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The World Federation for Animals
@wfa.org
The World Federation for Animals advocates for policies to protect #AnimalWelfare at a global level and unite the animal protection movement.
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This week’s top headlines for animals 👇

🟢 NZ recognises animals as sentient beings & bans cosmetic testing.

🔴 EU-Mercosur trade deal raises serious animal welfare concerns.

Stay informed. Get our Digest direct to your inbox 📨 ow.ly/u0Ct50XVrMP

#AnimalWelfare #EUMercosur
Guinea pigs love their friends! 🐹

In the wild, they live in small groups, form strong friendships, and rely on each other for comfort. Real friends reduce stress and help them feel safe. 💙

More: https://ow.ly/8noA50XW3vr #SentientSundays Tierschutzbund
How guinea pigs live happily
Guinea pigs are not cuddly animals and have high demands on their owners. With our tips, the rodents are guaranteed to feel at home with you.
ow.ly
January 18, 2026 at 9:00 AM
#DYK fish help fight climate change? 🐟

Through the ocean’s biological pump, fish help move carbon into the deep sea. Scientists estimate they contribute ~16% of ocean carbon export.

Association for the Sciences of Limnology and Oceanography https://ow.ly/ZjKS50XXR9P #ClimateHeroes #Animals4Climate
January 16, 2026 at 2:03 PM
Reposted by The World Federation for Animals
At Brooke, we know that the human–equine bond is central to animal welfare. This new research reminds us that stress and fear in handlers can impact horses’ emotional states, underscoring why supporting the mental well-being of both people and the animals they work with is so important. 🧡
Horses can smell fear in humans, researchers say
Tests showed horses that smelled body odour from people watching scary films startled more easily
www.theguardian.com
January 16, 2026 at 10:43 AM
Reposted by The World Federation for Animals
❤️🇦🇺 Australia is reviewing its animal research code for the first time in a decade, with proposals to recognise animal sentience, include crustaceans, limit animal use in teaching & restrict surgery to vets. A step toward more humane science.

⤵️
bit.ly/459zBHu
Are crabs animals and should we experiment on monkeys? Major review of Australia’s research code to mull tough questions
Ending use of animals in teaching and limiting surgery in research settings to veterinarians among suggested changes
bit.ly
January 14, 2026 at 12:00 PM
Reposted by The World Federation for Animals
#DYK whales & dolphins rely on sound as their primary sense? Activities like shipping, offshore development, seismic surveys & oil & gas exploration create underwater noise that can injure, disturb & displace them. But there is hope. Meet our ocean noise campaigner Emma 👉 tinyurl.com/yuw52yra
January 14, 2026 at 12:10 PM
Reposted by The World Federation for Animals
🐻✊ Finland’s court ruled bear hunting permits unlawful. The EU Habitats Directive must be defended, for every large carnivore, in every country!

⤵️
yle.fi/a/74-20203788
Itä-Suomen hallinto-oikeus: karhun metsästykseen myönnetyt poikkeusluvat olivat lain vastaisia
Hallinto-oikeus kumosi Riistakeskuksen myöntämät poikkeusluvat, koska niille ei ollut hallinto-oikeuden mukaan perusteita. Kiista karhun metsästyksestä jatkuu.
yle.fi
January 14, 2026 at 3:01 PM
Reposted by The World Federation for Animals
DYK that Italy has approved its first fund to support the transition to cage-free farming systems?

While the amount of money is regrettably low, it is a good first step towards a future where no animal is trapped in cages. And a clear signal to the @ec.europa.eu & other member states.
January 15, 2026 at 9:54 AM
In The Scotsman Philip Lymbery highlights UK’s new Animal Welfare Strategy & shows how better welfare also benefits people and the planet.

❗Public backing is clear: more than 8 in 10 Britons say #AnimalWelfare matters.

Full piece: https://ow.ly/F85950XW1Te Compassion in World Farming International
Ending the cruellest practices in farming makes financial as well as moral sense
High animal welfare standards are increasingly a mark of quality in global food markets
ow.ly
January 15, 2026 at 10:00 AM
What did Welfarm celebrate in 2025? 🐟🐖

Through their Stop Castration campaign and the introduction of CastraScore, France recorded in 2024 more entire male pigs than castrated pigs.

✅ Plus, a legislative proposal for a 10-year moratorium on intensive salmon farming.

🔗 https://ow.ly/APLP50XWEu8
January 14, 2026 at 6:02 PM
What did Dyrenes Beskyttelse celebrate in 2025? 🐷

They exposed illegal pig transport, filed police complaints against top pig industry leaders & delivered 108k+ citizen signatures to Parliament for better conditions.

See their Santaram 🇧🇷 fieldtrip for #COP30: https://ow.ly/Ow2m50XWEh9 #WFA2025Wins
January 14, 2026 at 4:02 PM
💡 A new report by Stockholm Environment Institute & NYU shows why animal health and welfare are essential to delivering the #2030Agenda and beyond.

Animals are key to sustainable development.

Full report 🔗 https://ow.ly/l3jm50XW123 #Animals4SDGs
January 13, 2026 at 10:56 AM
Reposted by The World Federation for Animals
Member states have approved the EU-Mercosur deal which is set to increase imports of animal products from highly intensive systems!

All eyes on the European Parliament to oppose the ratification of this deal.

Read more ⤵️
eurogroupforanimals.org/news/eu-merc...
EU-Mercosur deal will have devastating impacts for animals
Today, EU member states have greenlighted the EU-Mercosur trade agreement, marking a major political step towards the ratification of a deal that threatens millions of animals.
eurogroupforanimals.org
January 9, 2026 at 1:11 PM
Reposted by The World Federation for Animals
A new global report reveals that transforming food systems is essential for health, equity, and staying within Earth’s limits. READ: bit.ly/wbn-EAT-Lanc...
January 9, 2026 at 2:01 PM
Reposted by The World Federation for Animals
Over 70 shark & ray species just received new CITES protections — including gulper sharks, hunted for liver oil used in cosmetics. Whale sharks, oceanic whitetips & manta rays are now Appendix I, banning commercial trade entirely. link.ladyfreethinker.org/sharks
January 9, 2026 at 5:30 PM
This week’s top headlines for animals 👇

🟢 NZ recognises animals as sentient beings & bans cosmetic testing.

🔴 EU-Mercosur trade deal raises serious animal welfare concerns.

Stay informed. Get our Digest direct to your inbox 📨 ow.ly/u0Ct50XVrMP

#AnimalWelfare #EUMercosur
January 12, 2026 at 11:58 AM
How did #WorldAnimalDay begin, and what happened to its founder, Heinrich Zimmermann?

🎥 Our Secretary-General Wim DeKok uncovers the story behind this celebration of animal sentience: https://ow.ly/vG2M50XTUNq

#SentientSundays
January 11, 2026 at 12:00 PM
#DYK seabirds are #ClimateHeroes 🐦🌊

By depositing nutrient-rich guano, seabirds help:
✅ fertilise coastal and marine ecosystems
✅ boost coral reef growth, reducing coastal erosion
✅ strengthen plant growth that absorbs and stores carbon

More: https://ow.ly/zM9V50XTUCw #Animals4Climate
January 9, 2026 at 2:03 PM
Reposted by The World Federation for Animals
2025 brought real progress for animals and we’re proud to stand with @wfa.org in driving change. Let’s go further in 2026!

Explore the highlights: buff.ly/ypqoEpu
Animal Welfare 2025 Achievements and Global Animal Protection
Explore 2025’s major animal welfare achievements and global protection milestones. See how WFA and its members advanced policy, advocacy, and lasting change for animals worldwide.
wfa.org
January 6, 2026 at 4:56 PM
What did Project 1882 celebrate in 2025? 🐄

✅ Sweden went cage-free & all mink farms closed down. They defended cows’ right to graze outdoors in summer and supported animal rights work in Ukraine.

More: https://www.project1882.org/about/impact #WFA2025Wins
January 8, 2026 at 10:00 AM
What did Eurogroup for Animals celebrate in 2025? 🐾

EU rules for cats & dogs were agreed and their #ForwardforAnimals campaign mobilised 236,000+ responses on on-farm welfare.

More: https://ow.ly/CC9P50XSYnt #WFA2025Wins #AnimalWelfare
January 7, 2026 at 4:30 PM
Global commitment to the SDGs is strong, with 190 countries presenting national plans. ❗ Yet less than 20% of the targets are on track to be achieved by 2030. Animals sit at the heart of this gap.

Explore the data: https://ow.ly/xKBq50XSlHx #Animals4SDGs
January 6, 2026 at 12:01 PM
Want to start 2026 with good news from our members in December? 👉 Discover the wins celebrated by World Horse Welfare, Compassion in World Farming International & API (UK), Cruelty Free International & AAVS (US), Eurogroup for Animals & Project 1882 (EU), & AfA (Asia): https://ow.ly/gfzv50XS0LS
January 5, 2026 at 6:26 PM
🐟 Fish are often perceived as less capable of suffering, but scientific evidence tells a different story.

Studies show zebrafish have complex nervous systems and respond to pain by avoiding harm and changing behaviour.

Learn more 👉 https://ow.ly/k3R750XQWos

#SentientSundays
La historia del pez cebra — Animal Law Focus
Por Raquel Valenzuela, de ONG Te Protejo En las profundidades de miles de experimentos científicos, se esconde una criatura con aletas y un tierno pijama a rayas, que ha sido el centro de atención de miles de investigaciones. Un pequeño pez de agua dulce originario de Asia, que se ha convertido
ow.ly
January 4, 2026 at 10:00 AM
#DYK termites are tiny engineers? 🐜

They aerate soils, boost water absorption, and create fertile islands, helping plants survive droughts. This builds resilience against #desertification and #ClimateChange.

https://ow.ly/UZnL50XQW8M #ClimateHeroes
January 2, 2026 at 11:00 AM
Rethinking African #FoodSystems is urgent: industrial farming carries heavy costs. ⚠️

Solutions? 💡 Restore local diets, prioritise #AnimalWelfare, and build sustainable, just systems for people, animals, and planet.

via Faunalytics https://ow.ly/6wRS50XQ4nN
Rethinking Food Systems In Africa - Faunalytics
Industrial farming has left Africa carrying heavy costs — environmental, cultural, and ethical — that are rarely acknowledged. Building just and sustainable food systems means recognizing ecological debt, centering animal welfare, and restoring local values that connect humans, animals, and the land.
ow.ly
December 31, 2025 at 12:01 PM