2020 has been a challenging year for everyone, but it's important to remember the huge victories for animals during the past, very difficult year. And there were many!

Here's a quick recap...

Circuses

At the start of the year, circuses in England were finally banned from using wild animals in their shows when the Wild Animals in Circuses Act 2019 came into force. Freedom for Animals has been campaigning on this issue for over 63, so this was a huge milestone!

Fast forward to December and a similar ban came into effect in Wales. This now means that these cruel shows that involve wild animals are banned across the whole of Britain!

Zoos

Our campaign to close down Borth Wild Animal Kingdom was launched and has made great strides towards getting 'Britain's worst zoo' shut down for good. We gained national press when we revealed that 1 in 5 animals there died within the space of a year. In September, our Director, Sam Threadgill, attended a court hearing in which the zoo was ordered to rehome all of their big cats after failing to meet their licence conditions. Thank you so much to the thousands of you who took action against this awful place.

We also launched our #NoMoreZooSecrets campaign, where huge numbers of you contacted Zac Goldsmith to demand great transparcy within the zoo and aquarium industries.

Freedom for Animals publicised the fact that almost 40% of UK bird of prey centres don't have the correct licence and exposed a number of centres that were operating unlawfully.

Pet Trade

Following an investigation into a Manchester pet shop keeping marmosets in tiny cages and selling them as pets, the government has launched a public consultation into banning the keeping and trading of primates as pets!

Festive Events Using Animals

With the COVID restrictions putting an early end of the majority of animal festive events this year, we've not let up our campaign to encourage event organsiers to opt for more compassionate festivities in the future.

In a groundbreaking decision, Merseyside Council voted to ban the use of live animals in events!

Mobile Zoos

In 2020, we began our work encouranging local councils to implement bans on mobile zoos on their land, working closely with a small number of councils as well as sending our information pack to over 70 local authorities so far. 

Aquariums

We've been working very hard behind the scenes reseaching and planning our campaign into this overlooked area of animal abuse. Watch this space in 2021!

Following years of campaigning, two Beluga whales (Little White and Little Grey) finally made it to a sea sanctuary after years of exploitation at the hands of the Sea Life aquarium company.

You helped us raise over £4,800 for a vital investigation into the UK aquarium industry through our matched funding campaign. Stay tuned for something big!

Thank you so much for everything you've done to make these important victories happen! None of them would be possible without you. Here's to a better 2021!

If you want to help bring about more huge changes to the lives of animals currently suffering in captivity in the new year, join our committed group of Freedom Champions! Our Champions help enormously in making a real difference to animals logn into the future.

BECOME A FREEDOM CHAMPION