Humane World for Animals Europe

05/06/2026

Respecting animals means respecting the planet.

Practices such as industrial animal agriculture, the dog and cat meat trade, fur farming, trophy hunting, wildlife trafficking, habitat destruction and the exotic pet trade are not only causing immense animal suffering, they are also fuelling climate change, biodiversity loss and the destruction of ecosystems worldwide.

Animals are not commodities. Wildlife belongs in the wild. And our planet cannot thrive while exploitation continues.

Protecting animals means protecting forests, oceans, biodiversity and the delicate balance of nature that all life depends on.

This , let’s choose compassion, sustainability and coexistence, for animals, people and the future of our shared planet. Share this post if you agree!

04/06/2026

Continuing our series, we’re shining a spotlight on fish, the tiniest victims of safety testing requested by EU regulators.
In some of these unnecessary tests, fish are exposed to a constant flow of chemicals in the water. Every time they breathe in, they are exposed to the chemical—all day, every day. These tests produce data that bears little resemblance to how a human would respond to a chemical in real-life.

Species such as zebrafish bred for chemical testing never get the chance to exhibit their natural behaviours in freshwater habitats, where they belong.
Despite EU laws stating that animal tests should only be conducted as a ‘last resort’, these unnecessary tests continue to regularly be requested by regulators.

03/06/2026

We are pleased to invite you to the upcoming European Parliament event organised by Humane World for Animals and kindly hosted by MEPs Cristina Guarda - Nord Est (The Greens/EFA) and Sebastian Everding - Tierschutzpartei (The Left):

Funding for Non-Animal Science: Moonshot for NAMs on 10 June 2026, 8:30–10:00am CET in Brussels.

This event will bring together policymakers, EU institutions, industry, and academic experts to discuss how the European Union can accelerate the development, validation, and adoption of non-animal methods (NAMs) in biomedical research and safety testing.

Register here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/1987816979095?aff=oddtdtcreator

We hope to see you there!

02/06/2026

Killing animals is never the solution. It’s neither effective nor humane. That’s why we’ve spent decades developing safe and effective spay/neuter programs to protect street dogs and community cats around the world.

01/06/2026

🏆 Proud moment for animal-free science!
We're delighted to share that Francesca Pistollato, Senior Program Director in Biomedical Science at Humane World for Animals, has been honored with a LAV Animal Award in the Researchers & Innovators category, selected by a public online vote.

The award recognizes her commitment to promoting innovative and animal-free science with the aim of advancing more ethical, predictive, and humane biomedical research across the globe.

Accepting the award at the ceremony held on May 29 in Rome, Francesca said: 🗣️"This recognition highlights the importance of transitioning to animal-free science in research, which is based on human biology. To accelerate the adoption of these methods, a cultural transformation is needed."

Every year, an estimated 190 million animals are used in research and testing worldwide. Non-animal methods can be faster, less expensive, and more relevant to human health outcomes. That's the future we're working toward, and recognition like this keeps us moving forward.

Congratulations, Francesca! 🎉

30/05/2026

Did you know? Since 2006, EU laws have stated that animal tests should only be conducted as a ‘last resort’, meaning that animal testing should only be used when there is no available non-animal method.
Despite almost 20 years of this progressive legal concept in place, our investigation uncovered how the ‘last resort’ requirement is not always met, as regulators often request animal tests when animal-free methods could be used instead. We revealed that these requests can include tests on mice, rats, fish, and even pregnant rabbits.
Follow our series this month, where we’ll be sharing more findings and updates from our latest project, and how we are tackling this problem at its root cause through a collaborative approach.

Comment “YES” or “NO”: did you know EU rules say animal tests should be a “last resort”?

29/05/2026

Our Spanish Fur Free Alliance colleagues ARDE Global have just filed a complaint with the Public Prosecutor's Office in A Coruña after an undercover investigation revealed horrific conditions on a mink farm in Abegondo.

Sadly, we are, however, not shocked by the images. Time and again investigations on fur farms, including ones like these that hold the industry's 'WelFur' certification, expose the severe suffering of animals kept for fur production. It is not just a few rotten eggs. The industry is rotten to its core. Confining species like mink to small wire cages is simply inherently inhumane.

It is insane with all the evidence against fur farming, including the European Food Safety Authority's scientific opinion on the issue, that Commissioner Olivér Várhelyi is still even considering proposing animal welfare standards for animals on fur farms.

Let it be clear. The only way to end the suffering of mink, foxes, raccoon dogs and chinchillas is to introduce a full ban and phase-out of all fur farming in the EU. This is also what the 1.5+ million citizens who signed the demanded. 👉🏻 https://www.eldiario.es/galicia/visones-conviven-cadaveres-excrementos-extremidades-canibalizadas-granja-horrores-galicia_1_13247941.html

28/05/2026

Grief doesn’t belong to humans alone.
Pets can mourn deeply after the loss of a caregiver or companion and their pain often shows through changes in behavior, health and routines 🐾

Recognizing the signs of pet grief is the first step toward helping them heal.
With patience, stability and care, we can support our animals as they navigate loss in their own way. ❤️

27/05/2026

We’re pleased to announce that, together with other NGOs, we contributed to a new EU regulation that will strengthen the European Chemicals Agency - ECHA’s work on chemical safety and prioritize animal-free science in chemical testing.

The European Parliament has adopted the regulation, and it has now moved to the next phase of the legislative process.

We’re encouraged by EU’s commitments to advance non-animal testing methods, including:
🧪 support for developing and using animal-free methods
🔬 training for staff and interest-holders on these methods
🌐 broader input from groups working on animal-free science
🤝 stronger collaboration between EU agencies

We have boots on the ground in the EU, as well as most major chemicals-manufacturing countries, to ensure these commitments turn into real progress for animals and modern science!

26/05/2026

When the former fur industry CEO tells you fur farming is "inherently cruel" and should be banned — it's time to listen.

Mike Moser spent over a decade defending the fur industry at the highest levels. Then he saw a fox, one among thousands, caged, broken, and resigned to its fate. And he walked away.

Now he's calling for an EU fur farming ban with science, economics, and ethics by his side pointing all in the same direction.

Will the European Commission and Olivér Várhelyi listen to experts such as Mike?

Read Mike's full story here:

For over 10 years I spent my professional life promoting and defending the fur trade. As director of standards for the International Fur Federation, I oversaw compliance with international and national welfare regulations and industry standards. I was also chief executive for the British Fur Trade.