Animal Defenders International

Behind some of the biggest and most dangerous large scale animal rescues in the world, with daring undercover missions to expose the suffering of animals. Active worldwide to end animal suffering, ADI’s undercover investigations inside laboratories, circuses, animal traffickers and Hollywood animal trainers, have led to prosecutions and new laws to protect animals. Bans on all, or wild animals in circuses have been secured in almost 50 countries. In Bolivia, Peru, Colombia and Guatemala, ADI has been called in to help government wildlife officials enforce the bans and empty the cages.The ADI team tracks down illegal circuses wherever they go, facing threats and abuse as they take the suffering animals to a new life.These rescues often include large-scale relocations of animals – flying over 50 monkeys to forest sanctuary habitats or 33 lions from Peru and Colombia to South Africa. ADI cares for many of these circus survivors in their 455 acre sanctuary in South Africa, where lions and tigers roam huge natural enclosures – the lions, who once lived in cages the size of double beds, enjoy something of the life they were meant to live. ADI also cares for monkeys and bears in the natural homes in Latin America. All the animals have incredible stories of survival. ADI was founded in 1990; is a US 501(c)(3) non-profit; a registered charity in the UK and South Africa; has offices in Colombia and Peru. Winner of a 2021 Great Non Profit Certificate.