Spring is here! And that means rising temperatures and family days out, which also marks one of the busiest times of year for zoos and aquariums. As visitor numbers surge over the Easter weekend, so too does the need to highlight the reality faced by animals kept in captivity.
So on the 6th-9th April, will you please join us? With your help, we can shine a light on the suffering animals endure in captivity, and spread the truth about what goes on behind the mask of “conservation”. We can fight for their freedom!
Across the UK and Ireland, dedicated activists and grassroots groups will be hosting protests, outreach events, and awareness campaigns to expose the suffering endured by hundreds of thousands of animals in zoos and aquariums.
These events are a vital opportunity to engage with the public, and challenge the normalisation of captivity by speaking up for animals held in cages and tanks for human entertainment. Every conversation, leaflet handed out, and banner held helps to bring us closer to a world where animals are no longer exploited for visitor ticket sales and industry profit.
Find an event near you! With events taking place across the country, there’s a strong chance you can join an action in your local area. Whether you’re a seasoned activist or taking your first step into animal rights activism, your voice matters – and your presence makes such a difference in the fight for freedom.
Here are some planned events taking place across the UK and Ireland over the weekend:
Edinburgh Zoo – Friday 3rd April 10am-12pm
Newcastle City Centre – Saturday 4th April 11am-1pm
London Zoo – Friday 3rd April
Sea Life London Aquarium – Saturday 4th April 2-4pm
London Zoo – Sunday 5th April 2-4pm
Belfast Zoo – Saturday 4th April 1.30pm
Dublin Zoo – Saturday 4th April
Knowsley Safari Park – Monday 6th April 11am – 1pm
Chester Zoo – DATE TBC
Twycross Zoo – DATE TBC
Whipsnade Zoo -DATE TBC
If your local town or zoo isn’t listed here, why not get involved and hold your own event to stand up for animals? You can email us at [email protected] for more information on the above events, or to start your own!
We also provide free campaign materials to activists and supporters who want to hold their own demos and stalls for Zoo Awareness Weekend and future demos! You can order them here.
Please be mindful that the last day for posting in time for demos held over this Zoo Awareness Weekend will be 1st April 2026 – please email us at [email protected] and we will try our best to help.
If you are unable to attend an event in-person, why don’t you try some of these great actions below to get involved:
Distribute leaflets in your local area
Order our free leaflets online and get active in your local towns and streets! Spreading the message in your local community can be a really powerful way to inspire others to listen to your message or get involved.
Take part in online actions on our social media pages or website
We have a number of live actions we need your help with, whether that be by signing one of our important petitions or emailing the government to take action via our website – we need your help to make change for animals! Head to our ‘Take Action’ page to find out more.
Hold a fundraising event to support our work against animal captivity
If you are unable to hold an event or get involved over the Easter Weekend, there are plenty of other ways you can help raise vital funds to help animals in the future.
We are always so grateful to our dedicated supporters for any help they can offer, and there are some really fun ways to get together with friends and raise money for future campaigns. Whether that be holding a coffee morning or vegan bake sale, taking part in a fun run, or holding future outreach stalls in your local towns and cities! Any actions you choose to take will help us continue our fight for total animal freedom. For more info email [email protected]
Share our posts on social media
Getting involved and raising awareness on the plight of animals held captive for human entertainment can really be as simple as sharing and commenting on our posts on social media, to help others gain an awareness on what’s happening and how they can make a difference!
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Donate to help fund our campaign work
Your kind donations are absolutely vital in the fight for animal freedom; helping us to bring about lasting change for animals trapped in captivity.
You can make a one off donation HERE!
Or for a longer-lasting impact please consider becoming a Freedom Champion by setting up a monthly gift HERE!
However you choose to get involved this Zoo Awareness Weekend, we want to say a huge THANK YOU! We are so grateful for your help in fighting for change. Together, we will achieve animal freedom!
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