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It is essential to stay up to date with the latest animal and environmental news. We’ve gathered the top news of the week in one spot to give you easy access to some of our most important stories. Learn about Climate change, Animal rights, and what you can do to help. Don’t forget to also sign up for the One Green Planet Newsletter so you’ll never miss a beat.

This week’s stories include a woman who was sadly killed by one of her 140 pet snakes, depressed dolphins in Singapore, and petitions that need your help.

1. Agonizing Photos of Alaskan Polar Bears Caught Playing With Plastic

Lead Image Source : Peter Neumann on Unsplash

Photos of Alaskan polar bears fighting over a plastic jug were released by photographer Danny Sullivan. It’s yet another example of how plastic is affecting our world in a big way. A family of polar bears plays at the edge of the waterway with a plastic jug filled with sludge. Some images show the bears with plastic in their mouth and attempting to eat it. Read the full story.

2. Ukraine Official Tied His Dog to Car and Dragged Him Down the Road as Punishment

Lead Image Source : Eyewitness Sergey/Lady Freethinker

man driving down the road saw a Volkswagen pulling a dog by a chain. The dog left a mile of blood behind him as his skin was being peeled to the bone by the tarmac. The witness, Sergey said “[The dog’s] skin on its paws was peeled off. The wounds were bleeding horribly. The Volkswagen driver said that he was punishing the dog for biting his mother.” Read the full story.

3. Thousands of Animals Killed in Mass Sacrifice at The Gadhimai Festival

Lead Image Source : Courtesy of Animal Equality

The mass sacrifice of animals at the Gadhimai Festival, a religious event honoring the goddess Gadhimai which takes place in Southern Nepal every 5 years, is falsely believed by many to have been banned. This is not true. A temple chairman said that they cannot actually ban devout Hindus from sacrificing animals, they can only ask them to consider different sacrifices. Sadly, thousands of animals were indeed killed in this year’s Gadhimai festival. Watch the video and read the full story.

4. Justice for Dog Who Was Shot and Dragged by Owner After Giving Birth

Lead Image Source : Christin Lola/Shutterstock

A recent devastating case of animal cruelty was captured on video and shared to the internet thanks to a passerby who refused to stand by and watch a dog be abused. A neighbor was driving in Chantada, Ludo, Spain when he noticed a man dragging a dog by a rope. The horrible human had just shot the dog because she gave brith to puppies. The witness was in such disbelief that he quickly began recording. Watch the video and read the full story.

5. Petition: Tell NFL to Ban Dog Abuser Michael Vick Entirely and Not Honor Him at the 2020 Pro Bowl!

Lead Image Source : Nick Chase 68/Shutterstock

From 2001 to 2007, Michael Vick ran an illegal dog fighting operation called “Bad Newz Kennels.” He and his associates housed and trained over 50 pit bulls to fight each other and ran a gambling business off the violence. The dogs were brutally tortured. They were hung, shot, and electrocuted. the NFL refuses to cut ties with him. Read the full story.

6. Petition: Justice for Elephant Who Was Chased and Brutally Murdered by a Mob!

Lead Image Source : Nicola_K_Photos/Shutterstock

Not too long ago, a video emerged online of an elephant being brutally attacked by a mob of people in Kenya. In the video, a crowd can be seen gathered around an elephant. The elephant can be heard howling in agony as the mob hacks at the poor animal. The Kenya Wildlife Service has said that they are investigating the video, but no one has been brought to justice. Sign the petition and read the full story.

7. Horrific Footage of Cows Howling While Having their Horns Removed Brutally

Lead Image Source : Photo by Matt Thornhill on Unsplash

Australian cows had their horns removed without pain relief and footage of distressed cattle was released this week. The released video, which had footage from two years of investigations,  has caused Australia to hurry to push through laws to make pain relief mandatory in the country. The video showed cows yelling and crying while having their horns removed. According to a worker in the video, “Nobody uses pain killer. Too expensive, too much hassle.” Watch the video and read the full story.

8. Petition: Ban Live Animal Exports After Nearly 15,000 Sheep Drowned on Overcrowded Cargo Ship

Lead Image Source : Jordi C/Shutterstock

At the end of November, a cargo ship overturned in the Black Sea. But the “cargo” on this ship weren’t material objects, they were living creatures. On the cargo ship, there were almost 15,000 sheep treated as objects. They were forced into enclosures and sent on a long journey to be slaughtered. This petition is calling on the European Union to ban live animal exports. Read the full story and sign the petition.

9. Depressed Captive Dolphin Repeatedly Slams his Head Against Tank in Aquarium in Singapore

Lead Image Source : tipwam/Shutterstock

During a visit to the Resorts World Sentosa’s (RWS) S.E.A. Aquarium in Singapore last year, a visitor was so disturbed by something they saw that they decided to capture it on video. They sent the footage to Empty The Tanks. In the video, a dolphin (one of the twenty which are held captive at that facility) can be seen repeatedly slamming his head against the wall of the tank. This is a clear sign of depression. Watch the video and read the full story.

10. Women Killed by Her Pet Snake Proves Snakes are Not Meant to be Domesticated!

Lead Image Source : David Clode on Unsplash

A woman was found dead in Indiana at the end of October with a snake wrapped around her neck. This is one of the many reasons it is not a good idea to keep these creatures as pets. The victim, Laura Hurst, was found dead in her home that contained 140 snakes. Read the full story.

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