That’s a wrap! 12 moments that changed animals’ lives around the world in 2025

Real change doesn’t happen overnight, it’s built step by step, investigation by investigation, law by law, and commitment by commitment. 

Over the past year, Animal Equality has worked across continents to expose cruelty, push for accountability, and secure meaningful protections for animals.

From landmark legal victories to corporate policy shifts that will spare millions of lives, these moments show what’s possible if you are strategic and persistent. Here’s a look back at 12 powerful wins that moved us closer to a kinder world for animals.

JANUARY – Italy
🛑 A slaughterhouse exposed. Authorities respond.
After our investigation revealed severe mistreatment at a slaughterhouse in Lombardy, regional authorities committed to stricter controls – a rare and vital enforcement response that sends a clear message: cruelty cannot be ignored.

FEBRUARY – Brazil
🐣 Over three million male chicks spared every year.
After years of pressure, Accor Hotels across Latin America banned male chick killing in the egg industry (deemed ‘worthless’ by the industry as they can’t produce eggs), a landmark company policy that will save millions of lives every year.

MARCH – Mexico
📜 A nation takes an historic step.
Mexico formally began work on its first-ever General Animal Protection Law, following constitutional reforms. This lays the foundation for legal protection for animals nationwide.

APRIL – India
🔎 Cruelty uncovered where no-one was looking.
Our groundbreaking investigation exposed illegal practices in the goat meat industry across multiple states, bringing a hidden issue into the national spotlight and prompting calls for new regulations.

MAY – Spain
🐔 Two million hens out of cages in a single year.
Spain reduced the number of hens it confines in cages by two million, proof that persistent advocacy delivers measurable, life-changing results. Since Animal Equality began its advocacy in 2016, nearly 14 million hens are now no longer in cages. And, while cage-free certainly isn’t cruelty-free, this is a critical step towards achieving our shared mission.

JUNE – United Kingdom
⚖️ A legal precedent that changes the future.
We secured a landmark legal victory allowing animal welfare to be considered in planning decisions, empowering communities to challenge and block factory farms before they’re built.

JULY – United States
🏨 Actions ramp up to demand major company goes cage-free.
Global conglomerate, Ahold Delhaize, committed to ending cages in its supply chain ten years ago but has continued to delay, sparking a week-long global action with coverage on NBC’s Today Show!

AUGUST – Germany
🐔 Germany’s biggest retailer acts for chickens.
After sustained advocacy, Germany’s largest food retailer, EDEKA, published a five-point plan to reduce severe suffering for millions of chickens used for their meat, following contact with Animal Equality and others.

SEPTEMBER – Mexico
📚 Animal protection enters classrooms and policy.
Reforms were prepared to embed animal welfare into Mexico’s Education Law and Sustainable Food Law, shaping how future generations learn and eat. We showed the world that you can thrive on a plant-based diet!

OCTOBER – Italy
🐣 A long-fought law finally unlocked.
After years of campaigning, Italy published the enforcement guidelines needed to implement its ban on killing male chicks, sparing an estimated 34 million chicks every year.

NOVEMBER – Spain
🦆 Foie gras force-feeding challenged at the highest level.
Spain’s Agriculture Committee approved a resolution urging the Government toward a ban of cruel foie gras, a critical legislative step against one of the most extreme forms of cruelty.

DECEMBER – United Kingdom
🌍 One of the most ambitious animal welfare commitments in Europe.
Following years of effort from Animal Equality and our fellow NGOs, UK Government announced a sweeping Animal Welfare Strategy, including plans to ban cages for hens and mother pigs, end CO₂ gassing of pigs, better protect farmed fish at slaughter, phase-out male chick culling, stop debeaking mutilation of hens, and move away from ‘faster-growing’ chickens who often suffer broken legs and heart attacks.

Looking ahead

Each of these moments represents countless hours of focus, advocacy, public pressure, and collaboration. Most importantly, as a result, millions of animals’ lives will be spared or impacted as a result.

But while this year shows what’s possible, there is still so much more to do. Cruel systems remain deeply entrenched, and progress depends on continued action from governments, companies, and individuals alike.

Together, we can keep pushing forward – exposing the truth, demanding accountability, and building a future where animals are treated with the respect they deserve.

Thank you for standing with animals. This progress wouldn’t be possible without you.

Start 2026 with a bang!

Donate today and help us achieve even more for animals in the new year and beyond. This progress is only made possible because of generous people who fund our life-saving work. Right now, all donations are being matched by another donor and all monthly donations are being doubled by an entire year! Help us reach our goal of £140k by 31st December. Don’t delay.