Kind Conversations at the Wild World of Animals Show

Posted on by NHARL in In the News

On March 22, 2026, members of NHARL gathered outside the Capitol Center for the Arts (CCA) in Concord, NH to share information with people headed in for the Wild World of Animals show.

Wild animals shows may seem harmless, but behind the scenes animals often pay the price.

Front of educational postcard

Back of educational postcard

Wild animals shows also glamorize the possession of exotic animals, indirectly promoting the wildlife trade and the idea that wild beings exist for our amusement.

In the United States alone, there are likely as many or more captive tigers than exist in the wild worldwide.

The crowd was surprisingly receptive, with some even expressing regret for purchasing tickets.

We also gave stuffed animal keychains to the kids, along with an important message: Real wild animals want to be free…

Efforts to stop the show

When we first learned that Wild World of Animals was coming to the Capitol Center for the Arts, we reached out to staff to express our surprise and concern — especially in light of what the public learned from the Tiger King debacle about the darker side of the exotic animal industry.

Wild World of Animals has received multiple USDA citations over the years. While these were classified as non-critical violations, they still raise concerns.

In one inspection report, a 60-hour round-trip is discussed. The animals endured 30 hours of transport to a show, and then 30 hours back. The trip from Wild World of Animals headquarters to the Capitol Center for the Arts is more than 20 hours round-trip.

In response to our letter, we received a polite reply from the Executive Director of the CCA. We responded with a polite action: handing out educational postcards and stuffed animals to eventgoers rather than holding signs. 

(Note: We also had a couple of people inside to watch for violations, such as allowing the public to have contact with the animals.)

We hope this marks the end of wild animal shows at the Capitol Center for the Arts, and that future programming will align with community values grounded in compassion and respect for animals.

Full House for Let’s Talk Turtles

Posted on by NHARL in In the News

Note: The above photo features a permanently disabled wild animal who is given sanctuary at NH Turtle Rescue. In return for a safe and enriched captive life, these animals help to educate our community about wildlife and environmental conservation.

Turtles look tough, but they are in trouble. So in 2024, we launched the Turtle Brigade — a dedicated team on a mission to protect New Hampshire turtles from dangerous, human-made threats like busy roads.

On March 21, 2026 we welcomed Dallas Huggins and Drew Stevens, licensed wildlife rehabilitators who founded NH Turtle Rescue for a presentation about all things turtle!

Drew delivered an outstanding presentation on New Hampshire’s turtles, including identification, habits, and conservation efforts.

Dallas displays an “ambassador turtle” — a permanently disabled wild animal who receives medical care and sanctuary at NH Turtle Rescue.

Turtle Brigade lead Caelin Graber explained how the program works and invited attendees to get involved.

How You Can Help Turtles

  • Go to our Turtle Brigade page and join the Turtle Brigade, report a turtle crossing sighting, or sponsor a turtle crossing.

  • Report turtle sightings to NHFG. Go to Reporting NH Reptile and Amphibian Sightings or contact Josh at Joshua.Megyesy@wildlife.nh.gov.

  • Advocate for land conservation. Large preserved areas reduce threats like habitat fragmentation, human interaction, and predation from animals like raccoons.

  • Get involved with your town’s conservation commission or planning board to ensure turtles and other wildlife are considered in development projects.

  • Support better wetland crossings in road construction and seasonal timing for land management to minimize turtle risks.

  • Create or enhance nesting habitats. Many turtles lay eggs in residential areas or roadsides, increasing their risk. If you own land, consider adding a sand mound to provide safe nesting spots.

  • Take advantage of conservation programs. The NRCS Initiative offers incentives to landowners for habitat improvements and best management practices (BMPs).
Special thanks to Lynn Kavanagh of You’ll Eat It and Like It who baked and delivered the delicious vegan blueberry muffins and cinnamon rolls — which were to die for — and to the Hilton Garden Inn Manchester for donating the use of the room!

Join the Turtle Brigade

Posted on by NHARL in Turtle Brigade

The Turtle Brigade is a team of people dedicated to protecting New Hampshire turtles from dangerous, human-made threats like busy roads.

At this time, our primary activity is installing turtle crossing signs.

Join the Turtle Brigade

Want to help us help turtles? The “Turtle Brigade” installs turtle crossing signs all around the state.

Please sign up if you might like to be involved. Signing up is not a commitment!

  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.
  • Feel free to provide some additional information about your interest in turtles and any turtle experience or expertise you might have. Thank you!

Sat, Jan 31, 2026 – Vegan Meetup

Posted on by NHARL in Events (Passed)
Join us on Saturday, January 31, at Pressed Café in Bedford for a relaxed end-of-the-month get-together!

Pressed Café is well known for its extensive vegan menu, featuring everything from hearty breakfast burritos and nourishing bowls to delicious smoothies.

Drop by between 10:00 and 12:00 to grab a bite and connect with others who share your compassion for animals.

Everyone is welcome, and you don’t need to be vegan to come along. Just keep in mind that we’ll be enjoying delicious plant-based foods together.

Denial on Display at Bull Riding Event

Posted on by NHARL in In the News

In what has become a sad ritual, once again NHARL had vegan boots on the ground at the SNHU Arena in Manchester to protest the Professional Bull Riders (PBR) before their two shows on Friday, Dec. 12 and Saturday, Dec. 13, 2025.

Petition: Please sign our petition to end bull riding in Manchester. Manchester residents can play a key role. Contact us to take the next step!

There was a larger police presence this year, perhaps because of the buzz created by our billboard, in view of the arena and covered by the press, as well as our visit to the home of the SNHU Arena’s General Manager, Tim Bechert.

Our digital billboard on Elm St. in Manchester in view of the SNHU Arena
Protest outside the home of the SNHU Arena’s General Manager Tim Bechert

As always, we were peaceful and respectful — in fact, better behaved than those who taunted us, including one young lady who pranced by gleefully shouting, “I love eating steak and watching bull riding!”

As in past years, we had video of bulls getting hurt at PBR events — this year projected on a larger screen which could be seen by passing cars as well as those approaching the arena. We received a few shouts and honks of support from drivers. 

Thanks to our friends from Positive Change for Animals and Compassionate Alliance for Nonhumans (CAN) who made the long drive from western Massachusetts to join us.

Together, we are working with the Christian Animal Rights Association, sharing strategies and resources for putting an end to these abusive spectacles across the country.

We also managed to hand out 150 postcards that explained why we were there. 

Front of postcard
Back of postcard with link to our petition

Another Great Vegan Thanksgiving Event

Posted on by NHARL in In the News

On November 15, 2025, NHARL hosted another successful catered Vegan Thanksgiving event at the NH Audubon McLane Center in Concord!

The Guests!

It was inspiring to see familiar faces and new ones, all united by the shared purpose of protecting the rights of animals.

The Food!

Our caterer, You’ll Eat It and Like It, served up an incredible Italian buffet followed by an abundance of decadent desserts — including apple and pumpkin pie from Shari’s Sweet Shoppe Vegan Bakery and donuts from Lovebirds — all washed down with complimentary coffee supplied by our good friends at Common Roots!

Raffle Prizes!

Our raffle table was once again packed with wonderful prizes!

Thank you to our sponsors and donors!

  • Design Brand Partners
  • Point and Shoot Photography
  • FarmHouse Fresh
  • Lovebirds
  • Common Roots
  • Trader Joe’s
  • MegaFoods
  • 900 Degrees Neapolitan Pizza
  • Pressed Café
  • A Market
  • Chunky’s Cinema Pub

THE SPEAKER!

We were honored to have Christine Dorchak, co-founder and president of Grey2K USA Worldwide, as our speaker.

Her organization’s work has led to the closure of dog-racing tracks across the U.S. and around the world!

Christine tailored her presentation to focus on the hard-won fight to end dog racing in New Hampshire, and inspired us with a three-step process that could be used to address and end other forms of animal cruelty:

  1. Step One: Command the Data
  2. Step Two: Disable the Opposition
  3. Step Three: Seize Opportunities to Win
Please go to grey2kusa.org/stopusdogracing right now and click “please write to your Representative in Washington, DC” to ask your representative in Congress (Pappas or Goodlander) to support the Greyhound Protection Act!

Thank you to everyone who attended the event!

NHARL Urges Manchester to Skip the Reptile Expo

Posted on by NHARL in In the News

On November 9, 2025, while much of Manchester was absorbed with the city marathon, the DoubleTree Hotel hosted the Reptile Expo for the third time this year. As before, crowds flocked to the event, and countless snakes, turtles, and geckos were sold like mere trinkets.

NHARL held a peaceful protest outside the event. Holding a banner reading “Skip the Reptile Expo” and handing out postcards, we urged attendees to reconsider the ethics of keeping wild animals in captivity.

With runners and spectators lining the streets for the Manchester City Marathon, our banner got plenty of attention.

The cruelty of reptile shows

Reptile shows exploit reptiles and amphibians for profit, disregarding animal welfare, public health, and conservation concerns.

These expos pack convention centers with vendors who confine snakes, lizards, tortoises, frogs, and other animals in tiny containers — treating them as products rather than living beings.

Beyond the immediate stress and suffering animals endure at the show, reptile expos fuel the harmful captive reptile trade, leading to widespread animal neglect and ecological harm.

Uninformed Buyers, Unintended Cruelty

A big concern with reptile shows is how how easily reptiles are sold to people with little understanding of their complex needs.

We saw people walking out with snakes tucked inside their sweatshirts — not even in containers.

Others treated the sentient beings they had purchased like inanimate objects.

What must be going through the minds of these poor creatures — surrounded by bright lights and loud noise, and with nowhere to hide?

Kindness Was on the Menu at Our Thanksgiving Potluck

Posted on by NHARL in In the News

Our 2025 Annual Meeting and Thanksgiving Potluck was a joyful gathering that brought together both longtime friends and new faces in a warm, welcoming atmosphere.

Thank you to everyone who attended the event and for your delicious contributions to the potluck!

We also thank FrizzHome Gardens for donating the fall flowers!

Door Prizes!

Along with good food and good company, some lucky guests also took home one of the fantastic door prizes!

P.S. In case you didn’t get a chance to jot down the Vegan Glop recipe, here it is: 😉