Five Cavachon dogs, including terrified puppies, were rescued from devastating neglect in rural Portlaoise. Thanks to a concerned neighbour’s call and dedicated ISPCA inspectors, they now have a chance at a loving future.
UK Puppy Smuggling and Welfare Concerns (UK / EU Context)
After nearly a decade of campaigning by FOUR PAWS and our allies, the Animal Welfare (Import of Dogs, Cats and Ferrets) Act 2025 will help end the misery of puppies smuggled into this country. For the past decade, this has been one of the biggest animal welfare issues we’ve been working on. But now, and with your help, smugglers who have profited from so much cruelty and misery have been blocked.
Hundreds of thousands of puppies have been illegally smuggled into the UK for sale
Across Europe, countless puppies are born into appalling conditions – cramped, filthy spaces with little lighting, ventilation or warmth. Torn from their mothers far too young, these frightened pups are stuffed into car boots and driven long distances before being smuggled into the UK.
Often sick and unvaccinated, they arrive with forged or non-existent identification and health documents, posing a risk to both human and animal health in the UK. For too many, their journey ends in an early death.
This vile trade has boomed while its operators have taken advantage of our love of animals. During lockdown, the demand for puppies rose higher than ever. Smugglers grew rich, but the risk of prosecution was low and punishments inadequate.Â
That’s all about to change. And you’ve played a part in making it happen.
After years of profiting from cruelty and heartbreak, puppy smugglers will finally face the consequences. Thanks to your support, we’re putting an end to their trade in suffering.
After nearly a decade of campaigning by FOUR PAWS and our allies, the Animal Welfare (Import of Dogs, Cats and Ferrets) Act 2025 has become law and here’s how we made it happen…
Abandoned Pets Overwhelming French Shelters (France)
French animals rescue centres say they have reached “saturation” with abandoned pets this summer, reports
More than 100,000 pets are abandoned to fend for themselves in France every year, more than half of them dumped just before or during long summer holidays when they are often found next to routes heading for the coast or countryside. Last summer, 60,000 pets were dumped, and animal rescuers say the figure is expected to be higher this year.
The Society for the Protection of Animals (SPA) raised the alarm last week, appealing for funds to help “saturated” refuges after it had accepted 12,000 animals since the beginning of summer.
“Many shelters are desperately short of space and are expanding their facilities to try to save as many animals as possible. Every year, shelters redouble their efforts to cope with saturation and take in animals in peril. Today, the situation is alarming,” the SPA said in a statement. “We urgently need to save, feed and care for all victims of abandonment and abuse.”
Hundreds of other animal refuges run by associations, including
(30 million friends) and the Brigitte Bardot Foundation, have also reported a surge in abandoned pets.
Ziggy the Saluki & Other Pets Shot and Abused -UAE
Recent reports from animal rescuers in the UAE highlight incidents of beloved pets being shot, stabbed, and poisoned. In one case, a prized Saluki named Ziggy was rescued with pellet wounds and nearly on the brink of death. Other dogs have been attacked while out on walks, showing that even cherished pets are not immune to senseless violence and cruelty in the region.
Zoomorphic Abuse Video & Arrest — Dubai/Sharjah
Viral video leads to arrests and enforcement of UAE animal protection laws.
Serial Animal Torture Ring Uncovered — Bulgaria
A 26-year-old woman and a 35-year-old man, named Gabriela Sashova and Krasimir Georgiev, were arrested on March 13, 2025, during a special Bulgarian police operation. This case is considered the most horrific act of serial animal torture and killing uncovered in Bulgarian history to date.Â
Address searches were conducted in several locations in Sofia and other cities. Mobile phones, a computer and other items used to commit the crimes were seized. Pre-trial proceedings are underway for crimes of violence against animals in a particularly torturous and cruel manner. The offenders are also held liable for financial operations and illegal property transactions assumed to have been acquired through crimes.
The perpetrators are also facing criminal charges related to financial operations and illegal property transactions, allegedly acquired through their crimes. They had established an international criminal network, operating through Telegram channels with thousands of subscribers, where they distributed videos featuring slow and extremely brutal torture of animals, including sadistic pornographic content with hard crush fetish, in exchange for money.
Their victims included dozens, possibly hundreds of animals, such as cats, rabbits, guinea pigs, mice, fish and others. The channels lacked any moderation regarding the age of participants or content restrictions. Worse still, torture was incentivized, with payments ranging from €100 to €400 per animal for creating and sharing videos of unimaginable abuse.
CAAI has received an email containing these horrific videos. A foreign individual came across these videos who alerted the Eurogroup for Animals – the largest coalition of animal protection organizations in Europe. According to the informant, the offenders were from Bulgaria. However, beyond the brutal videos, there was little additional information to aid in their identification. Eurogroup for Animals advised them to contact CAAI, its official representative in Bulgaria.
Upon reviewing the footage, the CAAI team was deeply shocked and outraged. Despite previous exposure to animal cruelty cases, the severity of this case exceeded their worst expectations. Determined to take action, they began preparing to report the case to the police. During this process and before reaching the police, CAAI sought assistance from the BG Elves, an online community of cybersecurity experts dedicated to combating misinformation.
Within hours of receiving the materials, the BG Elves identified the main perpetrator of these gruesome crimes. Shortly thereafter, they uncovered the identity of her accomplice and other potentially connected individuals.
Despite the high level of confidentiality and accessibility of Telegram channels, the BG Elves in cooperation with CAAI, gathered sufficient information to identify the individuals behind these brutal crimes against innocent animals. The cybersecurity specialists at BG Elves managed to pinpoint the perpetrators using OSINT (Open-Source Intelligence), relying solely on publicly available data, without accessing protected information that could have made their investigation easier.
After filing a report, the case went to the General Directorate of National Police (GDNP). Inspector Kamen Nikolov and his colleagues were also horrified by the footage of dozens of videos depicting the torture and killing of animals. They immediately committed to working on the case. The gathered evidence was confirmed, and further leads were discovered, tracing the perpetrators to the cities of Sofia and Pernik. The case was then taken over by the District Prosecutor’s Office, which led to the crucial final steps of arresting the criminals and filing charges against them.
The coming to light of this criminal case led to mass protests in the cities where the criminals resided. Citizens, along with CAAI, are calling for fair sentencing, improved legislation to protect animals, greater accountability in animal cruelty cases; and traceability in online and physical pet trade and adoption.
“We must never ignore or belittle animal cruelty. World statistics show that over 90% of serial killers of humans have previously abused animals. It is crucial to stop violence at its earliest stages. It is horrifying to think that such criminals could be walking among us and even be our neighbors. We are extremely grateful for the work of the police and the prosecutor’s office.
We also thank the cyber experts group BG Elves for the enormous help they provided in this case. Together, we have proven that there is no online or physical place where such heinous crimes could be hidden – whether against animals or people. We will continue to monitor the progress of this case and demand a fair trial for the offenders of the most horrific crimes against animals ever witnessed in our country.”, said Petya Altimirska, chairwoman of CAAI.
Cat Listed Illegally for Sale Online — UK Rescue Case
Rescue from an inappropriate sale — safety and care ahead.
Emaciated Dogs on the Road to Recovery — Florida, USA
From neglect to care — Stella and Bella’s healing journey.
Over 150 Dogs Rescued From Filthy, Feces-Covered Property
Did you come here for something in particular or just general Riker-bashing? And blowing into .
Multi-Species Cruelty Rescue in Oklahoma (USA)
In Oklahoma, law enforcement and animal welfare teams intervened in a multi-species animal cruelty case, saving 100+ animals including dogs, goats, parrots, a pig, and fish. Rescuers found dogs chained outdoors with no shelter or food, goats with frozen water, and birds in filthy cages. All animals are being transported to safe locations for veterinary exams and proper care.