Unfortunately, the world is not a very peaceful or safe place for many individuals. From conflict to abuse to exploitation, there is so much cruelty inflicted on both humans and animals. While this can get disheartening and difficult to hear about, petitions are a great way to use your voice for good. Just by signing one, you are a part of helping those who are not treated fairly. You can even share them with your friends and acquaintances to increase your impact.

Through petitions, we can reach those in power and demand justice for others. They are valuable tools for making positive changes in the world. If you are looking for a way to help animals and humans, here are 10 petitions you should sign this week, including Help Support Fentanyl Users, Justice for Man Who Tortured Cats, and Tell New Jersey to Stop Extended Bear Hunts.

We want to thank you for being the change you wish to see in the world and giving a voice to the voiceless.

1. Help Support Fentanyl Users in Portland

Portland, Oregon, like so many other cities in the U.S., is in the midst of a tragic drug epidemic, and seeing the deadly impacts. The use of highly addictive and dangerous drugs like fentanyl is rampant, and all residents are suffering the consequences.

Source: KPTV FOX 12 Oregon/YouTube

To reduce the fentanyl crisis, people need Support through harm reduction. For decades, research has shown that this is the only way to combat addiction. It is time for the city of Portland to listen to the science and create a policy that emphasizes harm reduction.

Throwing more people in prison will do nothing to reduce drug use, addiction rates, or overdoses. It will just mean more people who are suffering are thrown behind bars, away from their families and communities, and stripped of most social Support. Putting people in a cage doesn’t end their substance use; it often just fuels it.

Please sign this petition to tell the Portland City Council to stop punishing people for fentanyl possession and start introducing policies focused on harm reduction!

2. Help Feed All Students in Texas

Renowned for its robust economy, Texas ironically faces a disheartening level of food insecurity among its youngest residents. The Lone Star State can, and should, make a powerful change: Tax its most affluent residents to guarantee every public-school student a free weekday meal.

Massachusetts just set a precedent, using a 4% tax on its millionaires to ensure no child learns on an empty stomach. This simple tax adds $1 billion to the state’s budget. Texas, with one of the highest counts of millionaires in the nation, has both the means and the duty to follow suit.

Please sign this petition to urge Texas to initiate a millionaire tax for the well-being of its students!

3. Support Investigation into Exotic Animal Dealer’s Network

Authorities with the U.S. government recently discovered that an exotic animal dealer in the state of Michigan was violating the Endangered Species Act – trying to sell approximately 150 vulnerable, threatened, and endangered animals to the public for thousands of dollars.

In one case, the man attempted to sell off an endangered baby ring-tailed lemur for $3,500. To do this, he first had to separate the little young one from its mother – prematurely. Additionally, authorities discovered the man was neglecting the animals he held in captivity, depriving them of proper sanitary conditions and even safe drinking water. Officials must also investigate whatever network he operated within, that allowed this to happen!

Please sign this petition to demand that authorities investigate this exotic animal dealer’s network of wildlife sellers and traffickers!

4. Justice for Man Who Tortured Girlfriend’s Cats

A woman’s cats kept enduring mysterious injuries. So one day, she decided to set up a nanny cam to see what was happening while she was away at work. The footage was something out of a horror film.

Recorded videos from the camera depicted the woman’s boyfriend violently torturing her cat for hours at a time. The footage was so gruesome that one investigator said it was one of the worst instances of animal abuse he’d seen in his entire career. The poor cat, named Nimbus, was so severely injured that she had to be euthanized.

The man was sentenced to 6.5 years in prison, but the sentencing did not include a lifetime ban on animal ownership. This means that technically when this man has completed his time, he can immediately live with and torture more animals.

Please sign this petition to demand authorities in Hunt County give this man a lifetime ban on living with animals!

5. Tell the UK to Stop Targeting Non-Dairy Alternatives

Source: Earthling Ed/YouTube

Vegan alternatives to dairy products are better for the earth, better for animals, and quite often better for human health as well. But factory farmers, who profit off of animal exploitation and suffering, hate this new reality. That’s why they’ve successfully lobbied the British Department for Environmental, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA), demanding that it try to slow this trend by cracking down on labeling and marketing for vegan dairy products.

Under the latest guidance from DEFRA, the UK government is encouraging non-dairy brands to restyle the word “milk” as “mylk” instead, and to avoid using phrases such as “cheddar-type” and “yoghurt-style.” But if DEFRA wants to focus on “accuracy” and “clarity,” it should follow that line of logic through to its natural conclusion. That’s why PETA UK is urging DEFRA to also require cow-based milk to be labeled as “bovine mammary secretions.”

Please sign this petition to demand that DEFRA stop its plan to target non-dairy alternatives!

6. Help Save Shelter Animals from Being Euthanized in Maui

Source: KHON2 News/YouTube

The recent fires in Maui have devastated communities and separated countless pets from their families. As residents begin the painful process of rebuilding and returning, the search for their beloved pets is just starting. And while Maui’s animal shelters are doing their best, the sheer number of displaced pets is overwhelming their capacities, raising the risk of euthanasia. Please sign this petition to allocate funds and personnel to Support Maui’s animal shelters so they’re equipped to handle this enormous influx of pets!

7. Urge States to Invest in Public Transportation

Traffic congestion isn’t only a nuisance. It’s also a major cause of Pollution and greenhouse gas emissions, due to an increased amount of fuel consumed as cars simply sit on overcrowded roadways, unable to move. And the amount of time Americans spend stuck in traffic jams has only increased over time.

Researchers recently compiled a list of the top 25 most traffic-gridlocked cities in the U.S. The locations range from big Coastal cities to areas in Florida, Minnesota, and Arizona. But two states stand out for contributing the most to cities on the list: Texas and California. Please sign this petition to urge Government officials in both states to develop plans to cut down on traffic congestion by investing in public transportation!

8. Justice for Dog Who Was Left to Die on Balcony in Severe Heat

Source: KHOU 11/YouTube

It is no secret that Houston gets brutally hot in summertime. Temperatures this past August broke records: the average daily high was a whopping 102.7 degrees Fahrenheit. These are dangerous temperatures for any pet. But one human decided that they would leave town and leave their dog locked in the heat on a tiny balcony without water.

When rescue teams arrived, it was almost too late. The poor dog was in such bad condition that they initially thought they were dead. Thankfully, they ended up saving this sweet pup’s life. This is literal animal abuse, and this human should never be allowed to live with an animal again!

Please sign this petition to demand Houston authorities ban these people from ever living with animals again!

9. Urge Authorities to Help Save African Penguins

Source: Inside Edition/YouTube

There were once millions of breeding pairs of African penguins. The adorable creatures, known for their unique braying call, have habitats all along the coast of southern Africa.  But because of the tragic impacts of reckless human decisions, fewer than 11,000 pairs remain in the wild. If we don’t act quickly, the species will go extinct altogether.

Overfishing is one of the largest contributors to plummeting African penguin populations, which is exactly why members of the Southern Indian Ocean Fisheries Agreement (SIOFA) must take responsibility and act quickly to manage fishing in the region. Other species that the African penguin relies on for food, such as sardines and anchovies, have had populations crash in recent years. But there is still time to save these beloved creatures before it is too late.

Please sign this petition to tell the countries participating in the SIOFA to work together to save the African penguin from extinction!

10. Demand New Jersey Stop Extended Bear Hunts

New Jersey’s Fish and Game Council recently voted to extend black bear hunting through May 2028. The reasoning given is to reduce human-to-bear conflicts and manage the bear population, but this approach is outdated, cruel, and lacks a firm scientific basis. Despite the outcry from environmental groups and Animal rights activists, the state is pressing ahead with the hunt.

While the state claims that the bear population and bear-to-human interactions have increased, there has been no exhaustive effort to implement non-lethal management methods. More than $344,000 was spent on an education campaign in fiscal year 2022, but this has not been coupled with tangible actions like stricter garbage management rules.

Please sign this petition to demand New Jersey halt the extended bear hunts and adopt a humane, effective approach to bear management!

Easy Ways to Help the Planet:

• Eat Less Meat: Download Food Monster, the largest plant-based Recipe app on the App Store, to help reduce your environmental footprint, save animals and get healthy. You can also buy a hard or soft copy of our favorite vegan cookbooks.
• Reduce Your Fast Fashion Footprint: Take initiative by standing up against fast fashion Pollution and supporting sustainable and circular brands like Tiny Rescue that raise awareness around important issues through recycled zero-waste clothing designed to be returned and remade repeatedly.
• Support Independent Media: Being publicly funded gives us a greater chance to continue providing high-quality content. Please consider supporting us by donating!
• Sign a Petition: Your voice matters! Help turn petitions into victories by signing the latest list of must-sign petitions to help people, animals, and the planet.
• Stay Informed: Keep up with the latest news and essential stories involving animals, the environment, sustainable living, food, health, and human interest topics by subscribing to our newsletter!
• Do What You Can: Reduce waste, plant trees, eat local, travel responsibly, reuse stuff, say no to single-use plastics, recycle, vote smart, switch to cold water laundry, divest from fossil fuels, save water, shop wisely, Donate if you can, grow your food, volunteer, conserve energy, compost, and don’t forget about the microplastics and microbeads lurking in typical household and personal care products!