New Petitions to Sign This Week: Help Remove Forever Chemicals from Tap Water, Urge Stores to Cut Ties with Cruel Turkey Suppliers, Pressure NYC to Ban Horse-Drawn Carriage Rides, and More!

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, 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 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 Remove Forever Chemicals from Tap Water, Urge Stores to Cut Ties with Cruel Turkey Suppliers, and Pressure NYC to Ban Horse-Drawn Carriage Rides.

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 Remove Forever Chemicals from Tap Water

By now, you’re probably aware that America has a ‘forever chemical’ problem. If you haven’t heard of these dangerous substances, they’re basically indestructible chemicals that never go away, and are found in our most basic products — nonstick pans, food containers, stain-resistant fabrics, etc.

Source: CBS News/YouTube

But in recent years, toxicologists and agencies have come to realize that the convenience of these products comes at a price: horrific health problems for people who consume the ‘forever chemicals,’ formally known as PFAs, in them.

The most recent report? Nearly 50 million people in the United States have unsafe levels of PFAs present in their drinking water, leaving them at risk for fertility issues, liver disease, kidney cancer, and a whole host of other terrifying issues.

Water is a human right. We demand our government agencies better protect this precious resource. Please sign this petition to tell the Biden administration to pay for water testing, cleanup, and filtration systems for vulnerable Americans!

2. Tell the Mexican Police to Stand with the LGBTQ+ community

Ociel Baena was a highly beloved and well-known non-binary activist in Mexico. As the first openly non-binary magistrate in the state of Aguascalientes, Baena was a warm, encouraging leader. According to Juan Pablo Delgado, who helps lead a local human rights organization called Amicus: “This is someone who generated so much empathy, affection internationally.”

Now, Baena and their partner Dorian Nieves are dead. Authorities discovered the pair brutally wounded inside their home. The Mexican people are demanding answers and a rigorously thorough investigation.

The Mexican government owes it to these families and the entire LGBTQ+ community to thoroughly investigate the horrific crimes that led to Nieves and Baena’s deaths. Please sign this petition to stand with the LGBTQ+ community in Mexico!

3. Help Prevent Tourists from Polluting Mount Fuji

Overtourism at Mount Fuji in Japan is causing serious environmental damage. Each year, the number of tourists seeking to climb all or part of the famous mountain has increased tremendously. In 2012, approximately 2 million people visited Mt. Fuji’s fifth most popular hiking station. By 2019, that number had more than doubled – to 5 million people.

Source: Reuters/YouTube

Officials in Japan say that in recent years, those numbers have skyrocketed even more as international tourists seek to shake off the isolation from the COVID pandemic.

Please sign this petition to urge Japanese authorities to create stricter enforcement mechanisms, to ensure tourists don’t trample on and pollute Mt. Fuji!

4. Mandate Intensive Counseling for Men Who Set Dog on Fire

Two sadistic men began by dousing their dog in a flammable agent, then lit him on fire. After he was extremely badly burnt, they grabbed an air rifle and shot him in the head. Then the men found a suitcase and shoved the maimed dog inside. For multiple days, they left him inside a suitcase, locked in a closet. Only then did they finally throw the suitcase – with him in it – into a dumpster outside a local store.

That’s when a store employee became suspicious after hearing a pained dog crying out and smelling an odd odor.

Miraculously, Samsonite somehow managed to survive. After officials rescued him, he received extensive veterinary care and very slowly recovered. He is now doing well. Meanwhile, authorities have arrested both men, who were convicted of animal cruelty.

But anyone who would not only harm but genuinely torture an animal, needs serious psychological help immediately. Please sign this petition to mandate intensive counseling for these two men to help prevent future violence and cruelty!

5. Help Families in Colorado Keep Their Animal Companions

As animal shelters across the nation face an unprecedented crisis with rising pet surrenders and escalating euthanasia rates, Colorado has a unique opportunity to set a precedent in compassionate pet care and family Support. The remarkable work of the Denver Animal Shelter is a beacon of hope that could be replicated across the state.

Denver Animal Shelter’s approach to keeping pets with their families through assistance programs, low-cost care, and a “Safe Haven” program is a model that addresses the root cause of the crisis. This new model is life-saving. These efforts have already helped over 100 families in 2023 by connecting them with essential services, demonstrating the effectiveness of this approach.

Please sign this petition to urge the Colorado State Government to implement similar programs in all animal shelters statewide!

6. Justice for Native American Boy Who Was Told He Had to Cut His Hair or Be Suspended

Over the summer, a Kansas boy had a beautiful experience that would wonderfully impact and inspire him. The 8-year-old attended a youth event of the Wyandotte Nation, to which he belongs. After witnessing the rich cultural and spiritual traditions of his ancestry, he decided to grow his hair long to honor and emulate those traditions.

But shockingly, when the boy returned to his Kansas school in August, he was callously told that he had to cut his hair or be suspended from the school.

Please sign this petition to demand a public apology and an investigation into this injustice!

7. Urge Major Grocery Stores to Cut Ties with Cruel Turkey Suppliers

In 2021, shocking undercover footage revealed turkeys being horrifically abused at Plainville Farms’ facilities, leading to the largest number of charges in any factory-farmed animal case in U.S. history. This year, the continuing legal repercussions confirm that these were not isolated incidents but part of a broader, systemic problem.

Source: @PETA2TV/YouTube

As responsible consumers, we have the power to drive change. It’s time to send a clear message: animal abuse will not be tolerated, and it certainly won’t be funded by our holiday purchases.

Please sign this petition to urge Publix, Wegmans, and Harris Teeter to discontinue their business with Plainville Farms!

8. Demand Accountability from the Governor Who Endorsed a Violent Cockfighting Group

In a shocking turn of events that has animal lovers and ethical Oklahomans reeling, Governor Kevin Stitt has announced his Support for the Oklahoma Gamefowl Commission, an organization infamous for its attempts to lessen penalties for the cruel practice of cockfighting. Why Governor Stitt gave such an alarming endorsement is clearer once it’s revealed that Stitt, along with other politicians in Oklahoma, has received donations from the Gamefowl Commission.

Source: KJRH -TV | Tulsa | Channel 2/YouTube

Please sign this petition to demand Governor Stitt issue a public apology and commit to refusing any future donations from organizations associated with animal abuse, including those linked to cockfighting.

9. Help Protect Donkeys from Being Violently Slaughtered

Right now, there is a thriving industry that is threatening to maim, torture, and kill nearly half the world’s donkeys. While transported thousands of miles to slaughter, these donkeys have no room to move. There is no access to food or water. Some of them suffer the entire journey with severed hooves or legs. Then, they are killed for their skin, and their lives and bodies are discarded like trash.

Source: PETA/YouTube

Ejiao is a gelatin made from donkey hides. It is used mainly in cosmetics and traditional Chinese medicines, and an estimated 5 million donkeys a year are slaughtered to fulfill the demand for it. At that rate, nearly half of the globe’s donkey population could be wiped out in just a few years. The ejiao industry has been aggressively sourcing donkeys from around the world to supply this illicit industry — both creating an animal cruelty crisis, and a humanitarian one.

Luckily, US lawmakers have reintroduced the Ejiao Act in the House of Representatives. This would cut the industry that is killing donkeys out of the United States, protecting these animals from cruelty and decimation. Please sign this petition to Support the Ejiao Act and help protect donkeys!

10. Pressure New York City to Ban Horse-Drawn Carriage Rides

In the heart of New York City, a tragic incident has cast a dark shadow over the romanticized image of horse-drawn carriage rides. Ryder, a feeble horse forced to work despite his older age and poor health, collapsed and had to be euthanized.

Source: PETA/YouTube

The driver has been charged with animal cruelty, but this was not just a tragic accident. It is a symptom of a much larger problem, and Ryder’s story is a stark reminder of the cruelty inherent in this outdated practice.

Please sign this petition to demand that New York City immediately ban horse-drawn carriage rides!

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!