From the east of **China**, an **anonymous activist** identified as **Chen** dedicates his nights to infiltrating **clandestine networks** where the **torture and killing of cats** is promoted.
According to an **exclusive investigation by CNN**, these communities have grown alarmingly in the past year, using digital platforms to share graphic content and generate economic income.
## An abhorrent practice with perverse purposes
**Consumers of these videos** are usually linked to a **fetish known as zoosadism**, which involves deriving pleasure from the [cruelty inflicted on animals](https://noticiasambientales.com/animales/maltrato-animal-clausuraron-definitivamente-el-delfinario-de-un-famoso-hotel-de-mexico/).
The perpetrators of these acts, mostly residents in **China**, have been treated as **influential figures** within these online communities, where they compete to develop **increasingly cruel torture methods**.
Between **June 2024 and February 2025**, the organization **Feline Guardians**, which monitors these networks, recorded a 500% increase in the publication of videos, with an average of **new content every 2.5 hours**.
## The lack of legislation facilitates impunity
Criminologist **Jenny Edwards**, a specialist in **animal abuse**, points out that this phenomenon has global repercussions but occurs most frequently in **China**, where **there are no national laws prohibiting animal cruelty**.
According to **World Animal Protection**, **animal cruelty is not even explicitly criminalized in Chinese legislation**, allowing these networks to operate with relative freedom and commercialize content in countries like the United States, the United Kingdom, Turkey, and Japan.
## Activists expose the structure of these networks
The international collective **Feline Guardians** seeks to pressure authorities to take action.
Chen and other activists have managed to infiltrate **encrypted chats**, identifying over **a dozen perpetrators**.
In many cases, new members of these communities must **record a torture video as an entry requirement**, further complicating the work of animal rights defenders.
## **The global spread of these abhorrent practices**
Lara, an activist in **London**, monitors how these networks **transcend borders**, generating **imitators in other countries**.
*”The torturers seek recognition within these communities, reinforcing their actions,”* explains **Lara**, who also describes how consumers **pay up to $1,300** for personalized videos.
## Connections with extremist ideologies
In the **United States**, **investigations have linked these animal torture networks** to radical groups like **The Eternal Reich**, a neo-Nazi collective operating on **Telegram** and combining content of **animal violence with abuse towards women and extremist publications**.
## Digital platforms at the center of controversy
Activists have criticized the **lack of decisive measures by social networks** like **Telegram, X, Instagram, and Facebook**, where these videos circulate without sufficient control.
While some companies have **implemented policies to remove violent content**, the measures have not been **sufficient** to curb the proliferation of this practice.
## Towards stricter regulation?
Experts in **Chinese policies** argue that, although there have been attempts to legislate [against **animal cruelty**](https://noticiasambientales.com/animales/ciudad-de-mexico-prohibio-las-corridas-de-toros-con-sangre-y-sufrimiento-para-evitar-la-crueldad-animal/), progress has been slow due to the **lack of governmental interest and concerns about the impact on the agricultural industry**.
However, the **growth of pets in urban areas** has generated **social pressure**, especially among **young people**, for **China to adopt animal protection measures**.
## Urgent need for action against these clandestine networks
The work of **Chen and other activists** demonstrates that **exposure is key to combating these atrocities**.
Despite personal risks, they continue to infiltrate these **clandestine communities** in the hope that each piece of evidence collected **leads to an arrest and the dismantling of these networks**.
*”Someone has to do it,”* concludes **Chen**, who continues with his mission, even at the cost of his own **mental health**.
**Animal cruelty cannot go unpunished**. Society and international organizations must act **to stop this barbarism** and protect the most vulnerable beings.
*Cover photo: CNN*
