Animal Wellness Action Blog

Critical insights into issues at the intersection of animals and politics​

Japanese footwear giants react after adidas stops sourcing kangaroo parts OSAKA, Japan – Mizuno Corporation, a Japan-based leader in performance athletic footwear sold across the globe, will phase out the use of kangaroo leather in its shoes, according to reporting from Financial Times. The move comes two weeks after adidas announced an exit from the trade and just a … Read more

CRAWFORD COUNTY, Ind. — Wayne Pacelle, president of Animal Wellness Action and the Center for a Humane Economy, issued the following statement regarding the recent arrest of a Grantsburg couple in connection with illegal cockfighting activity uncovered following a vehicle incident in Harrison County: “Cockfighting is a grotesque and archaic form of cruelty that has … Read more

BANDON, Ore. — The arrest of the owner of West Coast Game Park Safari and the seizure of dozens of firearms and a significant quantity of methamphetamine underscore longstanding concerns about the operation and the broader roadside zoo industry, according to Animal Wellness Action. “There’s often an ugly backstory to the operations of roadside zoos, … Read more

Press Release CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Animal Wellness Action and the Center for a Humane Economy previously applauded the arrest of Cameron Bernard Torrence in connection with a viral video showing an opossum being set on fire—but the groups are calling for the arrest of all individuals involved and for the most serious charges to be pursued against those responsible.  “Enforcement … Read more

LOGAN COUNTY, Okla.—  Wayne Pacelle, president of Animal Wellness Action and the Center for a Humane Economy, issued the following statement regarding the Sunday, May 25, 2025, arrests of eight people in Logan County, Oklahoma, on charges related to cockfighting. “Cockfighting is a gruesome and senseless form of animal abuse, and it is rightly treated as a … Read more

U.S. Representatives Andrew Garbarino and Adam Gray lead bipartisan letter from 10 Republicans and 10 Democrats calling on the Interior Department to scuttle plan to kill more than 450,000 barred owls, including in national parks Washington, D.C. — U.S. Representatives Andrew Garbarino, R-N.Y., and Adam Gray, D-Calif., led a letter signed by 20 members of … Read more

Momentum building for a global retreat from the trade in kangaroo skins KOBE, HYOGO, JAPAN — Just days after adidas announced it has ended its sourcing of kangaroo skins for its soccer cleats, the global athletic shoe giant ASICS has followed suit. The Japan-based company delivered that news to Animal Wellness Action and the Center for a … Read more

BANDON, Ore. — Animal Wellness Action is applauding the Oregon State Police and partnering agencies for shuttering the West Coast Game Park Safari in Bandon and seizing approximately 300 animals housed there and placing them in safe settings. Animal Wellness Action and Big Cat Rescue conducted an investigation of the facility in 2022 and reported … Read more

MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, Fla. — Wayne Pacelle, president of Animal Wellness Action and the Center for a Humane Economy, issued the following statement regarding the recent arrest of 42 individuals in connection with an illegal cockfighting operation in southwest Miami-Dade: “Cockfighting is a grotesque and archaic form of cruelty that has no place in any community,” … Read more

Wayne Pacelle of the Center for a Humane Economy makes case for action at Annual Shareholder Meeting in Fürth, Germany, and adidas CEO announced a permanent exit from the trade WASHINGTON, D.C. — After an in-person plea by the Center for a Humane Economy president Wayne Pacelle to adidas’s leadership to halt sourcing of kangaroo … Read more