Every year at Easter, we hold Zoo Awareness Weekend (ZAW), an event dedicated to exposing the reality animals face in captivity over the zoo industry’s busiest time of year. And what a success it was this year! Outside the gates of nine zoos and aquariums across the UK and Ireland, dedicated grassroots activists held peaceful protests to stand up for the rights of the innocent animals trapped inside for entertainment.
Here are just some of the amazing demonstrations that were held this year:
Chester Zoo
Last week we brought you the horrifying news that over 19,000 critically endangered animals died at Chester Zoo in 2024 alone! Outraged by this, Merseyside Animal Rights (MAR) took to the streets outside the zoo, on Monday 21st April, to show visitors what their money was really paying for.
Photo credit: Merseyside Animal Rights Campaigns
Like many zoos, Chester sells itself as a conservation project, so activists thought it was time the truth was told – that more animals die there than are born, and that nearly 75% of species there aren’t even considered threatened in the wild! Zoos are about business, not conservation, and the experienced activists from MAR made sure their customers on Easter Monday knew it!
The hired security at the zoo were trying to impede MAR’s activism, but they were determined and handed out many leaflets to the public regardless. We are so grateful to MAR for their continued support on Zoo Awareness Weekend and throughout the year. Their help is so valued, and their drive to help animals is inspiring. Thank you!
London Zoo
On Saturday 19th April, dedicated activists gathered outside London Zoo to hold an outreach event and protest for Zoo Awareness Weekend, to take a stand for animals and show the paying public what really happens behind the bars.
Photo credit: Josephine Wilson
During the event, activists handed out hundreds of leaflets and interacted with the public, with many positive conversations taking place. One couple even decided not to buy tickets after being shown the reality of how animals suffer in zoos! This determined group of activists takes action for animals on a regular basis, holding protests outside London Zoo and SeaLife London (see below) to share the truth of captivity. We are so grateful to all these inspiring individuals, for putting so much time and effort into exposing the con in conservation. Thank you!
London Sea Life Centre
The same committed group of activists who took action on Saturday outside London Zoo did not stop there! They also held an impactful demonstration outside London Sea Life Centre the very next day on Easter Sunday. Our very own Office Administrator Krysia also joined the event with her family, to show her and FFA’s support!
Photo credit: Josephine Wilson
Protests have been held by these activists outside the aquarium for a number of years, with ongoing events also taking place in support of our campaign to ‘Free the Fifteen’ gentoo penguins who are cruelly held captive in a basement enclosure there. You can sign the petition and find out more information on this important campaign here!
We want to thank every single person who continues to give up so much of their time to stand up for all the animals cruelly held captive in Sea Life London. The events are hugely impactful in exposing the reality of how animals suffer in the tiny tanks they’re trapped in. Thanks to their continued presence outside this aquarium, the animals’ plight is not forgotten.
Edinburgh Zoo
Activists at Edinburgh Zoo adopted innovative techniques to engage with zoo visitors and passers-by at their event on the 19th April; such as their zoo quiz, which presented information obtained from the zoo’s staff to highlight the problematic elements of captivity. They also provided visitors with a checklist so that they could evaluate the quality of life animals could have inside the zoo for themselves.
Thanks to the hard work of activists on the day, the event was a big success. One of the activists stated to us that “many of the people who took part in the zoo quiz were shocked by what they learned. Some had already bought tickets but stopped to chat, took our checklist inside and became their own animal welfare detectives. A few even chose not to enter after hearing what we had to say. It was a peaceful and compassionate protest—after all, most visitors see themselves as animal lovers; they just haven’t connected the dots yet, and we meet that with understanding.”
Knowsley Safari Park
Grassroots activism group ‘Team Tino Animal Rights’ had a very positive and effective protest outside Knowsley Safari Park on Sunday 20th April. Five dedicated individuals managed to hand out over 100 leaflets! What a great result.
Photo credit: Team Tino Animal Rights
Their hard work and determination has helped to expose the grim reality for the animals held captive there, also highlighting the zoo’s insistence on making animals perform for entertainment in their bird of prey and sea lion displays. One activist even wore a hi-viz, to hand the leaflets out to visitors as they entered the car and pedestrian entrances – brilliant effort! The group is hoping to take part in another protest there later in the year, so if you would like to get involved please contact us.
Belfast Zoo
Dedicated animal activists in Belfast held a brilliant protest on Saturday 19th April, braving the rainy, cold weather to share the truth of what happens to animals suffering in Belfast Zoo. They had an enormous amount of support from the public, with lots of waves, thumbs up and honks from passing cars.
As the turn from the main road into the zoo is a slower one, they noticed a lot of people reading the signs they were holding, so they were able to use that to their advantage and attract more public attention! One activist mentioned that it “was pretty gratifying when they were sitting there for ages waiting to turn [into the entrance], while our protest got so much support from people passing by. I’m sure it made them think twice.”.
Photo credit: Speaking Up For Animals
Although there wasn’t much visitor foot traffic on the day, activists were still able to give out some leaflets, including to a family leaving the zoo. Thank you so much to all these incredible individuals, taking the time to take a stand for animals cruelly held in captivity on Zoo Awareness Weekend every year. Your support is so valued and appreciated!
Dublin Zoo
On Saturday 19th April, inspirational activists from the grassroots group National Animal Rights Association (NARA) participated in Zoo Awareness Weekend at Dublin Zoo this year!
The event was a huge success, garnering a lot of support from the local community including Ruth Coppinger TD, ROSA, Socialist Party Ireland and other human and animal rights groups! Our director at Freedom for Animals, Andrew Kelly also attended to support the event!
Despite the rain, approximately 300 leaflets were handed out to people on their way into the zoo. We hope what they read will stop them attending in future! The event also attracted the attention of local media, with ‘The Journal’ sharing details of the action on their news page, and the Irish Sunday Times conducting interviews on the day.
We are working alongside NARA and sympathetic politicians such as Ruth Coppinger TD to raise awareness of Dublin Zoo’s history of scandal and cruelty, and call on the need for an independent investigation to take place there, for both animal welfare reasons and financial transparency. With NARA, we are also demanding that the breeding, import and export of ALL animals in Dublin Zoo be banned, to start a realistic and achievable phase-out of animals held captive there.
Photo credit: National Animal Rights Association (NARA).
Brighton SeaLife – CLOSE SEALIFE
On Sunday 20th April, a number of committed activists attended a protest organised by the animal rights group CLOSE SEALIFE, outside Sea Life Brighton. Despite the area apparently being quieter than usual for a Bank Holiday Monday due to the cool weather, they were still able to hand out a large amount of leaflets, and received support from many passers by. A couple of people even said they would like to join future protests and asked for details of the next event, which is a brilliant result!
CLOSE SEALIFE regularly holds demonstrations outside of Brighton aquarium to raise awareness on the suffering animals endure within this watery prison – including Lulu, a green sea turtle who has been cruelly incarcerated for over 80 years. These events never fail to bring valuable awareness to her devastating situation, and that of the other animals held captive there alongside her. CLOSE SEALIFE started a petition to demand her freedom, which can be viewed HERE.
We are so appreciative of the continued dedication, support and drive in the fight for animal freedom from these activists. Thank you!
Photo credit: CLOSE SEALIFE
Twycross Zoo
Brilliant animal activists from across the East Midlands held a demonstration on Saturday 19th April at Twycross Zoo. The protest was a huge success! The group were able to give out a great many leaflets to the curious passers-by. The hi-vis tactic worked well again here, with activists able to hand out leaflets to the cars driving into the zoo!
Our recent research into the so-called ‘stocklists’ of zoos uncovered that a devastating 8717 animals died at Twycross Zoo in 2023. Thanks to these determined activists, these shocking findings were highlighted to people visiting the zoo over one of their busiest weekends. We are so grateful to all who took action!
Photo credit: Nottingham Animal Rights
Zoos in the UK and Ireland hold tens of thousands of animals captive. Many are suffering in silence, their misery unseen despite the thousands of people who peer in at them everyday. Zoos which exploit animals can never be ethical.
From the bottom of our hearts, thank you to everyone who got involved in this year’s Zoo Awareness Weekend! Whether you attended a demo, shared our videos, taken part in an action, or commented on our posts – you have collectively helped to make 2025’s event a huge success for animals!
For any of our supporters who are thinking of getting involved in future demonstrations and outreach days, please let us know so that we can help link you up with a local group in your area, or you can start your own!
Here are the many other ways you can help animals too:
Keep an eye on our Latest Campaigns page for future events and actions
You can donate to help fuel to the fight for an end to the captivity of animals
Become a Freedom Champion and set up a monthly gift
Hold future demos and protests by ordering free campaign materials
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