We all know how poorly the big box retailers treat the animals in their care. Lately, the treatment of betta fish has been bothering me a LOT. They’re in literal cups, why is this normalized? I’ve written in to big box stores asking them to change their treatment of the bettas - hoping others here will join in and maybe we can actually change something? You can contact with short messages on their websites- or you can send mail/call them. I even tried to figure out their higher executives emails and shot out some messages to those (I.e. firstnamelastname@petstore.com, firstinitiallastname@petstore.com, etc.) as well as CCing some of their partner charities. All messages were kind as I know it’s not the poor customer service employee’s fault. Just hoping things will change for the bettas :( if anyone else is willing to send out messages I would really appreciate it!!

Potentially hot take here: we need to consider the perspectives of animal farmers when we talk about veganism and meat reduction.

I know, I know -- many people here are more likely to think of animal farmers as perpetrators of cruelty, not as potential allies. But I think that's strategically wrong, since animal farmers can (and have!) transform their farms into plant-based systems or even animal sanctuaries. Plus, they're less likely to fight laws to help animals and reduce meat consumption if they feel like their needs are being met. Long term, it's better for animals to help farmers with transitions out of animal agriculture instead of thinking of them as enemies.

In this piece, I analyze the psychology of animal farmers, as it can provide us some insights in how to work on meat reduction globally. I think we need more NGOs that work with animal farmers to help them change their farms to be more ethical, reduce the number of animals they raise, or hopefully to transition to other lines of work. What do you think?

🚨 CALIFORNIA CALL TO ACTION: Your Voice Matters! From https://socialcompassioninlegislation.org/ with AI help:

AB 478 (Zbur) & AB 631 (Lee) are now on the Senate Appropriations Suspense File!
SB 221 (Ochoa Bogh) & AB 347 (Kalra) have also landed on the Appropriations Suspense Files—and need your support before they’re decided upon in a suspense hearing!

Why This Matters

• Student Rights & Compassion: AB 347 empowers kids to learn ethically and without fear of penalty, while encouraging modern, humane alternatives to dissection.
• Public Safety & Pets: SB 221 recognizes the trauma of stalking by proxy—when a perpetrator threatens a beloved pet to intimidate a victim. It holds them accountable.
• Emergency Preparedness: AB 478 puts families and pets first in evacuation scenarios.

What You Can Do (Quick & Easy)

Call the Appropriations Committee chairs to show your support for these important bills before the August 29 suspense hearing:For AB 347, AB 478 & AB 631:

Senate Appropriations Chair – Senator Anna Caballero
Phone: (916) 651-4014
Message: “Hi, I’m [Your Name] from [Your City]. I strongly support AB 347, AB 478, and AB 631.”

AB 347 (CLASS Act) ensures students are notified in writing of their right to opt out of animal dissection and receive an equivalent non-animal alternative—plus info on where specimens come from and chemicals used (Social Compassion in Legislation, Bill Texts, trackbill.com).
AB 478 (“FOUND Act”) addresses pet rescue during evacuations—requiring hotlines, tracking rescued animals, and supporting pet parents in emergencies (Constant Contact).
AB 631 mandates that shelters and rescues publicly report intake/outcome data—boosting transparency and helping tackle pet overpopulation (Social Compassion in Legislation).

For SB 221:

Assembly Appropriations Chair – Buffy Wicks
Phone: (916) 319-2014 (correct number but does not indicate Wicks: leave a message)
Message: “Hi, I’m [Your Name] from [Your City]. I strongly support SB 221.”

SB 221 closes a dangerous legal gap—making threats to pets (including service animals, emotional-support animals, or horses) count as stalking, aligning state law with the federal standard (LegiScan, Senator Rosilicie Ochoa Bogh).

• Data for Good: AB 631’s transparency helps monitors, shelters, and communities address pet overpopulation effectively.

TL;DR

1. Call CA Senator Caballero (916-651-4014)—support AB 347, AB 478, AB 631.
2. Call CA Assemblymember Buffy Wicks (916-319-2014)—support SB 221.
3. Say your name, city, and that you strongly support each bill. That’s it!

Your simple act can help decide whether these bills move forward—or die in committee. Every call matters.

What’s the “Suspense File”?

In the Assembly and Senate, fiscal committees use the suspense file to hold bills expected to cost the state a significant amount (typically over $50K from the General Fund or $150K from special funds) (LegiScan, Senator Rosilicie Ochoa Bogh). Rather than vote immediately, all such bills are pooled and debated together at a “suspense hearing” to weigh their overall budget impact. Some advance—some quietly die in committee without ever reaching the floor.

Every year, thousands of wild Mustangs lose their freedom in brutal roundups.

And what happens next is often just as heartbreaking: many of these horses end up in the wrong hands, misunderstood, and too often pushed into harsh, dominant training methods - including flooding and more - both in the U.S. and in Europe.

Some are even shipped to Germany, far away from their herds and everything they know.

My friend Katrin has been speaking up for these horses for years, and her latest text is something everyone should read. She explains why so many Mustangs end up in situations they can't cope with, and why we need to look much closer before calling it "rescue".

In June this year, I visited the Pine Nut Wild Horse Advocates and saw what true protection looks like. Their work keeps the herds together, manages the population with care, and allows these incredible animals to remain what they are meant to be: wild and free.

The American Wild Horse Conservation does the same on a larger scale - fighting legal battles, protecting land, documenting roundups, and tirelessly raising awareness.

These organizations show us there is a better way - one where Mustangs keep their freedom, their families, and their dignity.

For anyone interested in Katrin's full text, it's available on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/p/19obko6aUg/?mibextid=wwXIfr

I feel like these need to be stopped at this point. The organizations may have good intentions but all I see now when I see these feeders are traps that make victims easier to find for sadistic monsters. I know some people are against euthanizing strays but even that is a much better fate than horrific abuse. Strays should at least go to shelters instead of getting fed in a box on the street where anyone can find them, though I’m sure the abusers adopt their victims from anywhere they can as well. I wish this type of sadistic psychopathy would just be wiped out. I hope somehow someday our species only consists of people with compassion.

Long article but we'll worth the read, please help end the abuse in my county

The german animal sanctuary "Lebenshof Auenland" received a request to take in a young rooster. Unfortunately they don't have enough capacities to keep him. To everyone here who lives in Germany, do you know anyone who could take the rooster in or could you do it? He only has time until 4th of September. If no good place for him is found until then, he will be killed.

Here's the post: http://youtube.com/post/UgkxkvnI-5fHFyrsyyqzewx3VPRrt-b7hU1k?si=_ecLxNaHsUclC_iW

Here you'll see how you can contact the sanctuary: https://www.lebenshof-auenland.de/impressum/

Please help the rooster.

I just need to vent for a moment. I knew the state of animal well fare was terrible in China, but I didn’t learn about these online torture networks until this Monday. And how much support they have, how people pay to watch it. The horrible things done to these innocent little souls for someone’s sick twisted enjoyment to which there is no justice or punishment for. Ever since, anytime I think about it I either cry or start slipping into a panic attack. I feel anger and I feel hate. The thoughts that slip through my mind… I am just completely scarred, enraged and heartbroken.To hurt something so small and pure for absolutely nothing, and for so many to be complicit in it, I can’t comprehend it. My mental health has just gone to absolute hell this week and the knowledge that this is happening right now makes me want to scream. All I can think about is how much pain these poor cats are in and how these sick people are going to get away with it over and over again because their government just doesn’t care! I hate to say it but I want these people to be put through the same… Has anyone else felt this way?? I cannot get out of this hole mentally

Join activists as they demonstrate at the Norco Mounted Posse - Professional Rodeo Cowboys’ Association in Norco, CA, on 8/23-8/24. This year marks the rodeo’s 39th year of animal abuse.

When:
Saturday, August 23, 2025 - 6pm-8pm
Sunday, August 24, 2025 - 3:30pm-5:30pm

Where:
George Ingalls Equestrian Event Center, 3737 Crestview Drive, Norco, CA 92860

Free onsite parking is available
Signs and banners will be available - but you are encouraged to make your own!
Participants are also encouraged to wear a hat and bring water.

Facebook Event Pages:
Saturday - https://www.facebook.com/share/1AwneeSBNZ/
Sunday - https://www.facebook.com/share/1B8bVyA22n/

Hi everyone,

I recently listened to a podcast episode about commercial predator urine and where it comes from (link: https://outsideinradio.org/shows/where-does-coyote-urine-come-from). The episode detailed egregious and disturbing mistreatment of wild animals - coyotes, foxes, skunks, etc - for the production of predator urine, which is widely sold in big box stores like Bass Pro Shop.

Basically, the market for this is completely unregulated, and it's almost impossible to find real information on the practices involved. But one "farm" producing the urine was recently exposed by Humane World. An excerpt from the podcast from Laura Koivula:

"Um, it was quite jarring. So the majority of the coyotes were in tiny metal wire cages with no access to a wooden box, so they had no shelter or the majority of the coyotes. And these wire cages looked almost like crab pots. Most of the animals could not stand up straight. There were a number of dead animals still in their enclosures. Um, some covered in snow. There were some dead animals still in with living animals in the same cage. Some of the animals had missing limbs and ears or tails. It was really horrifying. It was one of the most. Horrifying things I had ever seen."

I thought, upon listening to this, that I would be able to find some kind of effort online pushing to regulate or put an end to the industry, but I found close to nothing! I guess I'm wondering why no one is talking about this, really. Does anyone have any suggestions or insight for what people like myself could do to help fight it? It blows my mind that this is a real product and that I hadn't even heard of it until a few days ago, especially as someone who concerns themselves with animal welfare!

Lewis Bollard on Dwarkesh Patel’s podcast did something special…!

"A New Holland man will face eight charges in the Lancaster County Court of Common Pleas alleging he killed four dogs because they weren’t selling in October 2023.

John S. Stoltzfus Jr., 46 of the 600 block of Hollander Road, waived his preliminary hearing Tuesday before Magisterial District Judge Jonathan Heisse on four counts of aggravated cruelty to animals and four counts of cruelty to animals.

On October 31, 2023, the Lancaster County Detectives received a call from the New Holland Police Department regarding the death of four black Sheepadoodle puppies named Tammy, Terry, Todd, and Tom.

New Holland Police received a complaint from an employee at Greenfield Puppies, which received a call from Stoltzfus asking to take the four puppies off their website and stating “black puppies aren’t selling” so he “put them to sleep.” Stoltzfus said he did not take the dogs to a veterinarian and “did it himself.”

Lancaster County Detectives and a PSPCA Officer responded to the 600 block of Hollander Road around 9:35 a.m. on Nov. 1, 2023, and spoke with Stoltzfus, who stated he put the puppies in a compost pile on the property.

A search warrant was executed at Stoltzfus’ property the same day around 12:18 p.m. and the defendant said he “put them down” in reference to the puppies and stated, “We have a way of doing it, we took good care of them.”

When asked by a detective to show where the puppies were, Stoltzfus pointed to a floor drain inside a barn where cow manure runs off. The detective did not see any puppy remains in the area.

Stoltzfus remains free after posting $10,000 unsecured bail. He is on pre-trial supervision and prohibited from buying, breeding, or selling any domestic animals. Stoltzfus is scheduled to be arraigned June 14."

*

This is fucked. He not only killed them, he drowned them in shit water.