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 Pass the Humane Research and Testing Act, Demand Norway Phase Out Whaling, and Pass Gun Safety Laws.

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

1. Pass the Humane Research and Testing Act of 2021

Source: National Anti-Vivisection Society (NAVS)/YouTube

Every year millions of animals are harmed killed in cruel laboratory experiments. The animals live in small, barren cages, and undergo a variety of painful tests, that involved chemical applications, amputations, and psychological manipulation. Fortunately, The Humane Research & Testing Act has been reintroduced in Congress by Representatives Alcee Hastings (D-FL) and Vern Buchanan (R-FL). If passed, the act would fund, incentivize, and train scientists on the use of non-animal alternatives. It would also establish the National Center for Alternatives to Animals in Research under the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and ensure that NIH reduces the total number of animals used. Sign this petition and ask Congress to pass the Humane Research and Testing Act of 2021 without delay!

2. Demand Norway Phase Out Whaling

Source: World Animal Protection/YouTube

Commercial whaling is an extremely cruel industry that banned in 1986 by the International Whaling Commission (IWC); however, Iceland, Norway, and Japan refuse to comply. The 2021 whaling season in Norway is quickly approaching and in an attempt to revive the dying industry, Norway has relaxed regulations and more than doubled the last year’s quota of minke whales that can be killed to amount to 1,278. Shooting whales with harpoons usually results in a slow, painful death, rather than an immediate one. Without as many regulations, this is even more like to happen. Sign this petition to demand that Norway drastically lower its minke whale murder quota for 2021, and use this as the first step to phasing out whaling entirely!

3. Hold Australian Cabinet Members Accountable for Sexual Assault

Source: DW News/YouTube

Recently, a former political advisor made allegations that she had been attacked and raped by a male colleague. Once this news came to light, other women who work or had worked in Australian politics came forward to share their stories of sexual assault, too. Brittany Higgins, a former staff member for the Liberal party in Australia, was sexually assaulted by a male co-worker. One cabinet minister was accused of raping a 16-year-old in 1988. A recent video that depicts a male staff member performing sexual acts on a female member of parliament’s desk has also surfaced. Sadly, these allegations are not being dealt with the severity that they should be. The men are quietly being ushered away or repositioned. The survivors are having their jobs threatened for speaking out. Sign this petition to urge Scott Morrison to take accountability for the actions of his cabinet and establish independent investigations into these sexual assault crimes!

4. Ban the Sale of Sharks in the US

Source: VESA Channel/YouTube

In 2017, Joshua Seguine was arrested in Georgia for driving around with a tiny tank that held five terrified sharks strapped to the back of his truck. Recently, he was also arrested for keeping seven sandbar sharks, a protected species, captive in a small pool at his home in New York. Investigators also found several dead sharks around his home. Many of the sharks that Seguine was in possession of are listed as vulnerable and severely overfished by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. He intended to sell these sharks because they are extremely profitable in the US. Sign this petition and urge the U.S. Congress to ban the sale of sharks in the United States!

5. Prioritize Testing Backlog of Rape Kits

Source: WSLS 10/YouTube

A “rape kit” is the extensive set of evidence procured during an hours-long examination of a rape victim after they are assaulted. Victims are required to not shower or clean themselves up after being assaulted so that nurses can photograph their bodies and take potential DNA evidence from their genitals, skin, hair, and under their nails. These kits provide vital evidence, but there are tens of thousands of them sitting in evidence lockers around the country, some for many years, without having been tested. The process of putting together a rape kit and recounting the incident to people can be extremely traumatizing for survivors. Thus, it’s vital that when survivors do report the assault that they are taken seriously and the rape kit does not untested. Fortunately, some police departments have recently been working on getting through their backlog of rape kits, but there are still so many more that need to be processed. Sign this petition to tell every state with a backlog of rape kits to prioritize testing them immediately.

6. Demand More Funding for Animal Rescue Operations

Source: Yana Ermakova/Shutterstock

During the pandemic, cases of animal abuse and neglect have been on the rise. More people have been taking their helplessness, rage, and frustration out on the animals at home with them. Recently, rescuers in Tennessee rescued kittens and puppies from a terrible living situation. They were locked in dilapidated, filthy carriers, and metal wire cages that hardly seem fit for beloved pets. The enclosures were filled with soot and poop. These animals were rescued, but there are so many more that need help due to the increase in animal cruelty. Sign this petition to help all the cats, dogs, and other pets of Tennessee. Demand more funding for animal rescue operations!

7.  Stop Use of Facial Recognition Technology

Source: Amnesty International /YouTube

Face recognition technology (FRT) is a threat to our constitutional rights. The government and companies should not have the power to spy on people and track them at protests, political rallies, places of worship, or anywhere else. Furthermore, FRT is especially harmful to marginalized groups, who are often misidentified and suffer the consequences. Research has shown that commercial face recognition systems failed up to 1 in 3 times when classifying the faces of Black women and there have been multiple Black men wrongly arrested and detained after police falsely identified them using a face recognition system. Sign this petition to tell the Biden administration to halt dangerous and racist face recognition technologies now.

8. Pass Gun Safety Laws

Source: PBS NewsHour/YouTube

Seven mass shootings in seven days. This is a uniquely American problem, and the solutions are clear. Congress has not passed any meaningful gun safety legislation for twenty-seven years, which has resulted in so many mass shootings and preventable deaths. Fortunately, House Democrats recently passed two gun safety bills, which will now move to the Senate. This includes an improved background check system and an enforced ten-day waiting period. Sign this petition to demand the Senate pass universal background checks and expanded waiting periods on gun purchases!

9. Justice for Black Child Who Endured Racist Abuse From Students and Teachers

Source: ABC News/YouTube

In early March, the mother of a Black middle schooler shared the terrible hate crimes that her son has been enduring for a year at his school in Plano, Texas. One of the most heinous instances was caught on tape: her son was forced to drink his white football teammates’ urine while they yelled and called him a racial slur. He was also shot with a BB gun and physically abused at the sleepover. Sign this petition to ask the school to hold all adults who were aware accountable and make significant changes to prevent future hate crimes.

10. Tell Costco to Cut Ties With Abusive Farm

Source: Direct Action Everywhere – DxE/YouTube

Recently, Direct Action Everywhere (DxE) investigators recorded footage of the cruel and dangerous practices at Harris Beef farm in Selma, California. During processing, cows are supposed to be completely rendered unconscious using a stunning device. But the footage from within Harris Beef shows cows awake and moving as they are locked into restraints to have their throats slashed. These practices are not only incredibly cruel and inhumane, but also in violation of industry regulations. Costco is the world’s largest retailer of choice and prime beef. Thus, it not only can afford to cut ties with Harris Beef and force a higher standard of welfare in the larger industry, but it also has a moral and ethical obligation to do so. Sign this petition to demand that Costco cut ties with Harris Beef in California!

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