Learn more about the science of animal protection
What is animal sentience?
Science shows that animals are sentient beings meaning they think and feel, have personalities and needs of their own. This means that very large numbers of sentient animals routinely experience pain and deprivation at human hands.
Our evidence irrefutably proves that animals are sentient beings. Our views are rooted in our extensive research and our opinions are published in reports such as 'Wild at Heart: The hidden cruelty behind the exotic pet trade of african grey parrots' and 'Pork and the Superbug Crisis: How higher welfare farming is better for pigs and people'. We carry out ground breaking investigations, which drive real change.
How do use our research to make change?
Through research, reporting and campaigns we show the true personalities of every animal. We help people see animals for the individuals they are. In this knowledge, people consider and change their behaviour to improve the lives of animals and ultimately their own.
For example our undercover investigation into the Elephant Crush, resulted in media, governments and institutions realizing in horror the abuse that goes on behind the scenes to tame wild animals and helped propel our campaign forward to end this cruelty. Our Animal Protection Index (API) ranks how well 50 countries protect animals, which helps us to press for better legislation.
We are the only Animal Welfare NGO to be awarded the UN’s general consultative status, cementing our standing as the leading authority on animal welfare. This gives us the credibility and influence to bring about solutions that change opinions and actions of the world’s most influential entities.
Browse our reports
Curbing the global wildlife trade

Every day, thousands of wild animals are poached, farmed or sold into the global multi-billion-dollar wildlife trade – for food, pets, traditional medicine and entertainment.
Every day, thousands of wild animals are poached, farmed or sold into the global multi-billion-dollar wildlife trade – for food, pets, traditional medicine and entertainment.
Wildlife. Not Entertainers

From wild animal selfies to swimming with dolphins and elephant riding to petting lion cubs and taking tiger selfies, cruelty to animals in the entertainment industry is rampant.
From wild animal selfies to swimming with dolphins and elephant riding to petting lion cubs and taking tiger selfies, cruelty to animals in the entertainment industry is rampant.
- A Close up on cruelty: The harmful impact of wildlife selfies in the Amazon
- Behind the smile: The multi-billion dollar dolphin entertainment industry
- Breaking Africa’s elephants: Exposing the rise of cruel tourist rides
- Breeding cruelty: How tourism is killing Africa’s lions
- Taken for a ride: The conditions for elephants used in tourism in Asia
- Taken for a ride 2: Elephants. Not commodities.
- The Case Against Marine Mammals in Captivity
- The show can't go on: End the suffering of wild animals at cruel visitor attractions in zoos and aquariums
- The show can’t go on: Ending wild animal abuse for entertainment
- Tiger selfies exposed: A portrait of Thailand’s tiger entertainment industry
- Wildlife on a tightrope: An overview of wild animals in entertainment in Thailand
- Wildlife abusement parks in Bali, Lombok and Gili Trawangan
Wildlife. Not Pets

Each year, millions of wild animals are captured from their natural habitats or born into captivity, just to become pets. Our houses are not suitable homes for a wild animal.
Each year, millions of wild animals are captured from their natural habitats or born into captivity, just to become pets. Our houses are not suitable homes for a wild animal.
- Otters as Pets in Southeast Asia: A social media craze is fueling otters' demise
- Risky business: The unregulated exotic pet trade in Canada
- Suffering in silence: Uncovering the cruelty of the global trade in Ball pythons
- Wild at Heart: The hidden cruelty behind the exotic pet trade of african grey parrots
Wildlife. Not Medicine

The demand for traditional Asian medicine is threatening wildlife populations around the world. From big cat farms to pangolin poaching, iconic animals are being pushed to the bring of extinction to fuel a scientifically unproven practice.
The demand for traditional Asian medicine is threatening wildlife populations around the world. From big cat farms to pangolin poaching, iconic animals are being pushed to the bring of extinction to fuel a scientifically unproven practice.
- Cruel Cures: The industry behind bear bile production and how to end it
- Suffering at Scale: Invesitgating pangolin poaching in Hassam, India
- Trading Cruelty: How big cat farming fuels the traditional Asian medicine industry
- Uncovering a Secret Slaughter: Suriname's jaguar trade exposed
- Unbearable: A deeper look at the international bear bile trade
Raise Pigs Right

Millions of pigs around the world are raised on cruel factory farms that confine them to cages and barren environments, mutilate piglets to prevent fighting in overcrowded spaces, and break their spirits by not allowing them to express their natural behaviors.
Millions of pigs around the world are raised on cruel factory farms that confine them to cages and barren environments, mutilate piglets to prevent fighting in overcrowded spaces, and break their spirits by not allowing them to express their natural behaviors.
- A Pig's Tale: Exposing the facts of factory farming
- Pork and the Superbug Crisis: How higher welfare farming is better for pigs and people
- The Business Benchmark on Farm Animal Welfare Report: (BBFAW) A leading global measure of farm animal welfare
- U.S. pork and the superbug crisis: how higher-welfare farming is better for pigs and people
Change for Chickens

Too often, the reality behind the world’s favorite meat is unacceptable suffering - and the ones supporting this suffering are fast food giants like KFC, Burger King, and McDonald's.
Too often, the reality behind the world’s favorite meat is unacceptable suffering - and the ones supporting this suffering are fast food giants like KFC, Burger King, and McDonald's.
- Valuing higher welfare chicken: Making the financial case for more humane chicken production
- The Pecking Order 2020: How most global fast-food companies still ignore the suffering of chickens in their businesses
- The Pecking Order: How leading global fast-food companies are failing the chickens their businesses depend on
- The Business Benchmark on Farm Animal Welfare Report: A leading global measure of farm animal welfare
- Exposing the secret suffering of chickens farmed for meat: Demand for chicken meat continues to rise, worsening their suffering
Sea Change

A staggering 640,000 tons of abandoned fishing gear (ghost gear) is left in our oceans each year. This gear traps, mutilates, and kills hundreds of thousands of animals annually.
A staggering 640,000 tons of abandoned fishing gear (ghost gear) is left in our oceans each year. This gear traps, mutilates, and kills hundreds of thousands of animals annually.
- Ghosts Beneath the Waves (2nd Edition): Ghost gear’s catastrophic impact on our oceans, and the urgent action needed from industry
- Ghosts Beneath the Waves (1st Edition): Ghost gear’s catastrophic impact on our oceans, and the urgent action needed from industry
- Fishing's Phantom Menace: How ghost fishing gear is endangering our sea life