Today, January 4, 119 years ago, a female, wild-caught Asian elephant called Topsy is killed in front of 1,000 plus people at Lunar Park, one of America’s first amusement parks,… Read More


Insectageddon On the Brink II from Writers Rebel Hosted by novelist Laline Paull Join me speaking at Insectageddon with Terry Tempest Williams Isabella Rossellini Professor Dave Goulson Rebel Jay Griffiths… Read More


Topsy was in her late twenties when she was murdered at Luna Park on Coney Island in New York on January 4, 1903. The murder scene is one of America’s first theme parks at a time when the United States emerges as an industrial world leader. My use of the word “murder” rather than “killed” is deliberate. Her life and death represent the fate of many animals—not just elephants and not just in the entertainment industry. Even though some thought her guilty, I felt she was innocent.… Read More


A video of my presentation, Topsy, An Elephant We Must Never Forget, will be shown at the conference organised by the School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London.… Read More


Caroline Spelman, the UK coalition government’s Environment Minister, announced yesterday in the House of Commons that there will be two six week trials next year, in different parts of England.… Read More


Sadly, I am unable to attend but I urge those who can to attend the Association of Lawyers for Animal Welfare seminar, ‘Zoo licensing – is the regulatory regime working?,’ on Wednesday,… Read More


Bee Friedlander, my colleague at the Animals and Society Institute, chronicles the growing awareness of animal welfare at her local zoo in Detroit. She writes, Today the Detroit Zoo has… Read More


I admit to not always joining every Cause on Facebook I get invited to if for no other reason than I’m overwhelmed with email, tweets, etc. and it’s one way… Read More


Two Green MEPs, Jean Lambert and Keith Taylor, jointly publish an excellent leaflet on animal welfare and the actions they’ve taken on them. All MPs and MEPs should be following this example… Read More