The Government of Colombia now has six months to show how they plan to comply and implement the 2020 law.

It is common industry practice to catch and carry chickens and turkeys by their legs when they are taken for slaughter. ADI videos have shown multiple birds being carried this way, and workers even dancing while suspending birds by their legs. EU animal transport regulations prohibit this practice and were adopted into UK law, but government guidelines allow it. Following consultation, the UK government undertook to make the change. Holding chickens and other birds upside down causes panic and puts pressure on their hearts and respiratory system as they do not have a diaphragm to support their organs. This causes pain, discomfort, and breathing difficulty. ADI has written to urge the government to take action to prevent this cruelty. Please contact your MP and ask them to press the government to act.

The Dutch Senate has approved a national ban on consumer fireworks, which they aim to implement by New Year’s Eve 2026. ADI continues to push for this change and supports similar bans being called for in other countries. Loud bangs and flashing lights can send dogs and cats into hiding or cause them to run away or socially withdraw; horses can get startled and injured or killed, and wild animals, highly sensitive to loud noises and bright flashes, may flee their habitats in confusion. Birds and bats are especially at risk of disorientation, exhaustion, and death. Professional fireworks and drone shows would be allowed, but under strict rules and in controlled settings – safer for both animals and people. While we welcome this move from the Netherlands, we advocate going further and swapping fireworks displays with less damaging alternatives like laser light and drone shows.

Dr Peter Caldwell arrived at ADIWS in August, for his regular veterinary day, when he takes the opportunity to perform small surgeries, check on medications and any health issues raised by the Resident Welfare Team. Coralie was spayed to prevent breeding and the risk of pyometra and some cancers in later life, and had a lump removed from her shoulder for testing. Dr. Caldwell trimmed Muheeb’s claws, which do not retract as normal (likely a result of inbreeding), and one had become ingrown. He also examined Lupe’s eye and checked in to see how Tarzan was doing after the loss of his mate, Tanya.

If you missed it, you can still watch Dr. Caldwell’s visit here.

As always, any donation to help our work for animals is much appreciated.

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