You Protected 224 Million Animals in 2020, Turning a Year of Challenge Into Lasting Change

You were a voice for wild animals.

When the COVID-19 pandemic struck, you leaped into action. This year it became clear that the way we treat wild animals had to change to help avoid another catastrophic zoonotic disease from ravaging the planet.  

Over 1 million of you signed our petition demanding G20 world leaders take action to end the cruel wildlife trade and protect animals, people, and the planet. 

Although the G20 failed to address the global wildlife trade at the Leaders’ Summit in November, with your powerful voices behind us, we’re continuing the fight into 2021 for the lasting change our world so drastically needs.

You were there when they needed you most.

You provided much-needed food and medical care to over 11,000 wild animals affected by the global pandemic, including elephants at high-welfare venues that were struggling to care for them properly when their income from ethical tourism declined. 

You were their rescuers.

When wildfires, floods, and explosions endangered the lives of animals, your generosity meant our partners on the ground had everything they needed to respond quickly and help those animals in need. 

In total, your support helped 28,475 animals affected by disasters in 2020. 

You were their champions. 

Intensive farming is the single largest source of animal suffering on Earth. Thanks to your commitment, we’re working with major food producers to help them move to more compassionate models and reduce farm animals’ suffering. 

In the US, after hearing from you, food chains across the nation agreed to add plant-based offerings to their menus, sparing almost a million animals per year.  

You were their protectors 

Over 10 million dogs are culled inhumanely and cruelly every year in misguided attempts to control rabies. Your support vaccinated 148,733 animals across the world – mostly dogs – to help end this cruelty and help reach the UN goal of eliminating rabies in people by 2030. 

We know we must focus on dogs to end this awful but preventable disease. Globally, on average, it only costs US$4 to vaccinate a dog against rabies, but 27 times that – US$108 – to treat a person that has been bitten. 

Next year, we will do even more.

Each time you watched one of our videos, donated, shared our posts on social media, volunteered, ran a marathon, signed a petition, you gave your time and effort to end animal cruelty. Thank you. 

Despite a year of great sadness and challenge, we managed to achieve so much. Imagine what we can do together in 2021!