Julie and Kariba: two elephants getting a second chance in Portugal
BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM Kariba has lived alone in a Belgian zoo for years. Julie has been with the Cardinali circus in Portugal since 1988, when she was caught in the wild and sold to a German zoo before the family acquired her. Both are African elephants in their 40s. And both are Read More...
A 58-day protest campaign just convinced Etsy to ban fur
BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM The Coalition to Abolish the Fur Trade did not simply write a letter. For 58 days, CAFT ran protests at Etsy offices and affiliates across 17 cities, including a disruption of Etsy’s own presentation at the Morgan Stanley Technology, Media and Telecom Read More...
Podcast Transcript April 11, 2026— (Guest Interview) Given Two Weeks, She Lived a Year: The Woman Who Built a Rescue for the Dogs Everyone Overlooks | National Pet Day 2026
Episode Description: In honor of National Pet Day, Arielle sits down with Erica Psaltis, founder of senior dog rescue Silver Linings Rescue Ranch in Bend, Oregon. They talk about what actually goes into running a rescue like this: the intake process, the misconceptions people have about older Read More...
World Animal Protection’s Unique Personality Awards: Celebrating the Sentient Souls of Wildlife
BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM World Animal Protection has long been at the forefront of fighting animal cruelty, with initiatives aimed at ending the exploitation of animals in tourism and advocating for better welfare standards globally. In celebration of World Animal Day (October 4th) Read More...
It’s kitten season! How to help overwhelmed shelters manage the influx of kitties right meow
Kitten season has arrived, bringing with it an irresistible wave of feline cuteness. However, behind the scenes, animal rescues and shelters are dealing with an influx of pregnant cats and their litters, putting a strain on their already limited resources. According to Stephanie Filer, executive Read More...
AI deciphers chicken language for a happier flock
Have you ever wondered what the chickens are talking about? Chickens are excellent communicators, with their clucks, squawks, and purrs forming a complicated linguistic system. These sounds are their way of engaging with the world and communicating delight, fear, and social cues to one another, Read More...
Ensuring no pet goes hungry: The rise of pet food banks in the UK
Pete Dolan, a cat owner, recalls the tremendous help he received from Animal Food Bank Support UK, a Facebook organization that coordinates volunteer community support workers who supply free pet food to individuals in need, referring to everyone involved as “Angels without wings”. Dolan, Read More...
A historic win for animal rights: Spain passes law against domestic animal abuse
Earlier this month, Spanish legislators unanimously approved a bill to improve the welfare of animals. The bill was accompanied by a modification of the penal code that will result in harsher punishments for anyone who abuses animals. Ione Belarra, Minister of Social Rights and Leader of the Read More...
This giant luxury fashion house will stop using animal fur
Following years of perseverance from animal welfare activists, the fashion industry is finally coming to grips with its role in making the clothing sector more ethical and sustainable. Particularly notable has been the decision of an increasing number of prominent fashion brands to move away from Read More...
Spain formally recognizes animals as sentient beings
Spain joins nations like the UK and Brussels in passing an animal welfare law that recognizes animals as sentient beings, meaning that the country will no longer consider pets and wild animals as “objects." Spain’s Congress of Deputies passed the new legislation, which received majority Read More...