An Illinois man has received the maximum 10-year prison sentence for the torture and death of Trek, a dog who was dragged behind a vehicle and abandoned. A jury convicted Tracy McKee of animal torture, aggravated animal cruelty and animal cruelty. He will spend at least five years of his 10-year sentence in an Illinois prison. McKee left Trek outside in extreme heat, chained him to an SUV, and drove away while the dog was still alive before abandoning him in a vacant lot. Pe

In Sri Lanka, an island nation in South Asia, a visually impaired elephant was searching for food near homes when three men allegedly chased him with flaming torches. One of the men allegedly set fire to his body. The elephant suffered severe burns. Veterinarians tried to save him, but he died from his injuries. His death is a painful reminder of how badly Sri Lanka needs stronger laws against animal cruelty. Sri Lanka’s main animal cruelty law was written over a century ago

Animals deserve protection from abuse and cruelty. Florida has strengthened its laws against animal cruelty, giving animals greater protection from abuse. A new law made it a felony for an adult to involve a child in serious acts of cruelty against animals, including animal fighting and sexual abuse involving animals. The law also increased penalties for animal fighting and baiting. Children convicted of certain animal cruelty offenses can be required to receive a psychologi

She should be able to swim through these waters without finding a wall of netting in her path. A young dolphin was swimming off the coast of South Africa when she became trapped in a shark net. She struggled to escape, but the net held her underwater until she died. Her death was not an accident. Shark nets and baited hooks used along South Africa’s coast also catch turtles, rays, and sharks that were never the intended target. From 2018 through 2022, this gear killed an a

A Florida man has been sentenced to 20 years in prison for killing two cats. After a three-day trial, a jury convicted him of two counts of aggravated animal cruelty and two counts of aggravated stalking. The judge imposed four consecutive five-year prison terms, along with an order for no contact with animals and a DNA sample. The cats were shot in the woods, and their severed heads were later found in a mailbox. Investigators recovered video showing the cats being shot in

There is nowhere to run when the people who came for them arrive. In China, terrified dogs are trapped in filthy, crowded cages where they see and hear other dogs being beaten and killed. Workers grab them with metal nooses, club them, and slit their throats. Some dogs are still alive when workers skin them.  Their skin is turned into leather gloves, belts, jacket trim, cat toys, and other products sold around the world. Congress documented dog and cat fur entering the Unit

Every homeless cat deserves the chance to be safe. Today is International Homeless Animals' Day, a day dedicated to raising awareness of the millions of dogs and cats around the world living without a home. The world's 600 million stray dogs and 87 million stray cats give birth to more than 1 billion homeless puppies and kittens every year. Every homeless animal has a different story. Today, we'd like to introduce you to a few of our Pilot Pups whose journeys began without

Every monkey deserves a life free from fear, pain, and exploitation. A Florida man has been sentenced to five years in federal prison for distributing more than 40 videos showing monkeys being tortured, mutilated, burned, and sexually abused. Investigators found that he created and managed private online groups where the videos were distributed. The court found that his leadership role in those groups was one of the reasons he received the five-year prison sentence.  The ju

Public lands should not hide poison. 14-year-old Canyon Mansfield was walking with his beloved dog, Kasey, near their home in Idaho when Kasey investigated what looked like an ordinary sprinkler head hidden in the ground. The device blasted sodium cyanide into Kasey's mouth and face. Canyon watched his dog convulse, foam at the mouth, collapse, and die in terrible pain. Canyon was also poisoned and continues to suffer health problems from the exposure. Kasey's death happen

Protection is a basic need, not a reward. Meta, the company behind Facebook and Instagram, has removed hundreds of animal cruelty posts and abusive accounts.  Some of the videos showed helpless kittens thrown into water before someone stepped in for a staged “rescue.” Others showed puppies, cats, and baby monkeys terrified, trapped, injured, or deliberately placed in danger while cameras recorded every second. Happiness grows when suffering is prevented. Viewers thought they

Small dogs are not exempt from the dangers of the meat trade. Warning: Graphic images appear below. They are included to show the reality and severity of the dog and cat meat trade. A dog spends days trapped inside a crowded wire cage without food or water. There is not enough space to lie down. Paws become trapped between sharp metal bars. Raw skin is scraped away as bodies are forced against wire cages for hundreds of miles. By the time many animals reach Yulin, some are

Behind closed doors, thousands of shelter animals still face the terror of Japan’s gas chambers. Dogs and cats in parts of Japan’s public shelter system are still euthanized inside carbon dioxide gas chambers known as “Dream Boxes.” These sealed metal chambers are designed to kill multiple animals at once by pumping in carbon dioxide gas until the animals suffocate. Investigations described dogs howling, clawing at metal walls, trembling, gasping for air, and collapsing duri

In Eliza’s eyes, it was clear she no longer expected anyone to notice her. We found Eliza at the back of a residential area, near an open ground where children play. She was standing off to the side and did not leave that spot as we approached. Then she walked toward us on her own and let us place a leash on her. Eliza stayed beside us as we walked her away from that area and brought her to our shelter. Our veterinarian examined her and confirmed she was healthy and strong.

Freedom finally replaces fear. A woman in Iowa has been sentenced to two years in prison for animal torture after authorities found one dog dead inside a suitcase and another alive in severe neglect. She also received a separate sentence for neglect, but the judge ordered it to run at the same time, so she will serve two years in total. Investigators discovered that the dead dog had tape binding his front paws and a cord wrapped around his neck. The other dog was found alive

Every tuft of mohair began with an animal who had no say. A child hugs a soft teddy bear from FAO Schwarz, unaware that the "luxury" mohair used in these toys is ripped from goats in a cycle of unimaginable violence. On mohair farms, goats are grabbed by their horns and legs and dragged across hard floors as they fight desperately to break free. Some are lifted by their tails, which can snap their spine. Their bodies are forced down so hard that they cannot move. Blades te

A single injury reveals the violence hidden behind every shipment. Frogs slaughtered for their legs are transported in tightly packed sacks where they can barely move. Many arrive at processing facilities already injured and suffocating. Workers pull them out and begin cutting into their bodies while they are still conscious. No anesthesia is used. Skin is torn from living tissue by hand. Limbs are severed while the animals are still reacting to pain. The journey begins in

Bees fight to survive in a world shaped by human choices. Today is World Bee Day — a day that draws attention to how human actions are killing bees at a scale the world can no longer ignore. In Brazil, nearly 500 million bees were killed after pesticide spraying contaminated the areas where they fed. Fields that had been alive with movement turned silent almost overnight. Entire colonies collapsed within hours. The chemicals were known, the danger was clear , yet the spray

The law finally speaks for those who cannot. An Australian court has convicted a woman after a kangaroo named Dolores lived for months with untreated injuries while in her care. Dolores was found tangled in a fence, suffering from deep wounds to her leg.  Instead of receiving veterinary care, she was kept confined as swelling worsened, wounds failed to heal, and movement became increasingly difficult. A veterinarian testified that Dolores experienced ongoing pain and dist

Gentle companions deserve protection. A man in New Mexico who was filmed attacking two dogs with landscaping rocks has been sentenced to 18 months in prison. The court also imposed a $5,000 fine, and the offender was taken into custody immediately to begin serving his term for Extreme Cruelty to Animals. The case began in February 2025 when a disturbing video surfaced online. The footage showed the man, Cobos, striking two dogs, Billy and Nani, with heavy landscaping rocks. P

His ribs tell the story of neglect no words can. A rope cuts into a dog’s neck as he pulls, trying to reach a bowl that has been dry for days. His ribs press sharply against thin skin. Flies settle into open sores that no one has cleaned or treated. Rain soaks him through the night, and by morning the sun burns down with no shade anywhere in sight. Confusion fills his eyes because he does not know what he did wrong.  Pain and hunger are the only answers he gets. Each br