People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) is the world’s largest animal rights organisation with over nine million members and supporters worldwide. PETA opposes Speciesism and considers it “a human-supremacist worldview.” Just like sexism, racism, and other forms of disscrimination, Speciesism is “an oppressive belief system in which those with power draw boundaries to justify using or excluding their fellow beings that are less powerful.”

PETA Asia Campaign Manager Abigail Forsyth
In a recent interview with the Sunday Observer, PETA’s Asian Region Campaign Manager Abigail Forsyth shed light on the main cases of animal welfare abuses reported across Asia, PETA’s key achievements in 2024 and critical steps that still need to be taken in 2025 to ensure ethical treatment of animals.
When asked about the main cases of animal welfare abuse reported across Asia in the past year, Forsyth said that animals in the region are abused and exploited as a matter of course in laboratories, on factory farms, in the clothing trade, and entertainment business. PETA Asia works effortlessly to alleviate suffering across all of these industries and to encourage the public to make choices that help, not harm animals, such as buying only vegan and cruelty-free products, eating and wearing vegan, and never attending circuses or other events that use animals.
Sri Lanka’s Animal Welfare Act
As we are all aware Sri Lanka’s Animal Welfare Act, dating back to 1907, remains woefully outdated. The new Animal Welfare Bill, which received Cabinet approval in 2022, has not been passed yet due to delays under the previous government. However, in a recent interview with the writer, a key member of the Animal Welfare Steering Committee, Attorney-at-law Lalani Perera sounded hopeful that the new government would get the bill passed soon. Forsyth also expressed concern over the delay, which leaves animals vulnerable to abuse and neglect.
“The delay in Sri Lanka passing the Animal Welfare Bill is concerning and means that animals remain vulnerable to abuse and neglect. We urge the Sri Lankan government to prioritise the passage of the Animal Welfare Bill, not only to protect animals, but also to enhance the country’s reputation as a compassionate and progressive nation,” she said.
Areas of concern for 2025
PETA Asia Campaign Manager also discussed the organisation’s specific concerns regarding the abuse of baby monkeys in Thailand’s coconut industry and the ongoing animal suffering near Egypt’s pyramids.
“Our latest investigation into Thailand’s coconut industry exposed that endangered baby pig-tailed macaques, some less than 3 months old, are torn from their mothers, chained on short tethers, confined in squalid conditions, and forcibly trained to pick coconuts. Investigators documented monkeys pacing in desperation, choking on tethers, and suffering injuries. These schools—promoted on Thai government websites—deceive tourists with staged demonstrations using abused adult monkeys. We continue to urge the Thai Government to end this suffering by banning the use of monkeys in the coconut industry.” She said with heartfelt concern.
PETA Asia’s 2019 investigation into top Egyptian tourist spots, such as the Great Pyramid of Giza and Luxor’s royal tombs, documented that workers whip exhausted horses forced to haul tourists in carriages and camels used as photo props.
“These animals are exploited in the blistering heat, and camels are deprived of appropriate shade or food. Egypt’s Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities promised to make meaningful changes, but when PETA Asia investigators returned in 2023 and 2024, the conditions were just as bad as before. Authorities hadn’t even bothered to honour the simplest promises of providing appropriate shade for the desperately hot animals. At the notorious Birqash Camel Market, investigators found that camels are still being beaten and slaughtered,” Forsyth thus highlighted the heartbreaking plight of these hapless creatures.
She also emphasised the need for compassion, urging Egyptian officials to heed PETA Asia’s call for a complete ban on using horses and camels to entertain visitors at tourist sites.
Other key areas of concern for 2025
In addition to ending forced monkey labour in the Thai coconut industry and abusive horse and camel rides in Egypt, PETA Asia is determined to stop Ethiopian Airlines’ shipments of monkeys to the US laboratories for painful experiments, end sales of python and other animals’ skins by Kering (the parent company of Gucci, Yves Saint Laurent, and other brands), and call on more retailers to end their sale of cruel civet coffee. “We will continue to hold governments and industries accountable and remind the public that the power to drive change lies in their hands—through mindful spending choices. By refusing to support exploitative practices, everyone can help cut off the financial backing that sustains these cruelties,” she said.
Key achievements in 2024
As Forsyth observed, PETA Asia has achieved many milestones in 2024 and recent years furthering its mission to protect animals across the region. “Following a PETA Asia investigation revealing that monkeys are chained, whipped, beaten, and forced to spend long hours picking coconuts from trees in Thailand, two major Thai companies took a stand: Chef’s Choice eliminated Thai coconuts from its supply chain, and Merit Food Products dropped suppliers implicated in monkey labour and sought import licenses for monkey-free coconuts.
After a PETA Asia investigation exposed cruelty in the down feather industry, H&M—the second-largest clothing retailer in the world—confirmed that it will no longer source new down for any of its brands worldwide, a move that will spare ducks and geese the misery of being plucked and a painful and frightening death. Global supermarket giant Carrefour cut ties with its supplier in Indonesia and is ending its sale of frog legs from the country following PETA Asia’s shocking investigative footage showing frogs taken from nature, suffocating in extremely crowded sacks, and skinned alive.” she said.
PETA commends Sri Lanka
She commended Sri Lanka’s decision to cancel plans to export 100,000 endangered toque macaques to China after PETA informed the country’s officials that these animals would likely be funneled into laboratories for cruel experiments and killed within months.
“These are just a few of our victories, which show that meaningful change is possible when companies and governments prioritise ethics,” Forsyth thus expressed her sincere thanks for the compassionate stance of such countries.
The Sunday Observer also asked PETA about its focus on zoo animals, particularly about elephants kept in confined spaces restricting their natural behaviours and well-being.
“Animals in zoos are one of PETA’s major concerns due to the length of time they suffer in captivity. For example, Miyako, an elephant who has spent over 50 years in a Japanese zoo, and Bua Noi, a gorilla who has been confined to the Pata Zoo in Thailand for more than 40 years, have endured a lifetime of suffering. We’re working hard to ensure they don’t suffer the same fate as Mali, the Sri Lankan elephant who died this year after 30 years of confinement at the Manila Zoo, never experiencing the freedom of a sanctuary. We’re pushing for these animals to be transferred to sanctuaries, and we urge the public to never support facilities that imprison animals for entertainment. And we’re committed to preventing Sri Lanka from sending another elephant to the Philippines,” she emphasised.
Lack of public awareness
The Campaign manager said that public awareness of animal welfare issues in Asia is still limited in many areas. “ But we are seeing promising changes. For example, in Thailand this year when PETA recommended relocating baby pygmy hippo Moo Deng to a sanctuary, the public was largely in denial about the deprivation and exploitation she faces in captivity. However, when a sedated cat was shown convulsing in scenes of The Empress of Ayodhaya, Thais were outraged and condemned the mistreatment.”
Support from celebrities, praiseworthy
“Celebrities and influencers help us raise awareness. For example, actor and former Miss Universe Sri Lanka Jacqueline Fernandez recently starred in a PETA India campaign encouraging her fans to adopt cats and dogs from shelters and never buy them from pet shops or breeders. Increased public understanding can help shift attitudes and we will continue to raise awareness and drive change across the region.” she said.
Forsyth highlighted the importance of being kind to animals and emphasised the need to instill kindness towards animals in children from an early age.
“Parents and teachers can help children learn to respect animals as individuals by avoiding products tested on animals, visiting sanctuaries instead of zoos, involving children in caring for companion animals, teaching children about vegan meals, and saying no to animal-based entertainment,” she said.
Compassion shines through when people stand up for the helpless. Mahatma Gandhi’s words remind us that a nation’s moral progress is seen in how it treats animals. Those who protect animals and work to end cruelty truly deserve respect and gratitude because their efforts bring hope for a kinder world.
Just as PETA’s slogan aptly says Animals are not ours to experiment on, eat, wear,use for entertainment, or abuse in any other way!