WORLD ANIMAL PROTECTION

ANIMALS IN THE WILD: SHUTTING DOWN MIAMI SEAQUARIUM IN SEPTEMBER 2023, JUST DAYS AFTER THE TRAGIC PASSING OF THE ORCA TOKITAE (ALSO CALLED 'LOLITA'), WE LAUNCHED AN ONLINE PETITION TO SHUT DOWN THE MIAMI SEAQUARIUM. OVER 112 ANIMALS HAVE DIED AT THE VENUE SINCE IT OPENED ITS DOORS IN THE 1950S, MOST AT AGES FAR YOUNGER THAN THEIR NATURAL LIFESPANS. THE VENUE HAS BEEN EXPOSED VIA US DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE INSPECTIONS AND FOOTAGE GATHERED BY ADVOCATES AS BEING DECREPIT AND LACKING EVEN BASELINE RESOURCES TO CARE FOR ITS CAPTIVE ANIMAL. THE PETITION GATHERED OVER 35,000 SIGNATURES IN JUST A FEW MONTHS AND HELPED WORLD ANIMAL PROTECTION TEAM MEMBERS MEET WITH COUNTY OFFICIALS TO DISCUSS THE ISSUES AND FATE OF THE VENUE. ENDING THE SALE OF GUINEA PIGS IN NEW YORK CITY PET STORES FOLLOWING SUPPORTIVE TESTIMONY BY WORLD ANIMAL PROTECTION, NEW YORK CITY PASSED A BAN ON SELLING GUINEA PIGS IN PET STORES ANYWHERE IN THE CITY. ANIMALS SOLD IN STORES GENERALLY COME FROM ANIMAL MILLS WHERE LARGE NUMBERS OF BIRDS, REPTILES, AMPHIBIANS, SMALL MAMMALS, AND OTHERS ARE BRED IN UNSANITARY, CROWDED CONDITIONS BEFORE BEING SHIPPED IN CRATES AND BOXES TO PET STORES. THE INDUSTRY'S GOAL IS TO PRODUCE AS MANY ANIMALS AS CHEAPLY AS POSSIBLE. PET STORES MARKET SMALL ANIMALS TO FAMILIES AND YOUNG CHILDREN AS "STARTER PETS AND MISREPRESENT THEM AS EASY TO CARE FOR. FOLLOWING A PURCHASING FRENZY DURING LOCKDOWN, NEW YORK CITY SHELTERS AND RESCUES WERE INUNDATED WITH SURRENDERED GUINEA PIGS ONCE FAMILIES REALIZED THEY REQUIRED RESOURCES AND CARE THEY COULD NOT PROVIDE. GIVING MUNDI THE ELEPHANT A LIFE IN SANCTUARY MUNDI, A 41-YEAR-OLD AFRICAN SAVANNAH ELEPHANT, WAS BROUGHT TO THE US WITH DOZENS OF OTHER CALVES FROM ZIMBABWE FOLLOWING A LARGE ELEPHANT "CULL" BY THE GOVERNMENT. THE ELEPHANTS WERE SOLD OFF TO CIRCUSES, ZOOS, AND OTHER ENTERTAINMENT VENUES, WITH MUNDI SENT TO A ZOO IN PUERTO RICO WHERE SHE SPENT ALMOST HER ENTIRE LIFE IN A SMALL ENCLOSURE, ALONE, AND FORCED TO PERFORM TRICKS FOR VISITORS. AFTER MULTIPLE VIOLATIONS, THE ZOO LOST ITS LICENSE IN 2018 AND THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE ORDERED ITS CLOSURE AND FOR ALL ANIMALS TO BE RELOCATED TO SANCTUARY. WORLD ANIMAL PROTECTION HELPED TO FUND AND FACILITATE MUNDI'S RELOCATION TO ELEPHANT RESCUE NORTH AMERICA, AN 800-ACRE SANCTUARY IN GEORGIA WHERE SHE NOW LIVES IN A MORE NATURAL ENVIRONMENT, FREE FROM EXPLOITATION. WILDLIFE HERITAGE AREAS PROGRAM LAUNCHED WITH 8 DESIGNATED AREAS WORLD ANIMAL PROTECTION AND WORLD CETACEAN ALLIANCE LAUNCHED A NEW GLOBAL PROGRAM TO FOREVER CHANGE THE WAY PEOPLE VIEW AND UNDERSTAND WILDLIFE. THE LAUNCH ANNOUNCED THE OFFICIAL DESIGNATION OF EIGHT HERITAGE AREAS, WITH SEVERAL ADDITIONAL SITES IN VARIOUS STAGES OF THE DESIGNATION PROCESS. THE PROGRAM GIVES TRAVELERS A CLEAR RESOURCE FOR IDENTIFYING AMAZING DESTINATIONS WHERE THEY CAN TRUST THAT THE LOCAL COMMUNITIES AND TOURISM EXPERIENCES ARE MEANINGFULLY PROTECTING WILD ANIMALS AND THEIR HOMES. WILDLIFE HERITAGE AREAS PROVIDE A CLEAR SOLUTION FOR ELIMINATING THE EXPLOITATION OF ANIMALS BY THE MODERN TOURISM SECTOR. PUSHING MORE TRAVEL COMPANIES TO END ANIMAL EXPLOITATION IN FEBRUARY, WE RELEASED OUR SECOND TRACKING THE TRAVEL INDUSTRY REPORT SCORING THE LARGEST TRAVEL COMPANIES USED BY US TRAVELERS ON THEIR COMMITMENTS TO PROTECTING WILD ANIMALS FROM EXPLOITATIVE TOURISM. THE REPORT CALLED OUT SEVERAL COMPANIES, INCLUDING GROUPON, GETYOURGUIDE, TRIP.COM, AND KLOOK, FOR LACKING A POLICY PROHIBITING DOING BUSINESS WITH CAPTIVE WILDLIFE VENUES AND CONTINUING TO SELL TICKETS TO CRUEL ANIMAL 'EXPERIENCES'. THE REPORT RELEASE WAS FOLLOWED BY A COMPREHENSIVE WEBINAR WITH TWO ANIMAL-FRIENDLY TRAVEL COMPANIES THAT HIGHLIGHTED THE IMPORTANCE OF PROTECTING WILD ANIMALS AND CALLED OUT FAILING COMPANIES. KLOOK, WHICH HAD A REPRESENTATIVE ATTEND THE WEBINAR, PUBLISHED ITS FIRST EVER ANIMAL WELFARE POLICY PROHIBITING DOING BUSINESS WITH MOST TYPES OF COMMON CAPTIVE ANIMAL ATTRACTIONS JUST WEEKS AFTER. IN JUNE, OUR TEAM DEMONSTRATED OUTSIDE OF GROUPON'S ANNUAL SHAREHOLDER MEETING, WHICH PROMPTED THE COMPANY'S NEW CEO TO RESPOND TO OUR OUTREACH AND INITIATE EMAIL COMMUNICATIONS. ANIMALS IN FARMING: EXPOSING THE HARMS OF MEGA MEAT COMPANY JBS IN 2023 WORLD ANIMAL PROTECTION HELPED BRING GLOBAL ATTENTION TO THE HARMS CAUSED BY JBS, THE LARGEST PRODUCER AND PROCESSOR OF ANIMAL PRODUCTS IN THE WORLD. TWO REPORTSTHE TOP FIVE FACTORY FARMING CLIMATE CULPRITS AND PROFITING FROM CRUELTYDOCUMENTED THE IMMENSE AND TERRIBLE IMPACTS JBS'S BUSINESS-AS-USUAL OPERATIONS HAVE ON OUR PLANET AND COMMUNITIES. THROUGH THIS GROUNDBREAKING RESEARCH WORLD ANIMAL PROTECTION ATTRIBUTED A VOLUME OF GREENHOUSE GAS (GHG) EMISSIONS FROM JBS'S GLOBAL PIG AND CHICKEN PRODUCTION (AS WELL AS SEVERAL OTHER MAJOR MEAT PRODUCERS) AND CONNECTED COWS PURCHASED BY THE COMPANY TO ILLEGAL LAND GRABBING AND DEFORESTATION IN BRAZIL. WE SUBMITTED LENGTHY DOCUMENTATION OF JBS'S DEFORESTATION RISKS TO THE US SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION (SEC) AND OTHER KEY STAKEHOLDERS INVOLVED IN THE COMPANY'S PROPOSAL TO LIST PUBLICLY ON THE NY STOCK EXCHANGE. JBS'S AIMS TO BE PUBLICLY TRADED IN THE US BY DECEMBER 2023 HAVE NOW BEEN PUSHED BACK TO LATE 2024. #CLIMATECRIMES DURING CLIMATE WEEK NYC OUR TRUE-CRIME-INSPIRED CAMPAIGN PUT A FEW OF THE UNSEEN VICTIMS OF FACTORY FARMING FRONT AND CENTER: THE WILD ANIMALS KILLED WHEN MEAT AND FEED CROP COMPANIES EXPAND INTO NEW AREAS. WE DEPLOYED HUNDREDS OF POSTERS AROUND THE CITY IN TANDEM WITH FOUR "CRIME SCENE" INSTALLATIONS TO DRAW PUBLIC ATTENTION TO THE REALITY THAT OUR APPETITE FOR ANIMAL-BASED FOODS IS HARMING MANY MORE THAN THE ONES WE MAY THINK. MONKEYS, SLOTHS, JAGUARS, AND ANTEATERS NATIVE TO THE BRAZILIAN AMAZON WERE THE FOCUS OF THIS CAMPAIGN, PUTTING THE SPOTLIGHT ON JBS AND OTHER COMPANIES OPERATING IN BRAZIL AND THE IMMENSE DEVASTATION THEY WREAK. THE PHYSICAL CONTENT INCLUDED A QR CODE DRIVING TRAFFIC TO OUR WEBSITE PROVIDING MORE INFORMATION ON HOW FACTORY FARMING IS DESTROYING WILD ANIMAL HABITATS AND ENCOURAGING PEOPLE TO TAKE ACTION TO REDUCE OUR RELIANCE ON MEAT AND DAIRY. HELPING NEW YORKERS 'GIVE A CLUCK ABOUT CLIMATE' OUR 'GIVE A CLUCK ABOUT CLIMATE' EVENT AT WASHINGTON SQUARE PARK TREATED NEW YORKERS TO MOUTHWATERING, CRUELTY-FREE SANDWICHES THAT SHOWCASED FRIED "CHICKEN" PATTIES IN A BAO BUN WITH ALL THE FIXINGS. OUR TEAM TOOK TO THE STREETS TO DRAW PASSERSBY TO THE 'GIVE A CLUCK" FOOD TRUCK TO ENGAGE THEM IN QUIZZES, GAMES, AND CONVERSATION TO DEMONSTRATE THE PROFOUND ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT OF FACTORY FARMING AND THE INCREDIBLE CHANGE THAT A PLANT-BASED FOOD SYSTEM WOULD BRING. WE PARTNERED WITH FUNGI-BASED PROTEIN STARTUP, MEATI, AND LOCAL PLANT-BASED FAST-FOOD CHAIN, PLNT BURGER, TO HELP BRING THIS EVENT TO LIFE. ENDING CRUEL CONFINEMENT FOR FARMED ANIMALS IN NEW JERSEY IN JULY, FOLLOWING SEVERAL YEARS OF ACTION BY WORLD ANIMAL PROTECTION TEAM MEMBERS AND LOCAL SUPPORTERS, THE GOVERNOR OF NEW JERSEY SIGNED INTO LAW A NEW BILL BANNING THE USE OF CRATES FOR MOTHER PIGS AND BABY COWS IN THE STATE. NEW JERSEY JOINED EIGHT OTHER STATES THAT HAVE BANNED THE USE OF CRATES FOR BOTH PIGS AND COWS. HUNDREDS OF WORLD ANIMAL PROTECTION SUPPORTERS IN THE STATE TOOK ACTION OVER THE COURSE OF TWO YEARS, MAKING PHONE CALLS AND SENDING EMAILS TO STATE LEGISLATORS AT KEY TIMES TO HELP ADVANCE THE BILL. THIS IS JUST A SELECTION OF THE AMAZING ACCOMPLISHMENTS WE ACHIEVED FOR ANIMALS IN 2023 THANKS TO OUR SUPPORTERS. TO LEARN MORE ABOUT OUR IMPACT, VISIT: HTTPS://WWW.WORLDANIMALPROTECTION.US/ABOUT-US/ANNUAL-REPORTS-AND-FINANCI ALS/