If you thought last week was full of good news for animals, that was just the beginning ... the good news has just kept coming this week!

Yesterday Australian Pork Limited announced that they were "pursuing a voluntary phase out" of sow stalls by 2017. Now we all know that 2017 really isn't soon enough - I mean Coles has committed to doing the same by 2014 - but this still marks a major victory and means ultimately millions of mother pigs will be spared a miserable life of solitary confinement.

But wait, there's more! This morning Coles added another to their recent streak of animal welfare improvements. They've announced they will be completely ditching their own brand of cage eggs by 2013. I don't think I need to tell you that this is good news for those who care about animals and bad news for animal abusers.

I'm gonna say it... this is the beginning of the end for factory farming! Supermarkets and industry (or at least the pig industry) are seeing the writing on the wall. Factory farming's days are numbered. Really, once the public realises that piglets have their tails cut off without pain relief, or that chickens raised for meat are crammed into sheds by the thousands only to marinate in their own waste for 42 days before slaughter, will they want to support those practices? I think not!

At this rate we'll be out of a job in no time (ok maybe that's wishful thinking). But really, if you want to help put us out of a job and give animals the ultimate protection they deserve then the answer's simple - don't eat 'em.

Tell me, what factory farming practice would you like to see put into the history books next?

This has been an AWESOME week for animal victories! And what makes these wins that much sweeter is that they wouldn't have happened without us! That is Unleashed members like YOU!

First we found out that the brutal plan to trap, transport and slaughter Tasmanian possums at a notoriously cruel abattoir has been rejected by the federal Environment Minister. Tony Burke couldn't ignore over 500 emails from us outlining that there would be no way to carry that out humanely. Now no possum has to face the shear terror of a slaughterhouse for the export market!

Next up, Coles announced that they will phase out any products from piggeries using sow stalls from their own range of pork, ham and bacon (side-note -- yuck!). This means that by 2014, Coles won't be supporting any pig farmer who, cruelly yet legally, confines mother pigs in cages barely bigger than their bodies while they are pregnant. Less pigs trapped in sow stalls means more pigs with space to do simple things like turn around. There's still a long way to go before Coles can call themselves cruelty-free, but these changes are coming about through pressure from consumers (and of course from gorgeous Lucy Pig!).

And finally, last night the Ku-Ring-Gai Council voted 7-3 to ban cruel exotic animal circuses! This ban was actually already in place until the circus industry applied enough pressure for the council to backflip in August and overturn the ban. This outraged the public, but one thing Unleashed members know how to do is make their voices heard. Thousands of signatures on the Animals Australia online petition -- or as I like to call it -- the deafening roar, convinced councillors that lions (and tigers, and monkeys...) don't belong in the circus!

I just have to say thank you, thank you, thank you to all of the incredible Unleashed members that have played a massive part in improving the lives of these beautiful, innocent animals.

We are their voice -- this shows how powerful we are when we speak up!

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 …