20/08/2026
13 years of exposing the unseen, standing up for the forgotten, and walking straight into the dark places where animals suffer. The women of Ban Animal Trading have faced endless threats, but they have never backed down.
โShow your support for their incredible courage by voting for Nomination #34:
๐ https://www.facebook.com/share/1dH12fx67Z/?mibextid=wwXIfr
The ladies behind Ban Animal Trading (BAT) are True Heros with warrior spirits! They are relentless in their fight against all types of animal abuse and exploitation, and those profiting from animal exploitation, hate them for exposing the truth. These courageous women go where others would not dare. They are the voice for the voiceless and no matter what they face, they do not back down, they will not be silenced, they will fight for every living being.
In an interview, Smaragda said the following:
โ Almost every time that BAT exposes a pet shop, a trader, or an industry that profits off animal suffering, the response is the same: threats, legal letters and warnings to stay silent.
Weโve lost count of how many times weโve been threatened for telling the truth. Not too long ago 60 South African zoo owners, animal breeders, animal traders and the animal abuse entertainment industry (including an animal circus) threatened us with a R100-million lawsuit for exposing exactly how they use sentient beings to fill their own pockets.
The animal exploitation industry even reported BAT to the South African Human Rights Commission for protesting against the use of animals for entertainment. Needless to say, the SAHRC found in our favour.
Numerous pet shops have also sent us legal letters demanding we take down posts exposing the cruelty they force animals to endure, all so they can make a few cents.
Not one of these threats has ever succeeded, because BAT has lawyers who stand behind every word we publish.
๐๐ ๐ฐ๐๐ง๐ญ ๐ญ๐จ ๐ฆ๐๐ค๐ ๐ข๐ญ ๐ฏ๐๐ซ๐ฒ ๐๐ฅ๐๐๐ซ ๐ญ๐ก๐๐ญ ๐๐๐ ๐ฐ๐ข๐ฅ๐ฅ ๐ง๐๐ฏ๐๐ซ ๐ฉ๐ฎ๐๐ฅ๐ข๐ฌ๐ก ๐ ๐ฌ๐ข๐ง๐ ๐ฅ๐ ๐ฐ๐จ๐ซ๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐๐ญ ๐ข๐ฌ ๐ง๐จ๐ญ ๐ญ๐ซ๐ฎ๐. ๐๐ฏ๐๐ซ๐ฒ ๐๐ฅ๐๐ข๐ฆ ๐ฐ๐ ๐ฆ๐๐ค๐ ๐ข๐ฌ ๐๐๐๐ค๐๐ ๐๐ฒ ๐๐ฏ๐ข๐๐๐ง๐๐.
If you donโt like what we say about you, the problem is not our reporting, itโs YOUR exploitation of a living being who never consented to a life in a cage, a breeding pen, or a circus ring.
Animal cruelty happens in the shadows, hidden from public view because it is profitable to keep it that way. BAT will always shine a light on it, no matter who tries to switch it off.
Animals cannot walk into a courtroom or write a legal letter. They donโt speak human. They cannot demand their own freedom, their own dignity, or their own right to a life free from exploitation. So we demand it for them loudly, and without apology.
Every threat sent is not intimidation. Itโs an admission that weโve hit a nerve, and that an industry built on animal suffering cannot survive the truth.