Wildlife Friends Foundation Thailand The Hidden Cost of a Selfie: The Truth About Lion Cafés ( 5 photos )

 

We receive hundreds of messages after viral videos expose the exploitation behind lion cafés. While this awareness is vital, many other videos continue to promote these venues as “cute” and “fun” – without realizing the suffering behind the scenes. Read our report on the Shocking Rise in Farmed and Captive Lions in Thailand and our Urgent Call for Government Action.

https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s44353-025-00040-4

Lions are not native to Thailand, and these cubs will never be released into the wild. They face a lifetime of captivity – simply to satisfy demand for close encounters. These lion cubs are not rescued. They are bred and rented or purchased from horrendous lion farms, where cubs are taken from their mothers at just a few weeks old. They are used for photos and cuddles until they grow too big – then, most are sent back to farms for breeding or face an even darker fate. These lions are exploited at every point of their lives. 

The conditions in these farms are dire. Lions are kept in barren cages for life, with females repeatedly bred to produce cubs for tourist attractions. All for a fleeting photo opportunity. Unfortunately, with the correct paperwork, it is legal to own a lion in Thailand.

Many people are particularly concerned about whether the lions are sedated – but that is just one part of a much bigger issue. Whether drugged or not, these animals should not be in cafés or used for human entertainment. The real problem is that they should never have been bred in the first place.

Wildlife interactions are never ethical

It’s not just lions. Any person or venue offering hands-on experiences with wildlife – whether it’s elephants, tigers, primates such as orangutans and slow loris, dolphins, or other animals – is exploiting them. We understand that animal lovers want to connect with wildlife, but true respect means observing animals from a distance in their natural environment, not forcing interactions for profit and entertainment.

Sedated for a selfie

What can you do?

• Don’t like, share, or comment on videos featuring captive lions in a fun or positive way
• Don’t visit places where you can interact with lions
• Don’t pay for shows with big cats or any wildlife
• Don’t pay to bottle-feed lions/ take photos with lions or any animal
• Send a report through our Report Illegal Wildlife Trade form, and we’ll provide information on how to report this to the authorities. The more people who raise concerns, the more likely it is that action will be taken.

Report to the authorities

Please report any observations to the Department of National Park, Wildlife and Plant Conservation (DNP), which oversees wildlife management in Thailand, including the regulation of animals kept in private possession or zoos. They can be contacted via:

Phone: 1362
Facebook: DNP Facebook
Email: complain@dnp.mail.go.th or hotline1362@hotmail.com

For lions and other non-native wildlife listed under the CITES convention, please contact:

Phone: 095 314 5484 / 02-5610777 / 2912
Email: exocites@gmail.com or iwt_cites@dnp.mail.go.th or citesthailand@yahoo.com
Facebook: Non-Endemic Wildlife Management & CITES Thailand

If tourists stop paying for these experiences, the cycle of exploitation can end. 

Help spread awareness. Together, we can make a difference.

Dutch organisation for the welfare of farm animals worldwide 'Eyes on Animals' Annual Report 2025: Our mission: we go where animals suffer the most

 

Dear friends,

Imagine this: a house is on fire. And people are trapped inside.   You don't start by talking about new fire safety regulations. No, you take immediate action.   That is how it feels to us when we walk into a slaughterhouse or livestock market.   In Turkey, we see bulls being hung alive by one leg; in Ghana, terrified pigs being clubbed to death; and in the Netherlands, chickens being roughly caught upside down.   That is why Eyes on Animals was founded.   Our mission: we go to the places where animals suffer the most. And we reduce that suffering now.   We roll up our sleeves. We don't look away. And we always remain calm and respectful.   We work with transporters, livestock markets, and slaughterhouses. Together, we seek practical solutions that are better for the animals. For example:   Properly stun animals before slaughter Catch chickens upright, not upside down. provide shade for animals on hot days leave calves with their mother stop using methods that cause unnecessary fear and pain, such as hanging animals alive or stunning them with CO2 gas   Of course, other work is important too: raising awareness, appearing in the media, and building support in society. But real change takes time.   In the meantime, the house is still on fire. And the animals inside can't wait.

Annual Report 2025 Our annual report shows how we turn your support into concrete action. Action that protects animals from severe suffering today and contributes to a better future.

A few results from 2025: In Ghana, The clubbing pigs to death at a large slaughterhouse has stopped. Employees now stun the animals first, using equipment and training from us. Three Turkish slaughterhouses now stun animals before slaughter. In Germany, more than 100 veterinarians learned how to catch chickens upright, without pain or panic. And milk from Kalverliefde is now available in Dutch supermarkets: the brand where calves stay with their mothers.

We have just returned from Ghana where we, together with the local inspection organization WACPAW and stunning expert Dr. Fuseini, gave animal welfare trainings to more than 150 slaughterers, transporters and agricultural students. We also visited several slaughterhouses and cattle markets - to give immediate advice and assistance to animals in distress. The animal suffering that we saw in Ghana is burned forever in our memories. The completely exhausted cattle being tugged on by their broken tails, the cattle that were transported with all four legs and neck tied up, the cattle that collapsed time and time again when unloaded... the animals that suffered long agonizing deaths after having their necks cut while still conscious and the tethered goats that were screaming while being thrown down from the trucks... The sheer panic and pain that these animals have to go through is almost unbearable. But we also have hope. Our visit to Ghana shook people awake and delivered concrete results. RESULTS In Ghanaian slaughterhouses, the animal's throat is cut without stunning. We therefore purchased and had flown over four captive bolt guns and 8000 cartridges. We donated the captive bolt guns to the Agricultural University of Cape Coast and the University for Development Studies in Tamale. Both universities have a slaughterhouse on campus where many animals are killed every day and meat is sold. The captive bolt guns we gave them are now used to stun all animals before slaughter and to train slaughterers to stun their animals. A major achievement! The slaughterhouse in Tamale, which was chaotic and horrible, is keen on the design we made on how to improve the slaughterhouse dramatically. As a result, live animals will no longer be dragged through the slaughterhouse and animals will be put out of their misery faster. Also, the drain-pit at the entrance of the slaughterhouse, which animals regularly fell into and injured their legs, will be covered. At the slaughterhouse in Cape Coast animals only lost consciousness after a long struggle. The knife with which their throat was cut was not sharp enough and the throat wound made contact with the ground. This complicates the bleeding out and, in addition, causes incredible pain. The animals also had to wait for several minutes while they were already tied up in the slaughter area because the slaughterer still needed to sharpen his knives. We also saw that dressing procedures were carried out on animals that were still conscious. We have convinced the slaughterhouse to use sharper knives, to bring animals to the slaughter area only when the slaughterer is ready (to avoid the tethered animals waiting even longer), to monitor the consciousness of the animals before dressing procedures are carried out and to use a v-shaped table to hold sheep and goats - so that the throat wound does not come into contact with the ground. We advised the cattle market in Tamale to build two proper loading ramps, so that animals can walk by themselves into the truck. Until now animals are beaten, tugged, dragged and lifted with a high degree of violence towards the trucks. We have also raised the issue that the animals have water permanently available and a separate and quiet space made for injured and weakened animals. WACPAW is currently working on these ideas. We are relieved and proud that together, with the amazing people of WACPAW and Dr. Fuseini, we were able to put some concrete steps into practice right away. But we also realize that structural animal-welfare improvements are only possible if we persist and carry out regular checks. In the coming months, WACPAW will ensure that slaughterhouses, cattle markets and transporters actually do take action. Eyes on Animals will advise them from a distance and visit Ghana again in 2018. We would like to thank you, our donors, very much. Thanks to your financial and emotional support, our team was able to go to Ghana to record the abuses, give advice and provide assistance. To continue our project in Ghana, we will need some more financial help. For example, we would like to purchase more captive bolt guns, so that more Ghanaian slaughterhouses can also stun the animals prior to slaughtering them. We also want to check on more slaughterhouses and livestock markets. Will you help us? IBAN: NL73TRIO0212364219 / BIC: TRIONL2U Thank you very much, also on behalf of Dr. Fuseini and the team of WACPAW, Lesley and Madelaine Abdul-Rahman Safian, Executive Director WACPAW: "WACPAW is grateful to EonA for the recent training of Ghanaian academics, slaughter operatives, veterinarians and other stakeholders in the meat industry. The training and provision of captive bolt guns has resulted in a number of abattoirs now stunning animals before killing them. What a change this makes!” ➜ Read the 2025 annual report (in English).   We hope you take the time to read it. Thank you for helping. Thank you for being there for the animals, together with us. Kind regards, Lesley Moffat Director, Eyes on Animals 0

Animal Defenders International Colombia bans bestiality: Congress is making sex with animals a criminal offence (In which countries is bestiality still legal?)

 

 Colombia criminalizes sex with animals as a crime 

Good news from Colombia : Congress considers sex with animals a criminal offense. The bill states that anyone engaging in sexual relations with an animal can face imprisonment, fines, and a ban from working in the animal industry.

 

Good news from Colombia : Congress considers sex with animals a criminal offense. The bill states that anyone engaging in sexual relations with an animal can face imprisonment, fines, and a ban from working in the animal industry.

The proposal was drafted by Senator Esmeralda Hernández and approved by the Congress of the South American country. With this, the proposal has reached the final phase and only needs to be ratified by the president to become law.

Sex with animals punishable by law

Under the legislative proposal, perpetrators of bestiality can receive a prison sentence of 48 to 55 months, accompanied by fines ranging from 30 to 50 times the current monthly minimum wage, as well as a professional ban of two to four years for professions related to animals. In the presence of aggravating circumstances, the sentence may be increased to a maximum of 140 months. These include acts that take place in public spaces, in the presence of minors, or that are recorded for pornographic purposes.

According to Hernández, sexual abuse of animals must not be normalized, and she warns that sex with animals often causes serious harm to the animal. The senator therefore emphasizes the need to introduce criminal sanctions. Esmeralda Hernández:

We must not normalize the sexual abuse of animals, which almost always leads to their death. Dogs, cats, chickens, donkeys, and all kinds of other animals are victims daily in Colombia, and we must not tolerate that.

Esmerálda Hernandez after the final round of voting in the Colombian Chamber of Deputies on criminalizing sex with animals.

Information campaigns

In addition to criminal measures, the new law also provides for the development of information and awareness campaigns. The aim of this is to inform citizens about the classification of crimes and the legal consequences.

Prevention of child abuse

Senator Hernández also points out the importance of this law for the prevention of other forms of violence. The senator is referring to scientific research which has shown that some child rapists have previously committed sexual abuse of animals. The new law would therefore also contribute to the prevention of sexual abuse of children.

Sources:

• Portfolio
• The Colombian

©AnimalsToday.nl Jennie Cools – Regional Editor Latin America

Understanding Bestiality

Bestiality, also known as zoophilia, is the act of engaging in sexual activity with animals. It is a taboo practice that has been the subject of much debate and controversy. Many people consider it a form of animal abuse and a violation of animal rights. Others argue that it is a personal choice and should not be criminalized

The Legal Status of Bestiality Around the World

The legality of bestiality varies from country to country. Some countries have strict laws that prohibit any form of sexual activity with animals, while others have more relaxed laws that allow certain forms of sexual contact. In some countries, the legal status of bestiality is unclear or ambiguous.

Bestiality Laws in North America

In North America, bestiality is illegal in most states and provinces. In the United States, bestiality is a criminal offense in 37 states, while in Canada, it is a criminal offense under the Criminal Code. The penalties for bestiality vary depending on the severity of the offense and can range from fines to imprisonment.

Bestiality Laws in Europe

In Europe, the legal status of bestiality varies from country to country. Some countries, such as the United Kingdom, Germany, and France, the Netherlands, have strict laws that prohibit any form of sexual activity with animals. Other countries, such as Denmark and Sweden, allow certain forms of sexual contact with animals under certain circumstances.

Bestiality Laws in Asia 

In Asia, the legal status of bestiality varies widely. In some countries, such as India and Pakistan, bestiality is illegal and punishable by law. In other countries, such as Japan and Thailand, the legality of bestiality is unclear or ambiguous. 

Bestiality Laws in Africa

In Africa, bestiality is illegal in most countries. The penalties for bestiality vary depending on the severity of the offense and can range from fines to imprisonment.

Bestiality Laws in South America

In South America, the legal status of bestiality varies from country to country. In some countries, such as Brazil and Argentina, bestiality is illegal and punishable by law. In other countries, such as Colombia and Peru, the legality of bestiality is unclear or ambiguous.

Bestiality Laws in Australia and Oceania 

In Australia and Oceania, bestiality is illegal in most countries. The penalties for bestiality vary depending on the severity of the offense and can range from fines to imprisonment.

Countries with Ambiguous Bestiality Laws

Some countries have ambiguous bestiality laws that make it difficult to determine the legality of the practice. Examples of such countries include Thailand, Colombia, and Peru.

Controversies Surrounding Bestiality Laws

The legality of bestiality is a controversial issue that has been the subject of much debate. Supporters of bestiality argue that it is a personal choice and should not be criminalized. Opponents argue that it is a form of animal abuse and a violation of animal rights.

The Psychological and Societal Impacts of Bestiality

The psychological and societal impacts of bestiality are complex and varied. Some studies suggest that people who engage in bestiality may suffer from psychological disorders, while others suggest that it may be a harmless sexual behavior. The societal impacts of bestiality are also controversial, with some arguing that it may lead to the normalization of animal abuse.

Conclusion: The Future of Bestiality Laws 

The future of bestiality laws is uncertain. As society becomes more accepting of alternative sexual practices, the legality of bestiality may come into question. However, it is likely that bestiality will continue to be a taboo practice that is illegal in most countries around the world.