A new investigation into live markets in the Bay Area reveals continued animal abuse, despite Animal Outlook's previous demands for the San Francisco Department of Animal Care and Control (SFACC) to take action.

In 2022, Animal Outlook investigators visited 18 live markets across San Francisco, San Jose, and Oakland, uncovering animal cruelty hidden in plain sight. We documented widespread abuse that, in our assessment, violates California law. One well-meaning SFACC officer visited the live markets in response, witnessed an act of cruelty, and issued a citation, but the agency did not act on any of the footage we presented.

Animal Outlook has since presented detailed solutions that would help SFACC overcome enforcement challenges, and we remain optimistic that the agency will implement our proposals. In the meantime, we continue taking matters into our own hands.

In September 2024, our investigators revisited these live markets, documenting additional widespread animal cruelty that also appears to violate California laws. This includes:

• Frogs being beheaded without prior stunning.
• A turtle struck with a mallet, their legs moving in response to being cut apart.
• Fish being bludgeoned multiple times and butchered.
• Animals kept in cramped conditions likely to cause injury.
• Live frogs and fish being placed in plastic bags.
• Crabs confined in a cardboard box.
• A turtle lying motionless on their side.
• A turtle with blood in their container.
• A turtle unsuccessfully attempting to escape.
• Live fish falling onto the street during unloading from a truck.

We continue to demand that the SFACC take action against this abuse and hold those responsible accountable.

Your support enables continued exposure of the cruelty animals endure in places ranging from live markets to large-scale animal agriculture facilities. Please donate today to drive impactful undercover investigations like these and ensure animal abusers are held accountable for their actions.

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