World Federation for Animals

10/04/2026

Happy World Animal Day! 🐾

To commemorate, WFA member organisations worldwide have curated ‘The Atlas of Animal Emotions’, a free digital publication documenting how animals experience emotions.

👉 Scientific consensus increasingly confirms that animals experience complex emotions. Yet this evidence rarely reaches the people and institutions whose decisions shape the lives of billions of animals every day.

The Atlas is our contribution to closing that gap.

From curiosity to depression, empathy to jealousy, the Atlas shows the complexity of animals' feelings, all supported with scientific evidence.

Download it for free: https://wfa.org/atlas/

10/03/2026

We wrapped up the WFA General Assembly 2026 with a visit to the FOUR PAWS BEAR SANCTUARY Arbesbach. 🐻

We met the bears who call this sanctuary home, rescued from exploitation and now living in 14,000 square metres of natural woodland.

Thank you for inspiring us to keep building bridges for animals — together. 🐾



📷 Photo credit: FOUR PAWS

10/01/2026

On the second day of the WFA General Assembly 2026, we turned inward to build bridges within our Federation to shape the next chapter for animals. 🐾

We had the privilege to work with Leopoldo Stuardi from the World Organisation for Animal Health to shape our collective strategy for embedding animals in the UN Sustainable Development Agenda.

We also elected a new WFA Board and announced a new president: Luciana D’Abramo from FOUR PAWS.

More: https://ow.ly/WVZ850ZTnoz

This is what our Federation looks like when we come together. 🐾

Photo credit: FOUR PAWS.

09/30/2026

We are celebrating the WFA General Assembly 2026, kindly hosted by FOUR PAWS in Vienna. 📍

At Schloss Schönbrunn, we gathered leaders from animal welfare organisations across five continents to keep building bridges for animals and strengthen our movement.

We were honoured to open our first day with four remarkable speakers whose work is transforming how the world sees and treats animals: Her Royal Highness Princess Alia bint Al Hussein of Jordan, Kenny Torrella, Ami Vitale, and Justice Athar Minallah.

This is what our movement looks like when we come together. 🐾



📷 Photo credit: FOUR PAWS International

09/28/2026

From predators shaping food webs, to grazing animals influencing grassland carbon storage, and pollinators and seed dispersers supporting forest regeneration:

👉 Wild animals shape how ecosystems cycle and store carbon.
350+ scientists worldwide have reached this consensus.

Explore the evidence at wildlifeandclimateconsensus.org

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09/28/2026

A peer-reviewed article from the cohort of scientists behind the Scientific Consensus on Wildlife and Climate has been published in ‘Global Change Biology’, the leading environmental change journal from Wiley. ⤵️

The manuscript, “‘Wildlife and Climate’ scientific consensus on the roles of wild animals in the global carbon cycle and natural climate solutions” has been co-authored by 13 scientists who collectively drafted the wording in the consensus.

👉 It explores the different ways that wild animals drive ecosystem processes that regulate carbon storage and greenhouse gas fluxes and determine how ecosystems function and respond to climate change.

“Wildlife conservation [...] should be considered as one of several complementary strategies needed to mitigate climate change while strengthening ecosystem resilience amidst ongoing global changes”.

Read more: https://ow.ly/Uftx50ZS8kA
Link to article: https://ow.ly/jsx550ZS8ku

09/27/2026

Do whales grieve? 🐋

Rare underwater footage off Australia captured a humpback mother gently touching and holding vigil beside her stillborn calf.

Stories like these remind us how animals can also experience loss and emotional connection.

via The Guardian: https://ow.ly/PKQT50ZRZ9A

09/25/2026

What's the value of bringing animal welfare into One Health action? ⤵️

Together with Compassion in World Farming, we convened a side event to discuss the potential of animal welfare for the One Health approach to transform agrifood systems during the first Global Conference for Actions on One Health in Agrifood Systems of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)

We brought together representatives from FAO, World Organisation for Animal Health, Association of South East Asian Nations, UK and Ethiopian government representatives, Global Burden of Animal Diseases (GBADs) programme and academia to explore how animal welfare can contribute to One Health and effective antimicrobial resistance ( ) strategies.

Putting animal welfare at the heart of the One Health approach in agrifood systems is critical to protect the health of animals, people, and the planet.

Read more: https://ow.ly/KNcu50ZRxob

09/23/2026

The situation facing Frankenchickens is Sweden's largest animal welfare issue. ⤵️

Since 2018, Project 1882 has worked persistently to expose the consequences of the extreme breeding practices that underpin the modern Swedish chicken industry.

👉 Frankenchickens are bred to grow at an extraordinarily rapid rate, which is associated with an increased risk of leg disorders, mobility problems, and premature death.

Developments in other countries show that change is possible. Norway has led the way by moving away from Frankenchickens, while Denmark and Germany have taken similar steps.

Read more:

Sick, injured, dying, and dead chickens. This is the reality confronting viewers as Project 1882's new footage from Swedish factory farms is brought to national attention.

09/22/2026

We sat down with Luis Sarmiento from Proyecto ALA to discuss disaster resilience in Latin America.

Why must we include animals in disaster risk plans to advance ? 👇

We cannot achieve the SDGs without accounting for animals. 🐾

wfa.org/2026-hlpf