Shelter overpopulation is often framed as an unavoidable reality of animal welfare work. In Getting to Zero: A Roadmap to Ending Shelter Overpopulation, Peter Marsh challenges that narrative head-on, arguing that overpopulation is not inevitable—it is the result of policy choices, resource allocation, and a failure to prioritize prevention.

Over the past decade, Ohio has witnessed a remarkable comeback of one of the nation’s most iconic species: the bald eagle. New data tracking verified active bald eagle nests from 2012 to 2025 shows steady, widespread growth across nearly the entire state—an encouraging sign that long-term conservation efforts are working.

Extreme winter weather can put lives at risk and for people with pets, accessing warmth and safety isn’t always simple. Recognizing this challenge, the Franklin County Dog Shelter and Adoption Center is stepping in to help.

During periods of dangerously cold weather, the shelter is providing free, short-term emergency boarding for dogs belonging to Franklin County residents who are entering local warming centers. This service ensures that people can seek shelter without worrying about the safety of their pets.

As spring approaches in Ohio, wildlife activity naturally increases. Animals like raccoons, skunks, bats, and groundhogs begin searching for safe, sheltered places to nest—sometimes inside attics, decks, garages, or sheds.

That’s why Ohio Animal Advocates is pleased to highlight TLC Wildlife Management, Central Ohio’s only wildlife service provider offering exclusively non-lethal solutions for wildlife conflicts.

Cold weather doesn’t mean Trap-Neuter-Return has to stop. With the right preparation, winter can be a safe and effective time to continue helping community cats—often with fewer complications than during warmer months.

If you’re planning TNR during winter, a few thoughtful adjustments can make all the difference for the cats’ comfort and safety.

Transportation is one of the most physically demanding and stressful experiences a horse can endure. Yet for decades, horses have been moved long distances in trailers that were never designed with their size, posture, or safety in mind. Among the most concerning of these are double-deck livestock trailers.

As of December 31, 2025, Ohio officially became the 11th state to restrict the use of gestational crates for pigs—marking the end of a 15-year effort to improve animal welfare standards in one of the nation’s leading pork-producing states

Winter can be deadly for stray and homeless dogs. Freezing temperatures, lack of shelter, hunger, and exhaustion combine into a dangerous reality that claims countless lives each year. In parts of Europe, that reality has sparked a powerful innovation, one that blends compassion, sustainability, and smart design.

Despite public commitments to reduce and eventually end experiments on cats and dogs, new reporting reveals that the National Institutes of Health (NIH) continues to fund invasive and painful laboratory experiments on cats.

Winter in Ohio can be brutal, not just for people, but for outdoor animals who don’t have warm homes to retreat to. Community cats, birds, squirrels, and other wildlife rely on the kindness and awareness of neighbors to help them make it through freezing temperatures safely.

The good news? Small, thoughtful actions can make a big difference.

In November 2025, the City of Sturgeon, Missouri agreed to pay $500,000 to settle a federal lawsuit over the police shooting of Teddy, a 13-pound blind and deaf Shih Tzu mix who posed no threat to public safety.

The settlement follows a lawsuit supported by the Animal Legal Defense Fund (ALDF), which argued that the city and its police department violated the Fourth Amendment by using lethal force instead of humane animal control methods.

For decades, real fur symbolized glamour, wealth, and high fashion, especially in Hollywood. But in 2025, that image is rapidly unraveling.

This fall, the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA) announced that beginning in September 2026, real animal fur will be banned from all CFDA-supported New York Fashion Week runways. The decision reflects growing awareness of animal cruelty in fur farming and a clear shift in consumer values toward more humane, sustainable fashion.