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!