As long as animals are oppressed, we must never be silent—only humans can end human supremacy.
Our work yielded a bumper crop of wins over the last two weeks. Here are some of those victories:
A permit was denied for a massive, open-pit gold and copper mine at the headwaters of Alaska's Bristol Bay that would threaten the world's largest sockeye salmon fishery and hurt grizzly bears, moose and unique freshwater seals. This permit denial may be the death blow for the mine, which the Center has fought since 2017.
In California an appeals court struck down unconstitutional limits on the rights of Californians to challenge the location of power plants in their communities. The decision marks a win after seven years of litigation by the Center and partners.
A federal court sided with the Center and allies in invalidating a permit for a methanol refinery that would have posed a catastrophic risk to Washington state's fragile Columbia River ecosystem.
And our legal agreement with the Environmental Protection Agency forced it to finally look at how glyphosate (the active ingredient in Roundup) affects endangered species. It found that the world's most widely used pesticide is likely to injure or kill 93% of all the plants and animals protected under the Endangered Species Act. This will force more action to protect wildlife.
Learn about all these wins and other Center news.
Trump Pushes Oil Industry for More Arctic Drilling
With his presidency now nearing its end, Trump is rushing through a process to open up the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge's coastal plain to lease for oil drilling.
The administration has invited oil companies to name the areas they'd like to drill in one of the nation's most iconic and sacred landscapes. The Center for Biological Diversity joined Indigenous groups this week in condemning the move.
"On his way out the door, Trump is trying to lock in climate chaos and the extinction of polar bears and other endangered Arctic species. This is unconscionable," said the Center's Kristen Monsell. "The Arctic National Wildlife Refuge can't be replaced, so we can't let this president give it away to Big Oil."
Learn more and speak up for the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.
He invited oil and gas companies to identify which areas of the refuge's coastal plain they’d like to drill, then proposed to toss out rules on offshore drilling. New cubs could one day see oil rigs from their dens.
This pristine landscape is not his to sell, so we're in court to stop him.
Trump and his greedy friends know time's running out for them to plunder public lands for personal gain, which is why they're moving fast to auction off leases to drill in the refuge.
Those leases will make it harder to keep this treasured landscape from turning into an oilfield.
We can't let them get away with this last-minute money grab.
We're in court to block more than 1.5 million acres of Alaska's Arctic National Wildlife Refuge from being opened to oil and gas drilling.
And we have a separate lawsuit in the works to stop Trump's plan to open more than 18 million acres of the western Arctic.
Drilling in these areas will cause oil spills and greenhouse gas emissions already threatening polar bears with extinction. It will also decimate important caribou habitat, including areas where they raise their calves.
It's obscene that after one of the worst seasons of wildfires and hurricanes in history, the administration's priority is to worsen the climate crisis by giving handouts to Big Oil.
We can't let the administration get away with ruining the Arctic refuge on its way out the door.
Within weeks heavy trucks could be crushing polar bear dens in the Arctic Wildlife National Refuge. The trucks could also scare mother polar bears into abandoning their dens, leaving their cubs to perish and sending the species into further decline.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has just given draft approval for a company to harass polar bears while searching for oil in the area this winter.
This is part of Trump's all-out attack on the refuge. The administration is fast-tracking lease sales for oil and drilling there.
Now it's permitting seismic exploration, which is highly destructive to lands and wildlife. The permit would allow convoys of massive trucks, tractors and bulldozers to roll over fragile tundra 24 hours a day, seven days a week, for months on end. These activities will not only irreparably scar the landscape — they will scare off polar bears.
We must resist this reckless and cruel proposal and stop the Trump administration from turning the Arctic Refuge into an oilfield on its way out the door.
Bears, Caribou, Wolves and Birds Threatened by Push to Drill in Arctic National Wildlife Refuge
In a last-ditch attempt to give oil industry allies a stock windfall, the Trump administration is rushing to auction off drilling rights to the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. This move would put hundreds of species of animals and plants at risk, and cause irreversible destruction of one of the last remaining expanses of untouched wilderness in the U.S. We can’t let this happen! ACT NOW
Lame-duck President Donald Trump and his administration just announced the first ever oil and gas lease sale for the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.
This final step in a flawed, deceptive and corrupt process is happening just days after Bank of America joined Wells Fargo, Citi, Morgan Stanley, Goldman Sachs and JP Morgan Chase in saying no to financing Arctic oil development — that means all six of the largest U.S. banks have refused to fund the destruction of the Arctic Refuge.
And on January 6, we will know which oil companies have decided to buy a piece of the Arctic Refuge — for rock-bottom prices— over the objections of the Gwich’in people, against what climate science tells us, and in the face of any financial sense.
But hope is on the horizon. President-elect Joe Biden has promised to protect the Arctic Refuge on DAY ONE. Now, we need to raise our voices louder than ever to remind him to take action to protect the Arctic Refuge from oil drilling. Send a message here
We won’t stop there. With your help, we will elevate the plight of the Arctic Refuge across the country so the public can hold accountable any company or politician that supports drilling. We will fight this illegal process in the courts, and we will double down against companies that dare to bid.
A lion was resting peacefully beneath a tree when a group of men opened fire..
A lion was resting peacefully beneath a tree when a group of men spotted him. Moments later, they opened fire, the lion charged, and they shot the terrified animal over and over again until he fell. They laughed as they watched him bleed to death.
Cruel trophy hunters pay exorbitant rates to shoot and kill animals, including many—like this lion—who were captive-bred, meaning they're habituated to trusting humans and therefore easier targets for the coward holding the gun.
All animals are beloved by their own families, but trophy hunters see them as nothing more than collections of body parts or checkpoints on a grisly slaughter tour. Many animals imprisoned for the sake of canned trophy hunts are even kept in fenced enclosures—meaning they never stand a chance of escaping or surviving.
After a young elephant was recently gunned down on land adjacent to a national park in South Africa, PETA put up eye-catching anti-hunting billboards across that country—and upon viewing the disturbing footage of the elephant being shot, El Al Israel Airlines quickly banned the shipping of hunting "trophies." With help from supporters like you, PETA has also urged officials in Botswana to ramp up action against elephant poaching within its borders.
Leopards Belong in the Wild, Not on Living Room Walls
A dead impala, hung from a tree by a trophy hunter, lures an African leopard — and the elusive spotted cat draws near, taking the bait.
Hiding in bushes yards away, the trophy hunter shoots and kills the leopard. After posing for a picture, he'll then hang the stuffed body on a living-room wall.
We've taken legal action to halt leopard trophy imports to the U.S. These big cats need to be protected, not gunned down for sport.
Scientists fear leopard populations in Africa are plummeting.
U.S. trophy hunters bring home more than half of all leopard trophies worldwide — an average of nearly 300 leopards shot in cold blood every year.
These creatures are losing their habitat and prey, dying in conflicts with humans, perishing for their coveted fur, and being gunned down by trophy hunters. All signs point to decline.
We filed suit because the Fish and Wildlife Service can't issue permits to bring leopard trophies into the United States without knowing how dire the leopard's situation is. Handing out permits without crucial information on this imperiled species isn't just reckless — it's illegal.
Stopping these imports is just a first step. The African leopard must also be listed as endangered under the Endangered Species Act. U.S. law restricts the import of trophies from endangered species and offers crucial funding and protections.
We're in the midst of a heartbreaking mass extinction, with 1 million species at risk.
Our latest investigation details the horrors of roadside puppy mills filled with miserable, scared and sick animals. We went on to uncover that these substandard mills have sold to several Petland pet stores across the country. Despite the awful scenes we documented, these mills were not cited by the USDA.
Documented USDA violations at pet breeding facilities have plummeted and enforcement actions have declined in recent years. This new footage shows that the decrease isn't because conditions have improved. The truth is more disturbing. The USDA has neglected its duty to enforce even the most basic requirements under the Animal Welfare Act regulations.
No puppy should be forced to live in a small, filthy cage.
No puppy should be denied veterinary care and human interaction.
Sadly, that's what happens far too often in commercial breeding facilities. While we can't eradicate irresponsible breeders outright, we CAN work to hold these facilities to higher standards that protect the animals in their care through our advocacy in support of the Puppy Protection Act.
The Puppy Protection Act, HR 2442/S. 4757, will drastically improve the quality of life for puppies and breeding dogs in federally-licensed breeding facilities by requiring stronger standards of care including increased enclosure sizes, solid flooring, exercise, socialization, prompt veterinary care and protection from extreme temperatures.
Our latest undercover investigation showed that help is needed NOW!
A cat much like a sweet, social feline you may know is peacefully sunning herself on a doorstep in China when a stranger grabs her by the scruff of the neck.
She tries to escape – but the stranger's grip is too tight. She's shoved into a cramped wire cage on the back of a lorry, packed in so tightly with other abducted cats that she can hardly move.
The vehicle eventually stops at a crowded, noisy market, and the cages are dropped to the ground without a care for the animals inside. The cats wail in pain and fear – but workers keep throwing and kicking the cages.
Her horrifying ordeal ends with a blow to the head and a knife to the throat before she's strung up and skinned.
No living, feeling being should ever experience such horrors. Help Now
Today, cats like this one are being sold and killed at live-animal markets in China – grisly places not unlike the one where the novel coronavirus likely originated. Eyewitnesses have documented that as many as 20 cats are packed into a single cage – with 800 or more animals crammed onto a single lorry.
From the grisly slaughterhouses in China where these cats spend their last moments to the massive European and North American fur farms that are themselves petri dishes for future pandemics, animals are often killed for their skins as cheaply and quickly as possible. Some still show signs of life as they are thrown, skinless, onto waste piles to die.
Some companies have been known to mislabel their accessories in order to dupe unsuspecting consumers. So it's possible that anyone who still wears fur is sporting the remains of an abused cat.
The only way to keep animals from suffering in the fur trade is to persuade consumers and designers to stop buying fur and other animal-derived materials – and PETA and our affiliates are doing just that. No other organisations have done more to encourage big names in fashion to ditch fur or inspired more shoppers to choose clothing for which no cat, dog, sheep, or other animal suffered.
A curious young elephant approaches an American trophy hunter – only to be shot in the head repeatedly and made to endure a slow, painful death.
As part of a breaking investigation, PETA US has obtained footage of an American trophy hunter shooting an elephant in the head over and over again. The elephant falls to his knees and is in agony for several minutes as the hunter shoots him four more times. Afterwards, the American mutilates his corpse, cutting off his tail to take home as a "trophy". He later pays over £16,000 to have the rest of the elephant's body parts preserved for shipment to the US. Take Action
Every year, thousands of wild animals like this magnificent elephant are slaughtered by trophy hunters for a sick thrill and so that wealthy politicians and businesses can profit from the trade in body parts. These animals need your help now.
The UK government continues to allow this cruel industry to exist by sanctioning the import of thousands of trophy hunters' gruesome souvenirs every year. Please watch the video and then urge Boris Johnson to do the right thing and ban imports of hunting trophies immediately! Send Boris a Message.
Following an undercover investigation, PETA has revealed South African President Cyril Ramaphosa not only breeds and sells animals to be shot and killed from his Phala Phala wildlife breeding operation but also owns stake in a hunting company called Tsala Hunting Safaris. That company conducts many of its hunts on a property, which Ramaphosa owns and is quietly developing and expanding. There, as well as on partner properties, Tsala can arrange hunts of 42 different species, including the "Big Five": leopards, elephants, lions, rhinoceroses, and buffaloes.
Every year, thousands of wild animals are slaughtered by trophy hunters for the sick thrill they get out of it and also so that wealthy politicians and businesses can profit from the trade in body parts.
These animals need your help now.
Thanks to the compassionate residents of Clearlake, California and our advocacy efforts, more than 20 mute swans can continue to live peacefully on Clear Lake without the threat of being brutally killed just for being unfairly labeled as an "invasive" species.
We’re overjoyed to share the good news! Thanks to the compassionate residents of Clearlake, California and our advocacy efforts, more than 20 mute swans can continue to live peacefully on Clear Lake without the threat of being brutally killed just for being unfairly labeled as an “invasive” species.
In late October, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) announced plans to destroy all of the mute swans living on the lake. The Department sought a rubber stamp of approval from local agencies, although it was not required.
Our team sprung into action to save the swans! We expressed our concerns to the Lake County Board of Supervisors and to the Lake County Fish and Wildlife Advisory Committee. It turns out that the Advisory Committee Chair Greg Giusti was not in favor of such extreme lethal measures when humane alternatives exist.
Fearing a public relations nightmare, local agencies voiced opposition instead of anticipated support for the cruel plan. Within a couple of weeks, the CDFW officially withdrew its swan eradication plan!
According to this article in the Sacramento Bee, mute swans were brought to the area by humans in 2004. Local residents had grown to love the swans and wrote dozens of letters to oppose the planned extermination. This victory proves that residen’s’ voices can make a real difference in local politics!
If swans or other wild animals are in danger of being killed in your community, please contact us for help at wildanimals@idausa.org. You can also help by making a donation. We appreciate your devoted support of our efforts and your unwavering care for animals in your community and beyond.
After a mutated version of COVID-19 was found in minks in Denmark, around 17 million minks were put to their death.
Such tragedy could have been prevented had mink farms not existed, had people stopped providing a demand for fake eyelashes or fur coats. We see everyone today wearing makeup and that is a beautiful thing. But this particular product harms millions of innocent minks. Are eyelashes really worth a life?
I know a lot is going on with the world now. But humans aren’t the only ones that deserve life. These poor innocent creatures are bred to be slaughtered and it’s absolutely horrible!
Currently, more than 50 million minks are farmed every single year. They are often left without sufficient food, water, and are refused the ability to bathe, swim, burrow, or do anything else that’s natural and important for them. Ultimately, the minks kept on these fur farms end up being brutally killed by electrocution, bludgeoned, gassed, or having their skin ripped from them while they are still conscious. The treatment of these defenseless animals is completely abhorrent and unnecessary. There are plenty of alternatives which are of great quality. There should be no space for these now.
Law needs to be passed to make the fur trade illegal all across the world, in order to force companies to work with alternative material and stop glamorizing the fur product.
I don’t normally make petitions and I’m obviously not the most obvious person to be trying to make any sort of change. However, I want to try and do something good for these animals. These animals need our help please join me in helping them!
Please don’t skip it, sign this petition and share it far and wide to raise awareness about this issue. We need to be the voice for these helpless animals who have no say in what happens to their own fur! Sign now with a click. Visit petition page.
The tragic deaths of at least 4,800 days-old chicks who recently died during transport to New England made national news, highlighting the cruelty and dangers of live animal shipments, particularly amid cutbacks at the U.S. Postal Service (USPS). ACT NOW
Lawsuit Filed to Save Rare Red Squirrels
The Center and local group Maricopa Audubon filed suit this week to save Mount Graham red squirrels from extinction. Biologists last counted only 109 of these highly endangered southeast Arizona squirrels, nearly all of which now live outside areas designated as protected critical habitat. Yet the feds didn't update the designation as required by the Endangered Species Act.
"We must help Mount Graham red squirrels get through this perilous habitat bottleneck," said Center cofounder Robin Silver. "There are so many forces aligned against them now. Climate change, university astronomers, recreational buildings and uncaring federal agencies could wipe these little animals off the planet."
Troubled Skies Ahead for Migratory Birds
In 2017 President Trump established a deadly policy ending decades of protection for migratory birds by letting polluters off the hook for killing them. The policy also let oil companies kill birds in oil spills and utilities electrocute snowy owls and other raptors on uninsulated power lines — all without consequences.
This summer a federal judge finally vacated the policy — but that victory may be temporary.
Secretary of the Interior David Bernhardt is dead set on taking away birds' protection before he leaves D.C. The day after Thanksgiving, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service released a new rule justifying the policy. It's only a matter of time before the rule is finalized, making it harder to punish companies that recklessly kill birds, and leading to millions of birds' slaughter.
Please consider supporting the Center for Biological Diversity’s efforts to save migratory birds with a gift to our Saving Life on Earth Fund.
Shortly after taking office, the Trump administration radically reinterpreted the Migratory Bird Treaty Act to no longer prohibit industrial activities that kill hundreds of species of waterfowl, raptors and songbirds.
Now Interior Department Secretary David Bernhardt is rushing to finalize this rule before he and Trump pack their bags.
Even Trump's U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, in its analysis for moving forward with the rule, admitted it would have "negative effects" on birds. This understatement would be laughable if so many birds' lives weren't at stake.
For decades the Act has required utilities to fix their electric lines so they don't electrocute birds. It has required mining and drilling companies to cover their waste ponds so birds don't land on them. These and so many other common-sense protections have now been thrown in the trash. Let Bernhardt know this rule is unacceptable.
Help us stop the slaughter of 500-700 Yellowstone bison, our National Mammal, this winter by strengthening the National Bison Legacy Act.
Tell the President and members of Congress to stop the slaughter of the Yellowstone bison, our National Mammal, by strengthening the National Bison Legacy Act!
On May 9, 2016, President Obama signed the National Bison Legacy Act designating American bison our country’s National Mammal. In passing the Act, Congress inserted an amendment, Sec. 3 (b), directing the federal government to do nothing for American bison held in sacred public trust as wildlife: “Nothing in this Act or the adoption of the North American bison as the national mammal of the United States shall be construed or used as a reason to alter, change, modify, or otherwise affect any plan, policy, management decision, regulation, or other action by the Federal Government.”
The American bison, held in sacred public trust as wildlife, needs protection!
We cannot honor our National Mammal, and their relationship to Native Americans, by allowing the indiscriminate slaughter of the Yellowstone bison. This is the one place the migratory species still roams their native habitat in the United States. The Yellowstone bison are unique, requiring special attention and action, distinguished as the only bison to continuously inhabit their original range in the United States, and comprised of genetically distinct sub-populations, the Central and Northern herds. The Yellowstone bison are also a keystone species that are important to rewilding the North American continent to help prevent the effects of climate change.
Sign our petition and we’ll send it to the President and members of Congress asking them to strengthen the National Bison Legacy Act by repealing Sec. 3 (b). We will request they stop the slaughter of the Yellowstone bison and give this keystone species the freedom to roam our public lands. We’ll also remind them that the national policy of Congress is to conserve North American bison in the wild as a sacred public trust for future generations.
Let Buffalo Roam! Stop the Slaughter! Please Spread the Word to Save the Herd!
All wild animals suffer in captivity.
Celebrations are in full swing at PETA this morning as the law banning the use of wild animals in travelling circuses comes into effect across Wales. From today, no more wild animals will be carted up and down the country and forced to perform – a big step forward for animals!
With this compassionate move, Wales joins England, Scotland, the Republic of Ireland, and dozens of other countries around the world in banning wild-animal circuses. The bill was introduced in 2019 following years of campaigning by PETA and our supporters.
Please speak up for the marine mammals forced to live in watery prisons to entertain a dwindling number of spectators by urging TUI to stop selling tickets to SeaWorld: Take Action for Orcas...Thank you for using your voice to speak up for all animals.
Ostriches Butchered for 'Luxury' Bags and Accessories
Think of the Animal Behind Your Clothing. Animals lose their lives for wool, leather, mohair, down, and cashmere. Think of THEM.
You Won’t Be Able to Stomach Dairy After Seeing This
Holiday Displays Are Anything but Merry for Reindeer
Smithfield Foods’ Truck Accidents: Pigs Pay the Price. In October 2020, a truck hauling more than 100 pigs to slaughter at Smithfield Foods was involved in an accident in Isle of Wight County, Virginia. PETA has documented pigs’ pain and suffering at more than a dozen crashes involving trucks bound for just this one slaughterhouse.
Why There’s No Such Thing as ‘Ethical’ or ‘Humane’ Down. Why is there no such thing as ‘ethically-sourced’ down? Because birds in the down industry — just like the ones you see here — will be killed before people steal their feathers and use them to stuff jackets.
PETA Investigation: South African President Secretly Profits From Trophy Hunting. PETA's new video shows the horrifying details of the slaughter of elephants and lions by trophy hunters. PETA's undercover investigation reveals video footage of an American trophy hunter incapable of making a clean kill, even with instructions from hunting guides. He repeatedly shoots a young elephant who wanders onto property just outside Kruger National Park, where he would have been safe, as no hunting is allowed there. Another video shows a group of hunters ambushing a captive-bred lion resting under a tree. The lion roars and charges after he is shot and wounded by the hunter, and it takes four more shots by the hunter and his guides to kill him.
Another Pandemic Is Inevitable as Long as Humans Breed Animals for Food and Clothing
December 15, 2020 at 12 to 1:30 pm ET
Panelists will discuss efforts to save wildlife in Kenya, Malawi, Tanzania, Uganda, and Zimbabwe.
Justice for Animals!
Stop Animal Suffering and the Next Pandemic
You are invited to a special evening of fun and virtual fundraising in support of the
Animal Legal Defense Fund.
Thursday, January 28, 2021
Two online sessions — 4 p.m. PT and 7 p.m. PT
RSVP NOW
Join the Animal Legal Defense Fund and Special Guests to celebrate our wins for animals and kick off our fundraising for the new year to achieve ground-breaking legal actions to:
Advance protections for farmed animals
Shut down more roadside zoos in 2021
Achieve justice for animal victims of criminal abuse
Increase animal law courses in law schools
Bring about long-lasting legal protections for animals
View videos highlighting our recent successes ~ Hear from Animal Legal Defense Fund leadership ~ Bid on fun auction items ~ And hear from other Special Guests.
Cost: Free to attend with an inspiring “Fund a Need” opportunity during the event.
The first 50 people to register will get a coupon (valued at $10.99) from Miyoko’s Creamery for a delicious Miyoko’s product of your choice! Founded by iconic vegan chef & cheesemaker Miyoko Schinner (A.K.A. "The Queen of Vegan Cheese"). Miyoko's Creamery is the gold standard of artisan vegan cheese & butter. #milkplantshugs #thecreameryoftomorrow #phenomenallyvegan #plantdairy
Host Committee
Pearl of Patrons
David and Mary Love ~ John and Timi Sobrato ~ Kyle Vogt
Jewel of Justice
Brook and Amy Dubman ~ Sarah Luick
Apex Advocate
Brad Goldberg ~ Tatiana Freitas ~ Ingrid and Branden LeBlanc ~ Barbara Magin ~ Vijay R. Sanghvi Family Foundation ~ Jill Sideman ~ Rie Woodward
Daring Defender
Drs. Elaine Carlitz and John Husokowski ~ Janis Rosenthal and Jeff Rinkoff, M.D. ~ Sejal Sanghvi ~ Maxwell and Teri Sobel ~ Katherine Stirling ~ Vanessa Taylor
Looking for a career in animal law? Please click here for the Animal Legal Defense Fund's listing of current employment opportunities. Become a Social Media Ambassador
Remote Online Advocacy Representatives (ROAR) are online partners who help us spread the word about important animal issues. Please click here to learn more.
Our companies are known for creating products that enhance people's lives. Through Sunset Corporation of America and its companies, we’re equally dedicated to improving lives. Our commitment extends to helping local communities, fostering better educational systems, supporting the arts and culture, helping disadvantaged youth, protecting and improving the environment, animal welfare, wildlife issues and encouraging employee volunteerism.
The Sustainable Action Network (SAN), A Don Lichterman non-profit organization dedicated to building a global community raising awareness of corruption, injustice and the need for action across a full range of issues impacting people and animal/wildlife welfare around the world, such as conservation, climate change, campaign law, lobbying, government action and rescue work. SAN’s vision is to create safer world, free from political, environmental, and social oppression, where all the inhabitants of Earth can live in harmony within their own natural environments.
Our commitment extends to helping local communities, fostering better educational systems, supporting the arts and culture, helping disadvantaged youth, protecting and improving the environment, animal welfare, wildlife issues and encouraging employee volunteerism.
ANIMAL RESCUES WELFARE, CRIMES & ABUSE
