Three cheers for Catalonia, which today became the first major region in mainland Spain to ban bullfighting! Cheers broke out in the assembly as the vote was passed 68 to 55. Phew!

Thanks to the inspiring campaigning of Catalonian animal advocates and all those who supported the campaign, thousands of bulls in Catalonia will be spared a cruel and gruesome death in the name of 'entertainment'.

In the lead up to the vote, the Catalonian Parliament receieved thousands upon thousands of petition signatures, letters and emails from caring people in Spain and all across the world (including nearly a thousand Unleashed members) in support of a ban. If you signed a petition, wrote a letter, or helped in any way to achieve this historical victory, then thank you!

Time for a fiesta!

Today the Catalonian Government in Spain is voting on whether or not to ban bullfighting in that region. And here's some numbers they can't ignore:

Over 120 countries around the world have voiced their support for a ban, with the parliament receiving over 140,000 signatures and emails (including nearly a thousand from Unleashed members!) to back this up. Local people too, have had their say with over 180,000 Catalans expressing that this outdated 'tradition' is nothing but animal cruelty.

Numbers aside there is simply no excuse to torture an animal in the name of entertainment.

If this ban is approved, Catalonia will stand apart from the rest of Spain with a clear message that animal cruelty will not be tolerated and if you are one of the many to speak up for the bulls - THANK YOU!

Unleashed is keeping a close eye on the outcome of the vote and will let you know the news as soon as possible! Watch this space!

A couple of weeks ago, in Japan, Kuru the dolphin jumped out of her tank during a show at Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium. Former dolphin trainer (from Flipper) turned dolphin advocate and star of The Cove, Ric O'Barry has said "The habitat of that [dolphin] is so unnatural it leapt out of the tank in desperation. It wanted to end it. Why does a person jump out of a building?" Ric may have a point.

While this footage is shocking, it must be a common enough occurrence, since the handlers keep mats around the aquarium's edge to minimise injury when the animals do this exact thing! And why wouldn't she want out?

Each year thousands of cetaceans (dolphins and whales) are captured from the wild and placed into small tanks in 'Sea Worlds' around the globe. The animals are then taught to perform tricks for human entertainment. Basically it’s a circus for cetaceans. But most people never hear about the horrendous conditions these animals are made to endure.

Like other animals in circuses, these animals don’t belong in prisons, but that's what many marine parks are. Everything about a whale or dolphin's life in captivity is restrictive. Dolpins and whales swim dozens and in some cases upwards of a hundred kilometres in a day. Yet in captivity their tanks are often so small that it only takes them a few seconds to swim from end to end. Many of these highly social animals are kept in solitary confinement. And for animals that rely on sonar, their small tanks must be like deafening echo-chambers.

To combat stress related ulcers and 'behavioural problems' these animals are often fed a cocktail of antibiotics and other drugs. Even still, most dolphins in captivity don't live to 20 years (less than half of their natural lifespan), and most orca whales, who could live to be 90+ in the wild, don't live past 10 years of age in captivity.

So it would come as little surprise if Kuru was hoping to end it the other week.

I'm sure you'd agree that locking any animal in a tiny enclosure and forcing them to perform tricks is cruel. Kuru and her cetacean buddies deserve a better life. Just like animal circuses, the strongest message we can send to marine parks with animal performances is simply not to visit them. We can all make a difference and give animals a better life.

What do you think about what happened with Kuru?

Some days it is just so exciting to be a part of the Animals Australia Unleashed team I can't even tell you!

After years of campaigning against factory farming, we were excited to hear Coles announce today that they are committed to having a completely sow stall free homebrand pork range by the end of 2014. What does this mean..?

Locking mother pigs inside 'sow stalls' is one of the cruellest things ever done to animals in Australia. The stalls themselves are not much bigger than the pigs' bodies, meaning they are stuck in one spot and can't even turn around for up to months on end.

Pigs are smart, curious individuals - much like dogs! - and it's shocking to think that for the sake of pork, bacon and ham, this type of cruelty is still legal in Australia. Fortunately, Coles has started to use their power to help end some of the worst abuse suffered by pigs on factory farms.

What's even more fortunate is that you don't have to be a massive company like Coles to make a big difference for animals. You can be a friend to pigs (and other animals) simply by taking them off your plate. It's easy! And -- you'll be saving the lives of 100 innocent animals every year. Now THAT's something worth celebrating :)

I wonder who else we can invite to the pig party next :)

Hello Ladies!

The 'man your man could smell like' is now also the man your man could eat like. No idea what I'm talking about? This should help get you almost up to speed:

Former NFL footballer and star of the hilarious Old Spice ads, Isaiah Mustafa announced on Twitter last week that he has embarked on a vegan diet. Just when you thought he couldn't get any more manly...! Isaiah now joins the ranks of other vegetarian beefcakes such as Carl Lewis, Mac Danzig, Bill Pearl and Dennis Rodman, who have all done the animals (and themselves) a favour and ditched meat.

And the story gets all the more intriguing/amusing... in a flirty twitter/YouTube conversation between the Old Spice Man and Alyssa Milano (also a vegetarian), Alyssa has challenged the Old Spice Man to donate $100,000 to wildlife rescue in the Gulf of Mexico oil clean up. Fingers crossed he mans up to the challenge!

Here's hoping his new found fondness for animals also inspires him to urge Old Spice's parent company, Procter and Gamble to stop testing on animals. Meanwhile why don't you let them know that you think animal testing stinks.

And on that note, I'm off to eat like a man :)

Recently, Unleashed member, Lea sent me some sticker designs she had created to promote shelter adoption. It's always inspiring to see what other people are doing to speak up for animals, and so I wanted to share Lea's designs with you:

I probably don't need to tell you Lea's onto a good thing. Adopting an animal from a shelter, rather than buying one from a pet store or breeder, is a great way to help animals ... For so many reasons!

For starters, you're giving a needy animal a home. Every year across Australia, over 200,000 dogs and cats are put down in shelters because a loving home could not be found for them. Every time a dog or cat is bought from a pet store, or a breeder, that's one less home for an animal in a shelter. And to add insult to injury it also creates the demand for even more dogs and cats to be bred :(

If that weren't reason enough, then puppy mills certainly are! Puppy mills are like factory farms for dogs. Imagine dozens or even hundreds of dogs kept as breeding machines - each dog confined to a small enclosure and given little exercise. These animals rarely get enough opportunity to socialise with other dogs or humans. Investigations of puppy mills have found dogs huddled in enclosures without proper shelter or bedding, and have found sick and weak dogs without proper vet care.

Many pet stores sell puppies from puppy mills. It's heart breaking to think that while the furry little bundle of joy that families buy at a pet store is on his way to his new home, his mum and dad are probably still suffering in a puppy mill.

Adopting a new furry friend from a shelter can be an incredibly rewarding experience. And it is all the more rewarding when you know that you've given a needy animal a loving home. Fingers crossed Lea's stickers reach a lot of people (and I'm sure she'd be happy for you to print them out and help make that happen - click on either image to get a larger version).

Have you adopted an animal?

Got something you're doing to speak up for animals?

Leave a comment below and tell us your story.

I just learned that in Taiwan if a person wants to thank Buddha for granting a wish, they buy a stranger a vegetarian meal. It's not unusual for people to also do this just to gain peace of mind. Pretty cool huh?

Well, one mysterious stranger on a motorbike has gone one better than this (or should that be 9,999 better?). He handed over the equivalent of $17,000 to the owner of Taipei's Lotus Heart Vegetarian Restaurant, asked him to feed the public and rode off into the sunset! His peace of mind must be through the roof!

This is enough money for 10,000 vegetarian meals! Restaurant owner, Hsu Min-long, has already given free veg meals to low-income families and children from the local orphanage, but there is still so much money left that he will cook free veg meals from 11am to 9pm for eight consecutive Sundays!

What a fabulous idea from a person who must have the most peaceful mind in all of Taiwan now. I can't think of many more effective ways to spend a lazy 17 grand, than by having people taste for themselves how amazing veg food can be and maybe sticking with it for life!

But then, you don't need 17 grand to share great veg food with friends. So why not score some good karma for yourself by cooking up a veg feast for your friends?

Oh, how I wish that compassionate biker and best pal of Buddha would ride into Adelaide and share the love between Joy Discovery, Bliss Organic or Zenhouse Yum Cha so I could eat delicious veg food for free!

What would you do with a spare $17,000? Which restaurant do you wish the anonymous giver would visit?

With amazing drawcards like flamenco dancing and the incredibly fun Tomatina Festival (basically just a massive food fight with tomatoes!) you'd think Spain wouldn't need any other crazy attractions to bring in the tourist dollars.

But unfortunately, the utterly cruel and outdated Running of the Bulls is taking place this week in Pamplona....

Each day of the week-long festival, 12 terrified animals are forced to run, slipping and sliding, often breaking limbs, down ancient cobble stoned streets and into a bullring. A hoard of taunting humans run ahead of the bulls, themselves risking serious injury or death.

Once in the bullring, the already exhausted animal faces a matador, who teases and taunts him before driving spears into his back and neck. As the bull loses blood he becomes weaker and finally collapses. Then the matador delivers the final blow, severing his spinal cord with a dagger. Sometimes the matador misses, leaving the bull conscious, paralysed and in sheer agony while being dragged off by the horns. Hardly a bull fight. This is a bull massacre!

Whether it's bull 'riding' in Australia, or bull 'fighting' in Spain, teasing and tormenting frightened animals has got to be one of the lowest excuses for 'entertainment' ever.

If you think Spain's Ministry of Tourism needs to be more creative in attracting tourists, send them a letter and tell them you will never visit a country that advertises bloodthirst and carnage as a 'fun' event!

So it's holidays... Hol-lee-dayzzzz!  Alright, alright - enough celebrating for now.

OK one more: HOLIDAYS!!!! 

Time to forget about school for 2 weeks (for most of us). No more 7am wake-ups, no more smelly canteens and smellier canteen men... and no more dissections (YES!).

I'm sure your schedule is already packed with movies to see, friends to visit, and shops to shop, food to eat... and maybe even a date? ;) But remember! The animals still need our help! And hey, is there a better time to be a hero for the animals than during the holidays?

So let's get down to business... Here are 5 great ways to make your holidays count:

1. Organise/join a leafleting session. (hit me up if this interests you!)
2. Take your friends out for a great veggie lunch.
3. Volunteer at a local animal shelter.
4. Write a letter to someone (eg. PM, local member of parliament, editor of a newspaper, etc) about an issue that concerns you.
5. Organise a movie night with your mates to watch Earthlings, or Meat the Truth.

So tell me, what are you doing for the animals these holidays? Don't forget to drop a line here and tell us all about it.

Stay loud!