Project Runway Airs Episode Without Using Any Animal MaterialsIf you like Project Runway, you’re going to love this positive animal news! The animal rights group Humane World for Animals recently partnered with the reality TV show Project Runway to challenge participants to create designs inspired by animals, but without using any animal-derived materials. “Fashion has long been inspired by the beauty of nature and animals in the creation and adoption and adaptation of textures, aesthetics, and movement,” said Kitty Block, the president and CEO of Humane World for Animals. “But all too often, that respect and admiration is lost when it comes to the materials we use, not only impacting the lives of countless animals, but also the places they call home.” The episode, entitled “Catwalk on the Wild Side,” aired as part of season 22 of the reality competition show, and required contestants to only use cruelty-free fabrics that neither contained animal derived materials nor involved the harming of animals in their creation. Such allowed materials included cotton, polyester, denim, hemp, and more. “On Project Runway,” said Block, “the message was clear: We share the world with animals who are beautiful, fascinating, and worthy of being valued, protected, and celebrated. Each of us has a role to play in creating a more humane world; we can make small decisions in our daily lives that can make a big difference for animals.” Harry Potter Actor Evanna Lynch Gets MarriedEvanna Lynch, who portrayed the iconic Luna Lovegood in the Harry Potter movie series, married Denis Skinner on August 21, 2026. The couple met at a bar in 2021 when Lynch entered as a patron and became smitten with the bartender, Skinner. She returned periodically, hoping to catch his attention. Finally, a friend of hers told him she was attracted to him, and he gave Lynch his number. They got engaged in 2023. “Mr. and Mrs. Lynch-Skinner,” joked Lynch. “As a vegan, I find the violence of our combined surnames deeply ironic and amusing.” Evanna reportedly sent her stylist on a quest to find the perfect vegan heels for the wedding day, while Denis wore shoes made of recycled bottles. Lynch herself has been vegan for years, is a strong animal rights advocate, and has lent her support to our mission in the past. We at The Protego Foundation wish the happy couple all the best! Plans for the World’s First Commercial Octopus Farm are ScrappedGood news for octopuses and fish came when Nueva Pescanova decided not to move forward with their plans to create the first commercial octopus farm in Gran Canaria, Spain. When the farm was announced in 2021, it was met with criticism over ethical and environmental concerns. Octopuses are among the most intelligent invertebrate species on Earth, and were the subject of the Oscar-winning documentary My Octopus Teacher (2020), which highlighted their intellect and personalities. Furthermore, the octopus farm planned to feed the animals a massive supply of wild-caught fish, which would have exacerbated the overfishing problem plaguing ocean ecosystems. The proposed farm was ultimately canceled when the organization Compassion in World Farming successfully led an international campaign against its creation. Because of their campaign, more than 40,000 people contacted the Las Palmas Port Authority to express their opposition to the farm. “Octopuses are intelligent, wild animals, not products to be caged in factory farms,” says Dr. Elena Lara, the senior research and policy advisor at Compassion in World Farming. “The decision to abandon this project sends a powerful message that the future of food must not be built on animal suffering.” New Netflix Documentary Exposes the Chicken Factory Farming IndustryNetflix’s new documentary Big Chicken: A Fast Food Conspiracy follows a simple premise: British comedian Mo Gilligan eats nothing but fast food fried chicken for 28 days to see what happens to his body. “Over the course of the month,” says a press release from Netflix, “[Gilligan] embarks on an eye-opening journey from South London to the United States to reveal the historical origins of fried chicken and the social, economic, and industrial forces driving our mass consumption of it - from fast-food chains to large-scale farming- and the impact on our health, our planet, and the way we eat.” The documentary discusses everything from environmental issues to mental and physical health problems associated with eating fast food, as well as the cruel living conditions for the chickens and the dangerous, illegal labor practices committed by the factory farming and processing industry. The documentary has drawn comparison to the 2004 Oscar nominated documentary Super-Size Me, in which Morgan Spurlock exclusively ate McDonald’s for 30 days. Big Chicken: A Fast Food Conspiracy (rated MA) is now streaming on Netflix. Disney’s Newest Land at Animal Kingdom Will Not Feature Live AnimalsFormer Imagineer Joe Rohde, who designed much of Disney’s Animal Kingdom theme park, has stated that the newest land at the park, Tropical Americas, has no plans to include live animals. Tropical Americas, which is replacing Dinoland U.S.A., will feature an attraction themed to Disney’s Encanto, an attraction themed to Indiana Jones, and a carousel themed to various Disney animal characters, but will not feature any real animal exhibits. The majority of the park has many live animals, and was compared to a zoo when the park opened in 1998. When it closed permanently, Dinoland U.S.A. had one small alligator exhibit. According to Rohde, the decision not to include any new animal exhibits is economical and is subject to change in the future, but for now, Tropical Americas will only have robotic animals. McCormick Introduces Four Plant-based Harry Potter-themed SugarsIn plant-based food news, McCormick has debuted six new Harry Potter-themed finishing sugars, four of which are plant-based: Chocolate Frog, Drooble’s Best Blowing Gum, Licorice Wand, and Pumpkin Pasty. The Cauldron Cake and Treacle Tart flavors contain dairy, as does McCormick’s previously released Butterbeer finishing sugar. The Chocolate Frog flavor is compared to “sweet cocoa.” Drooble’s Best Blowing Gum is designed to mimic “a burst of blueberry bubble gum.” Licorice Wand tastes of “bold, spiced black licorice.” And Pumpkin Pasty is reminiscent of “cinnamon, ginger, allspice, nutmeg, and pumpkin powder.” The sugars are designed as a topping for baked goods and drinks.
 TUI Airways Bans Hunting Trophies, France Considers Doing the SameSome wonderful positive world animal news came this month when Britain-based TUI Airways banned the transportation of hunting trophies, whether they were obtained through legal or illegal means. The airline, the tenth largest in the world, joins 52 others — including Air France, Air Canada, Qatar Airways Cargo, Finnair, and others in 26 countries — in implementing similar restrictions. Reportedly, nearly 80% of these airlines have a total ban on hunting trophies. Although Air France restricts the transportation of hunting trophies, the country has not outright banned them…but France is considering it. Despite being one of Europe’s largest importers of hunting trophies, the French government has proposed a new ban on trophies from protected species, such as lions, elephants, zebras, giraffes, and other animals that are commonly targeted by big game hunters. Maryland Men Arrested for Illegal Exotic Animal PhotographyVernon Crowfey III and Jayden Evans were arrested for staging a photoshoot with wild animals in a Baltimore mall parking garage. Crowfey, who owned a photography business, and Evans, who owned an exotic animals photography business, collaborated on the shoot, which featured three women, a lemur, a spider monkey, and snakes — and a floor lit on fire. Although the men claimed to have permission from mall security to stage the photoshoot, neither had a permit to exhibit the animals, as required by the Animal Welfare Act. Documents additionally show that the men illegally obtained the animals from North Carolina, and a search warrant revealed that the animals — plus additional wild and domestic animals — were not housed in proper conditions in Evans’ home. The arrest was part of a sting operation involving an undercover cop, who managed to secure a private photoshoot with the lemur and spider monkey. Crowfey and Evans are now facing 23 misdemeanor and felony charges, including animal cruelty and arson. Parking garages are not the only places where animals experience stress during photoshoots. Every year, live animals (including wild ones) are brought into noisy, crowded convention halls and used as props while they interact with strangers. You can show your support for these animals by joining our Defend the Direwolves campaign. Together, we can make fan conventions a more magical place for everyone! Florida to Increase Protections for Animals from CrueltySome good animal welfare news came from Florida. The Sunshine State recently passed two new bills that expand protections for animals’ safety and welfare. HB 599 introduced new felony offenses for adult offenders of animal abuse, as well as for adults who encourage minors to commit such crimes. Additionally, the law stipulates that minors who engage in acts of animal cruelty will undergo psychological evaluation and treatment. The law also increases penalties for animal fighting, adds more information to state registries for animal abuse offenders, and allows local governments to raise civil penalties for repeat violations. Another law, SB 1004, aims to crack down on puppy mills by forcing animal vendors to provide more information regarding the animals’ health and veterinary records. Artificial Dissectible Piglet Alternative Coming to ClassroomsGood news for piglets and for squeamish students! The new Kind Piglet is a synthetic model of a dissectible fetal piglet, commonly found in biology classrooms during anatomy units. The Kind Piglet, a follow-up of the Kind Frog, is a life-sized replica that features color-coded plastic organs for easy identification. Unlike a real fetal piglet, the Kind Piglet does not contain bioorganic liquids or hazardous materials like formaldehyde, leaving science labs mess-free. In addition to being a more ethical alternative, the Kind Piglet is also cheaper than using real fetal piglets, making this invention a win for teachers, students, and baby pigs. “As a student,” says Kind Piglet inventor and PETA president Tracy Reiman, “I learned firsthand how dissection can leave a lasting impression for all the wrong reasons and even turn them away from a career in science. Every student deserves the chance to experience curiosity, not distress, and the Kind Piglet helps make that possible while not harming a hair on an animal’s head.” On ProtegoCast, The Protego Foundation’s fan activism for animals podcast, we spoke with Samantha Crowe, creator of SynFrog, to discuss the problem of animal dissection in classrooms and propose dissection alternatives that spare animals pain and suffering. Listen to Season 3 Episode 9: “Justice for Trevor! How to Solve the Problem of Classroom Dissection” on our website or your favorite streaming service. Illinois Law Helps Protect Pets in Custody DisputesThe new Companion Animal Custody Equity Act, going into effect in January 2027, will allow courts to consider the welfare of pets involved in custody dispute cases - regardless of the marital status of the separating couple. The new law requires judges to evaluate the disputing parties’ history with the animal, including feeding, veterinary trips, training and grooming patterns, financial ability to care for the animal, and their emotional bond with the animal. The law is a step forward in considering animals as living beings and family members, and not merely as property. Leonardo DiCaprio and Jeff Bezos Donate Millions to Help Endangered AnimalsActor Leonardo DiCaprio and Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos have joined forces to combat extinction in 100 endangered animal species. The pair have donated a combined $200 million in an effort to protect animals such as pangolins, salamanders, echidnas, and more. The Phoenix Species Project, the collaborative initiative between DiCaprio’s Re:wild and Bezos’ Earth Fund, seeks to support existing smaller environmental groups by giving them grants. Association Fanamby, one such recipient, protects the golden-crowned sifaka, a lemur from Madagascar. Executive director Tiana Andriamanana said that they had been working with a budget that “would never match what this species deserves,” but now, “This funding, this global platform and technical support change what is possible.” We also recommend checking out Re:wild’s “Re:wild Your Fridge” project. Michigan Expands Support for Animal Shelters and Victims of Animal CrueltyNew bills passed in Michigan are designed to help animals in shelters as well as animals rescued from abusers. One of the bills introduces a new purchasable state license plate. The funds from this plate will go to shelters, with the goal of expanding access to spay and neuter programs as well as supporting shelter staff members. Another bill requires those convicted of animal abuse to pay restitution while their victims are rehabilitated and rehomed. Additionally, it stipulates that the abused animals cannot be returned to them. “Animals in our state deserve to be treated with compassion and care,” says Governor Gretchen Whitmer. “I’m proud to sign these bills that deliver resources to our shelters and protect abused and homeless animals from more harm. Let’s keep working together to support our animal shelters and find every pet a loving home.”
Thank you for reading our latest news roundup! The Protego Foundation is committed to giving you all the best happy animal news, important fandom news, and animal welfare news each month. What story from August 2026 did you like the most? Let us know in the comments below! Written by Halley Powell Accio More Articles:
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The Protego Foundation and its activities are not licensed by, sponsored by or associated with Warner Bros., J.K. Rowling, or their affiliates. 'Wizarding World,' 'Harry Potter,' ‘Fantastic Beasts' and all related names, characters and indicia are trademarks of and © Warner Bros. - Harry Potter publishing rights © J.K. Rowling.
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The Protego Foundation and its activities are not licensed by, sponsored by or associated with Warner Bros., J.K. Rowling, or their affiliates. 'Wizarding World,' 'Harry Potter,' ‘Fantastic Beasts' and all related names, characters and indicia are trademarks of and © Warner Bros. - Harry Potter publishing rights © J.K. Rowling.
FEIN 83-3531129