Six good news stories for animals to end 2025!

Positive things that are happening for animals all around the world

For those of you who celebrate, I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas. If you had a difficult time with family or friends, I have a new podcast episode that I hope helps you with any struggles.

I would like to thank you all for your support throughout 2025, especially here on my Substack. Even though I’m still relatively new to this platform, I’m thoroughly enjoying writing and connecting with you all. I also hugely appreciate all of you who have ordered my new book, How to Go (and Stay) Vegan.

As the year now draws to a close, I thought I would put together a larger Good News Roundup to end the year on. So, let’s dive in to the good news stories!

The Good News Roundup is a regular instalment from me where I cover positive news stories from around the world that relate to veganism and animals. If you’ve been in need of a reminder that good things are happening for animals, then hit subscribe.

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🐒 🥼 UK science minister proposes new strategy to replace animal testing

Patrick Vallance, the Minister of State for Science, Research and Innovation, has published a paper pledging £75 million in funding for the development of animal-free alternatives, as well as a roadmap to phase out many animal experiments.

The policy paper, titled Replacing Animals in Science, calls for prioritising the development, validation and uptake of alternatives. As part of the roadmap, regulatory animal testing for skin and eye irritation is planned to be phased out by the end of 2026.

In a statement, Vallance said: ‘This is a roadmap which will ensure government, businesses, and animal welfare groups can work together to find alternatives to animal testing faster and more effectively.”

🐴 🇪🇸 Malaga bans horse-drawn carriage rides for tourists

The city of Malaga in Spain has implemented an immediate ban on horse-drawn carriages. Animal rights activists have long campaigned against the practice which sees horses forced to haul tourists around the city in heavy carts, including through heavy traffic and scorching summer weather.

Incredibly, the ban has been brought forward by a decade from its planned start in 2035. Malaga mayor Francisco De la Torre said the decision was made ‘thinking about the welfare and safety of the animals’. Animal advocates are now pushing for the 61 remaining horses be moved to refuges, or rehomed via rescue centres, with some already finding sanctuary.

🦌 🎅 Lapland UK stops using live animals

Lapland UK, an immersive festive attraction with multiple venues in England, has confirmed they will no longer use live animals in their events.

Instead of reindeer displays, the event will lean into animal-free entertainment, embracing creative alternatives like reindeer models and animatronics. The move comes after pressure from groups like PETA and Freedom For Animals, who highlight the distress placed on animals by transport, confinement and exposure to noisy, crowded environments.

Lapland UK is joining a growing number of festive attractions worldwide that are choosing cruelty-free entertainment, showing that the magic of the season doesn’t need to come at the expense of animals.

🇬🇧 ✍️ UK government announces major animal welfare reforms

The British government has recently launched a new Animal Welfare Strategy, including a consultation on banning cages for hens and mother pigs, the last farmed animals still routinely confined in cages in the UK.

It will also look to outlaw snare traps and trail hunting, which is used as a smokescreen for hunting foxes with dogs. For companion animals, the government plans to ban puppy farming, making it illegal to breed dogs in intensive conditions. It will also consult on a ban on the use of electric shock collars.

As animal welfare is devolved, the strategy applies directly to England, while progress in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland will vary, with some nations already ahead on certain measures and others now at risk of falling behind. Though they are far from being enough, these proposed reforms are a big step in the right direction.

🐔 ❌ Planning permission for intensive chicken sheds revoked

Newcastle-under-Lyme Borough Council has revoked planning permission for the construction of two intensive poultry sheds after a legal challenge from Communities Against Factory Farming (CAFF).

CAFF argued the plan’s original approval was unlawful due to a failure to properly assess environmental impacts and animal welfare concerns. The plans also received nearly 1,000 objections from local residents. The proposed unit would have housed approximately 70,000 broiler chickens at any one time, meaning that hundreds of thousands of chickens per year would have been bred and raised in these hellish facilities.

🏫 🌱 Millions of school children get access to plant-based meals

Recent reforms in both Poland and the USA will see millions of children gaining access to more plant-based food.

In Poland, schools and nurseries will now be required to ensure plant-based protein and dairy alternatives are available at all mealtimes after the government pledged to update its draft nutrition guidance.

Across the Atlantic, the US Senate has passed the Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act. The act was originally designed to promote dairy milk in schools but has now been amended to make plant-based alternatives available as standard, and allow parents to request them without a doctor’s note - which shockingly was previously required. While the law still encourages dairy, this amendment at least ensures children can access non-dairy milk without unnecessary barriers.

Thanks so much for reading. I hope these stories have given you inspiration and hope as we move into 2026 and that you have a very Happy New Year.