Lion in cage at tourist attraction in South Africa - World Animal Protection

Coronavirus statement: we must unite to end wild animal exploitation

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This is what we are doing during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

Firstly, we wanted to let you know we are thinking of you, your family and pets and hope you all stay safe and healthy during this challenging time.

We appreciate and greatly value the unwavering support you have continued to show animals.

Continuing our important work

With 14 offices around the world, we take the health and wellness of our employees seriously. We are following all governmental advice and continue to monitor the situation daily to ensure the ongoing safety and wellbeing of our employees.

This means for now, all our employees are working remotely, we have cancelled public events and suspended all travel.

However, although we are facing unprecedented and challenging times, our vital work to protect animals never stops.

Pets can't get coronavirus

We also want to reassure you that there is no evidence at this time to suggest your pets can transmit coronavirus.

We recommend that you include pets in your family preparedness plans and have some extra pet food on hand to take care of our loving pet companions.

Exploitation of wild animals must end

Coronavirus is believed to have originated at wildlife markets in Wuhan, China. So, how can we continue to ignore the link between consuming wildlife, being in close contact with wild animals in the name of entertainment, using them as medicine or thinking it’s okay to keep them as exotic pets?

Wild animals belong in the wild. 

It’s now more critical than ever that we all come together and call for an end to the exploitation of wild animals and stop the global wildlife trade.

There is no better time for governments, corporates and people to unite to curb the use of wild animals for entertainment, food, medicine or to be kept as exotic pets.

Let’s do it for animals, for us and for our planet.

There is no better time for governments, corporates and people to unite to curb the use of wild animals for entertainment, food, medicine or to be kept as exotic pets.

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