2023 was a BIG year for 600 Million Dogs and animals all around the world.
And none of it would be possible without you — our deeply valued supporters!
Thanks to you, we were able to speak up for animals suffering from terrible abuse. From stray dogs being shot in the streets in Bahrain, to the bodies of octopuses being thrown at ice hockey games as a part of a brutal “tradition,” we took a stand in the face of needless cruelty, while at the same time pursuing our primary mission -- to save entire future generations of stray dogs and cats from suffering.
How We Fought For Animals in 2023
1. Stray Dogs of Bahrain
Stray dogs are being mercilessly shot dead on the streets of Bahrain, a small island nation near Saudi Arabia.
From the footage shared with us, it appears that armed men are using rifles to shoot the dogs. The shooter usually does this by sitting in a vehicle, pointing the gun at the dog through the vehicle's open window.
Sometimes the dogs are shot several times before they die, suffering agonizingly slow deaths. Soon after, the dogs who have collapsed on the street are stuffed into trash bags, thrown into the back of a pickup truck, and driven away.
Since October 2022, this barbaric scenario has been repeated almost daily, early in the morning; a systematic hunting and shooting of stray dogs, especially in the area of Askar.
The government will neither confirm nor deny that it is responsible for the shootings.
If you haven’t already, please send a powerful message to the Crown Prince of Bahrain -- who is also the Prime Minister -- and other influential Bahraini officials. It just takes one click!
UPDATE: Tragically, dogs are still being shot in Bahrain. International media attention is desperately needed. We continue to work to stop this unnecessary suffering.
For more details, please visit — and share — our website page https://www.600milliondogs.org/bahrain
2. Detroit Red Wings Ice Hockey Octopus Abuse
The Detroit Red Wings have tolerated a “tradition” of animal abuse for over 70 years at their home playoff games.
Before these games, some fans throw octopuses onto the ice, supposedly to bring good luck to the team.
Since octopuses have 8 arms, this bizarre and sickening practice is supposed to symbolize the 8 games needed to win the Stanley Cup.
Even though the National Hockey League has banned throwing “objects” (and, it should go without saying, sentient beings) onto the ice, the rule has not been effectively enforced.
If you haven’t already, please click the button below to watch a short video of this abuse -- and then please SPEAK UP for octopuses by signing the petition to NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman!
UPDATE: So far, the Detroit Red Wings have done nothing further about this sickening tradition at their games.
3. Elon Musk’s Lab of Horrors: End Cruel Brain Experiments
Recent reports have found that over 1,500 animals were killed as a result of billionaire Elon Musk’s company Neuralink.
Neuralink is attempting to design a device to process and transmit neural signals that could connect to other technological devices, such as a computer or a phone.
Neuralink’s lofty goals are clouded by evidence of abusive animal experiments, even according to its own employees. Dating back to 2017, public records revealed horrifying details: one rhesus monkey’s nausea was “so severe that the animal vomited and had open sores in her esophagus before she was finally killed,” according to the nonprofit group Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine.
As you know, tragically, the laws to protect animals from cruel experiments are very weak. In December of 2022, a federal investigation was launched after whistleblower complaints revealed reckless behavior by scientists at Neuralink, even violating the few weak laws that are in place.
UPDATE: In September 2023, Elon Musk publicly claimed in a post on social media site "X" (formerly Twitter) that "No monkey has died as a result of a Neuralink implant," in spite of all the evidence to the contrary.
Neuralink has now begun recruiting for human trials.
If you haven’t already, demand that Neuralink STOP its cruel animal experiments! We've written a message you can use. Just click on the button!
4. End New Zealand's Cat Killing Contest
Earlier this year, New Zealand carried out a deeply disturbing cat hunting contest that not only took the lives of innocent felines but also initially targeted children as participants with a $250 prize for whoever killed the most cats.
Following multiple complaints, the event’s organizers decided to remove the under-14 category from the competition.
Despite the removal of the under-14 category, reports from local animal rights activists paint a distressing picture, describing scenes where children, some as young as 7, are swinging lifeless animals in their faces.
While the organizers argue that killing feral cats is essential to protect native species, it is vital not to overlook the tragic irony of killing animals to save animals.
Preservation efforts should focus on addressing the root causes of ecological imbalances and finding compassionate solutions.
If you haven’t yet, please sign our petition below.
UPDATE: No further comment has been made by the contest organizers or by the government.
5. Bill to End Dog Meat Trade in South Korea
UPDATE: On the 17th of November 2023, the South Korean government made a historic announcement: a bill to ban dog meat will be introduced by the end of the year. If passed, the law will go into full effect in 2027. This could be a massive win for dogs of South Korea!
South Korea has been known for the horrifying practice of farming dogs for human consumption. This practice presently breeds over one million dogs across thousands of farms in South Korea in terrible conditions.
While numerous dogs are bred within these facilities, abandoned pets with collars are frequently found among the animals designated for slaughter.
You can still sign our petition to encourage lawmakers to pass the bill banning dog meat!
6. Urged CDC Release Restrictions on Dog Rescues
The Center for Disease Control (CDC) proposed new, strict guidelines on the importation of dogs to the U.S.
New, extremely strict guidelines impacting dogs from countries with a high risk of rabies could mean a death sentence for countless dogs across the world, and would bring international rescue efforts to a standstill. It also means that many people – Americans living abroad, or those looking to emigrate to the U.S. – may be forced to abandon their beloved companion animals.
Dogs are already required to have a valid rabies certificate before entering the U.S. This is an important requirement, but the many layers of additional restrictions are far too complex and strict.
600 Million Dogs’ supporters spoke up for dogs by voicing comments on the CDC’s page. Comments have since been closed, and we are so grateful to everyone who took action!
UPDATE: Unfortunately, the CDC has extended its temporary suspension of dog importation from high-risk dog rabies countries until July 31, 2024.
7. Australia’s Cat Killing Machines
Australia has declared a "war on feral cats." The country is rolling out a cruel and diabolical 5-year plan to cut down the feral cat population.
The plan includes a killing machine called “The Felixer.” The device has cameras that can detect when a cat is passing by, and lasers that will then shoot a toxic gel onto the cat. When the cats groom themselves, they swallow the poison and die a slow and painful death.
The Australian government should be using its creativity and resources to invest in the development of nonlethal birth control methods that address the cat overpopulation crisis right at its source!
UPDATE: As of now, the sickeningly cruel cat-killing plan is still set to move forward.
If you haven’t yet, please sign our petition, which will send your message to Australian Minister for the Environment and Water Tanya Plibersek, and also to the Australian Department of Climate Change, Energy, The Environment, and Water.
Our Main Fight: Developing the One-Dose Spay and Neuter Cookie
As you know, our nonprofit science-centered mission is to significantly reduce animal suffering on a global scale by developing a safe, edible, one-dose, permanent-lasting birth control Cookie for stray dogs and cats.
It is an ambitious, challenging mission, but the goal of saving huge numbers of animals, instead of just a few, is worth fighting for. Every day that goes by, homeless animals suffer needlessly, and that is not acceptable. That's why we continue this unique project, day in and day out, even though our funding is not yet enough to do this scientific work on a large, efficient scale that would help animals more quickly.
This year, we rescued a record number of Pilot Pups, fed each a single safe trial Cookie, and adopted them into loving homes as a part of our grassroots studies to develop the Spay and Neuter Cookie.
Multi-billion-dollar pharmaceutical companies have neglected to address the greatest crisis facing dogs and cats — stray overpopulation — but with your help, we are working tirelessly at the grassroots level to make major changes for animals.
2023 was a powerful year for animals all around the world, and you played an instrumental role in it! Let’s make 2024 the best year yet!