Friends of Animals

08/07/2025

Take action now!

As we mourn the death of yet another innocent horse, we are urging NYC once again to pass a complete ban on carriage horses. The only equitable, sensible and humane solution is to shut down the industry; save the horses and take them to sanctuaries; and for the city and carriage drivers to come to an agreement about the creation of new jobs. You cannot regulate atrocities as some other horse advocates would like you to believe.

NYC Residents:
📞 Call Council Member Lynn Schulman and demand she hold a hearing and advance Ryder's Law Intro 967.
718-544-8800 (press 0 to reach someone or leave a message)

📧 Email:
[email protected]

https://friendsofanimals.org/how-many-horses-must-die-in-the-name-of-nycs-tradition/

Photo: Catie Savage

Today we are mourning the death of a 15-year-old Standardbred Cross mare named Lady who was on her way from Central Park to her stable when she suddenly collapsed around 2:28 p.m. Tuesday near West 51St. and 11th Ave. in Hell’s Kitchen. Lady had been exploited for two carriage rides that day, and ...

08/05/2025

Some recent incidents in Connecticut—involving dogs off leashes and black bears protecting their young—makes us at Friends of Animals feel like the time is ripe to relaunch our mid-1970s “Support the right to arm bears” campaign. Read more here: https://friendsofanimals.org/on-the-frontlines-support-the-right-to-arm-bears/

08/04/2025

For many, becoming vegan is a non-linear journey. Here at Friends of Animals, we applaud those who recognize the importance of a vegan diet and commit to living the lifestyle in full.

Most, if not all of us were not lucky enough to be raised vegan from day one. Most of us, for years, were subjected to the customs of our caregivers, which typically included the consumption of animal products. However, we couldn’t ignore what we knew was the right thing to do and eventually found our way to veganism.

This was certainly the case for Renee King-Sonnen, Jack Castle and Dr. Alice Brough—and we hope you’ll find their vegan transition stories as inspiring as we did. Check out the full story here!

https://friendsofanimals.org/get-inspired-by-the-stories-of-people-who-had-the-resolve-to-transition-to-veganism/

08/01/2025

URGENT!!! Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) is attempting to kill another member of the Copper Creek wolf family—a resilient, intelligent and tightly bonded group who have already endured enough: the illegal shooting of their father, forced captivity, family separation and translocation.

You can help protect Colorado’s wolves by calling and emailing Governor Polis’ office, Colorado Department of Natural Resources Executive Director, Dan Gibbs, and CPW Commissioners:

(303-866-2885) ([email protected])

(303-866-3311) ([email protected])

([email protected])

Tell them not to kill another member of the Copper Creek wolf family. Read more here: https://friendsofanimals.org/stop-the-killing-of-colorados-wolves/

07/30/2025

Take action now!

On July 24, members of Congress leveraged the Congressional Review Act (CRA) to stop the killing of 500,000 barred owls in California, Washington and Oregon to save spotted owls. The resolution’s primary sponsors include U.S. Reps. Troy Nehls, R-Texas; Josh Harder, D-California; Scott Perry, R-Pennsylvania; and Adam Gray, D-California.

While we generally don’t think Congress should be using the CRA to influence wildlife management, we are asking our supporters to urge their U.S. Senators and Representatives to put an end to this plan for several reasons and thus to vote yes on to the resolution. You can find your members of Congress here: https://www.congress.gov/members/find-your-member

Read more about our work to protect barred owls here:
https://friendsofanimals.org/foa-supports-congress-move-to-stop-reckless-barred-owl-killing-plan/

07/29/2025

Primates are wild animals, not pets. Actor Alan Cummings shares his experience and thoughts regarding his encounters with Tonka, a young chimp he met on the set of a movie. Primates as pets are often confined to small spaces, deprived of an appropriate diet, and isolated in ways they never would be in the wild. Their lack of same-species socialization is detrimental to their development and wellbeing. The dangers are prominent for both humans and their pet primates.

Read more about the importance of getting the Captive Primate Safety Act passed, and how to ask your representatives to cosponsor this bill here!

https://friendsofanimals.org/foa-applauds-congress-reintroduction-of-the-captive-primate-safety-act/

07/28/2025

While Friends of Animals work spans the globe, this month it hit close to home, literally outside our Darien, Connecticut, headquarters.

A staff member spotted three black rodent bait boxes placed against the building. And we weren't just going to let that slide. See how and why we took action here!

https://friendsofanimals.org/on-the-frontlines-foa-fights-to-keep-its-headquarters-rodent-poison-free/

07/25/2025

The “kill it, squash it, mash it, just get rid of it” mentality pushes all our buttons at Friends of Animals.

The most maligned insect in Connecticut currently is the spotted lanternfly. Unless you are living under a rock under a Tree of Heaven, you have heard it is a good idea to stomp or squish them. Or to take a collective action to remove the invasive Tree of Heaven wherever it is found. But we ought to be letting nature take its course.

Find out more in the oped below! thank you to Hour Newsroom for including the piece!

Nicole Rivard of Darien-based Friends of Animals offers insights into the spotted laternfly, aka, 'the most maligned insect in Connecticut.'

07/24/2025

Director Pippa Ehrlich, the Oscar-winning director of “My Octopus Teacher,” wanted people to fall in love with pangolins for who they are, not just as victims because they’re the world’s most trafficked mammal and some species are critically endangered, and then feel hopeless and forget about them.

In June, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service proposed to protect pangolins under the Endangered Species Act, a move that would firmly and finally close any U.S. market in these gravely imperiled animals. Protecting pangolins under the ESA would also send a strong signal to China, which has been hesitant to fully close its own market for pangolin parts.

Friends of Animals will be submitting comments to support the proposal before the Aug. 18 deadline. The public can also submit comments by going to www.regulations.gov, docket number FWS-HQ-ES-2025-0028. FWS will review all comments before publishing a final rule.
https://friendsofanimals.org/my-octopus-teacher-director-focuses-her-lens-on-the-specialness-of-pangolins/

FoA has been working to free animals from cruelty and institutionalized exploitation around the world since 1957. Animal rights. Veganism.

07/21/2025

Whether or not the N.Y.C. carriage horse driver was cleared of animal cruelty after the horse Ryder’s death or not, the crime is that the industry still exists at all.

That’s why Friends of Animals has consistently pressed for one thing—a carriage horse ban.

The only equitable, sensible and humane solution is to shut down the industry; save the horses and take them to sanctuaries; and for the city and carriage drivers to come to an agreement about the creation of new jobs.

https://friendsofanimals.org/the-crime-is-that-the-nyc-carriage-horse-industry-still-exists/

07/17/2025

In more good news for wild horses, this week the House Appropriations Committee rejected the Project 2025 scheme to kill wild horses. Instead, it restored language in a Department of The Interior funding bill that reaffirms protections for America’s beloved wild horses, preventing their slaughter.

Thank you to our supporters who answered the “Call of the Wild” and joined us on July 1—a national call-in day of action and protest—to defend wild horses and burros and public lands. Read more here:

https://friendsofanimals.org/house-committee-rejects-project-2025-scheme-to-kill-wild-horses/

07/15/2025

FoA has won its lawsuit against BLM's plan to annihilate Wyoming’s wild horses in the Checkerboard on behalf of the meat industry! That means the rogue agency will not be able to zero out wild horse populations in the Salt Wells Creek and Great Divide Basin herd management areas and gut their numbers in the Adobe Town HMA. Read more here: https://friendsofanimals.org/foa-wins-lawsuit-against-blm-plan-to-annihilate-wyomings-wild-horses-on-behalf-of-meat-industry/

FoA has been working to free animals from cruelty and institutionalized exploitation around the world since 1957. Animal rights. Veganism.