Lifestyle
Animal Welfare Groups Commend Gov. Hochul for Signing Bill to End the Retail Sale of Dogs, Cats, and Rabbits in New York Pet Stores
New law shuts down the puppy mill pipeline to New York pet stores, cutting off one of the cruel breeding industry’s largest markets
Last Updated on June 1, 2025 by Daily News Staff
New law shuts down the puppy mill pipeline to New York pet stores, cutting off one of the cruel breeding industry’s largest markets
NEW YORK /PRNewswire/ — Today, animal welfare groups commended Gov. Kathy Hochul for signing the Puppy Mill Pipeline Bill, groundbreaking legislation that will stop the flow of cruelly bred puppies to New York pet stores by ending the retail sale of dogs, cats, and rabbits in pet stores across the state. Championed by Assemblymember Linda B. Rosenthal (D/WF-Manhattan) and Senate Deputy Majority Leader Michael Gianaris (D-Queens), this legislation was overwhelmingly approved by large bipartisan majorities in both the Assembly and Senate earlier this year.
The Puppy Mill Pipeline Bill was supported by leading animal welfare groups including the ASPCA® (The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals®), the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS), New York State Animal Protection Federation (NYSAPF), Voters For Animal Rights (VFAR), Companion Animal Protection Society (CAPS), Animal Legal Defense Fund (ALDF), and the NYC Bar Association’s Animal Law Committee and millions of New York animal lovers who support ending the sale of puppies in pet stores.
Puppy mills ship their puppies to New York pet stores, where they are marketed as healthy puppies from responsible breeders, which is far from the truth. Puppies sold in pet stores come from commercial breeding operations that prioritize profit over the well-being of the animals. Breeding dogs in these facilities are often kept in crowded cages their entire lives without adequate shelter, veterinary care, food or socialization. They are not pets; their only value is to produce puppies. These puppies can suffer severe health and behavioral issues – and families are often unprepared for the financial loss and heartbreak that come with buying a sick puppy.
When the Puppy Mill Pipeline Bill takes effect, New York will finally shut down this pipeline and deny cruel mills access to New York’s consumers, while still allowing pet stores to sell food and other products, or offer services such as grooming, boarding, and training, and drive consumers to their stores by partnering with shelters or rescues to host adoption events.
The majority of pet stores in New York – both large chains and “mom and pop shops” – do not sell puppies, kittens, or rabbits, and according to the pet industry’s own reports, stores that do not sell pets are more profitable than those that do. Pet stores will have one year to comply with the new law, and New Yorkers will still be able to adopt pets from animal shelters and rescue organizations, or buy dogs directly from responsible breeders.
Please see below for commentary from sponsors and supporters of the bill:
Senate Deputy Leader Michael Gianaris said, “After years of advocacy, I am thrilled New York State now affords our four-legged companions the dignity they deserve. It is my hope this is a critical step to ending the scourge of puppy mills once and for all. I thank Governor Hochul for signing our Puppy Mill Pipeline bill into law, my friend Assemblymember Linda Rosenthal and the indefatigable advocates who made this possible.”
“It is an amazing end-of-the year gift to finally have the Puppy Mill Pipeline bill become law! New Yorkers will soon be able to adopt the cute puppies, kittens and bunnies they see in pet store windows without supporting the cruel puppy mill industry,” said Assemblymember Linda B. Rosenthal (D/WF – Manhattan), Assembly sponsor of the bill. “Too many families have been left heartbroken after bringing home an animal they bought at the pet store only to realize it is sick and will require thousands of dollars in veterinary care that cannot cure congenital conditions. Some of the worst puppy mills around the country have long supplied New York’s pet stores with animals that were raised in inhumane conditions, churning out litter after litter to drive a profit. With the signing of this legislation, New York State will finally close the puppy mill pipeline and encourage shelters and rescues to work with local pet stores to place animals into loving homes. This victory could not have been achieved without the participation of the many animal welfare organizations and their members who have been tireless in their efforts to pass this bill into law, and because of their work, we are another step closer to ending the barbaric puppy mill industry nationwide.”
“My dog Sami was rescued from a puppy mill, where she spent two years living in a box, in the dark, without a name and she was forced to have puppies who were sold to pet stores,” said actor and animal advocate Edie Falco. “I’m grateful to Governor Hochul and New York lawmakers for taking action to protect other dogs from the horrific conditions Sami endured just to keep the cruel breeding industry in business, and as a lifelong New Yorker, I’m proud to have played a part in supporting the passage of this legislation to finally end our state’s participation in the cruel puppy mill to pet store pipeline.”
“The passage and signing of the Puppy Mill Pipeline law—which has been a longstanding goal for animal welfare groups across the state—is a historic win for New York’s animals, consumers, and communities. By ending the sale of cruelly bred puppy mill dogs in state pet shops, New York is shutting down the pipeline that enables retail sellers and commercial breeders to profit from unconscionable brutality,” said Matt Bershadker, ASPCA President and CEO. “As a result, New York will go from having one of the country’s highest concentrations of pet stores that sell puppy mill puppies to a place that refuses to be an accomplice in this cruel process. We’re grateful to Assemblymember Rosenthal and Senator Gianaris for championing the passage of the Puppy Mill Pipeline Bill and Governor Hochul for signing it, reflecting the deep compassion New Yorkers have for animals in need and a unified determination to reject animal cruelty statewide.”
“Our undercover investigations have exposed sick puppy sales and cruel practices in New York pet stores, highlighting the need for this historic law. New Yorkers will no longer be duped by pet stores into spending thousands of dollars on puppies who are often ill and almost always sourced from dismal puppy mills,” said Kitty Block, president and CEO of the Humane Society of the United States. “The HSUS recognizes Senator Michael Gianaris and Assemblymember Linda B. Rosenthal for championing this legislation, and Governor Kathy Hochul for signing it into law.”
“With her signature, Governor Hochul is sending a clear message—New York will no longer be complicit in the animal abuse that is puppy mills. For the past decade, educated consumers have said no more—that’s why the number of pet stores selling milled animals has dropped from over 400 to 70 or so. Consumers can go to one of the many responsible small breeders in the Empire State if they want a specific breed—that option will always be available to people. What won’t be is purchasing puppies that are pumped full of antibiotics and steroids to perk them up for sale at unscrupulous pet stores and then fall deathly ill when taken home,” said Libby Post, executive director of the New York State Animal Protection Federation. “Puppies and kittens are the last bastion of nonpartisanship—that is why this bill passed overwhelmingly in both houses of the NYS Legislature. The Federation’s network of shelters are ready to work with pet stores to help them rebrand as humane businesses by hosting adoption events. We know adopters will then spend their dollars at that store for supplies, food, etc.”
“We applaud Governor Hochul for her outstanding leadership in declaring that New York is closed to the abusive puppy, kitten and bunny mill industries,” said Allie Taylor, president of Voters for Animal Rights. “We hope more states will soon follow New York’s lead and make cruel breeding facilities a dark relic of the past. Thank you to Assemblymember Linda Rosenthal and Senator Michael Gianaris for championing this historic law.”
“We are immensely grateful to Governor Hochul for signing the Puppy Mill Pipeline bill into law,” says Stephen Wells, executive director of the Animal Legal Defense Fund. “Shutting down the puppy mill to pet store pipeline cuts off a critical revenue source for puppy mill operators, and will save countless animals from suffering. The New York legislature has taken a strong stand to protect companion animals and New Yorkers, and we applaud their leadership.”
“Over the last 10 years, CAPS has investigated every pet shop in New York – originally 100 and now 60 – and many of the puppy and kitten mills selling to them. Our short documentary, video exposés, and in-depth investigation reports reveal rampant consumer fraud and deception at the pet shops and inhumane, abhorrent conditions at the mills, most of them USDA-licensed,” said Barbara Dennihy, New York director of the Companion Animal Protection Society. “The enactment of a statewide retail ban on the sale of dogs, cats, and rabbits at pet shops will have a profound impact on this cruel industry and will inspire more states to follow suit.”
“In signing the puppy mill pipeline bill into law, Governor Hochul, on behalf of New Yorkers everywhere, is preventing mill bred dogs, cats, and rabbits from being sold in New York pet stores. This law protects animals from inhumane treatment and suffering, encourages animal adoption and safeguards consumers and our communities,” commented Rebecca Seltzer and Robyn Hederman, Co-Chairs, New York City Bar Association’s Animal Law Committee.
About the ASPCA®
Founded in 1866, the ASPCA® (The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals®) was the first animal welfare organization to be established in North America and today serves as the nation’s leading voice for vulnerable and victimized animals. As a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit corporation with more than two million supporters nationwide, the ASPCA is committed to preventing cruelty to dogs, cats, equines, and farm animals throughout the United States. The ASPCA assists animals in need through on-the-ground disaster and cruelty interventions, behavioral rehabilitation, animal placement, legal and legislative advocacy, and the advancement of the sheltering and veterinary community through research, training, and resources. For more information, visit www.ASPCA.org, and follow the ASPCA on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
About the Humane Society of the United States
Founded in 1954, the Humane Society of the United States and its affiliates around the globe fight the big fights to end suffering for all animals. Together with millions of supporters, the HSUS takes on puppy mills, factory farms, trophy hunts, animal testing and other cruel industries, and together with its affiliates, rescues and provides direct care for over 100,000 animals every year. The HSUS works on reforming corporate policy, improving and enforcing laws and elevating public awareness on animal issues. More at humanesociety.org.
Subscribe to Kitty Block’s blog, A Humane World. Follow the HSUS Media Relations department on Twitter. Read the award-winning All Animals magazine. Listen to the Humane Voices Podcast.
About New York State Animal Protection Federation
The New York State Animal Protection Federation is the voice of all the non-profit and municipal animal shelters, humane societies and SPCAs across the state. The Federation serves as an educational and policy-development resource and through a united voice, promotes favorable legislative initiatives. For more information, please visit www.nysapf.org and follow us on Facebook. You can also download our app on New York State’s animal laws at http://www.nysapf.org/nys-animal-law-app.
About Voters For Animal Rights
Voters for Animal Rights’ mission is to help elect candidates who support animal protection, lobby for strong laws to stop animal cruelty, and hold elected officials accountable to humane voters in New York State. Through the political process, we are building a coalition of advocates seeking to strike at the root cause of animal abuse and cruelty, which is a lack of fundamental rights and laws to protect them. Learn more at vfar.org and follow us on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter.
About Companion Animal Protection Society
Founded in 1992, the Companion Animal Protection Society (CAPS) is the only national nonprofit dedicated exclusively to protecting companion animals from cruelty in pet shops and puppy/kitten mills. CAPS addresses animal suffering through investigations, outreach, legislation, legal advocacy, consumer assistance, and rescue.
About the Animal Legal Defense Fund
Forty years of fighting for animals: The Animal Legal Defense Fund was founded in 1979 to protect the lives and advance the interests of animals through the legal system. To accomplish this mission, the Animal Legal Defense Fund files high-impact lawsuits to protect animals from harm; provides free legal assistance and training to prosecutors to assure that animal abusers are punished for their crimes; supports tough animal protection legislation and fights harmful legislation; and provides resources and opportunities to law students and professionals to advance the emerging field of animal law. For more information, please visit aldf.org.
About the New York City Bar Association
The mission of the New York City Bar Association, which was founded in 1870 and has 24,000 members, is to equip and mobilize a diverse legal profession to practice with excellence, promote reform of the law, and uphold the rule of law and access to justice in support of a fair society and the public interest in our community, our nation, and throughout the world. www.nycbar.org
SOURCE ASPCA
Consumer Corner
Deed fraud can cause vulnerable Detroiters to lose their homes – here’s why it’s hard to catch the thieves
Deed fraud is rising in Detroit, where forged deeds can strip vulnerable homeowners of their property. Here’s how title theft works, why it’s hard to catch, and what reforms could help.
Donovan McCarty, Michigan State University
Buying her first home on Detroit’s far east side in 2021 was the moment when a lifelong dream finally came within reach for Kim Page.
“I accomplished something that I always wanted to do,” said Page, who grew up in the city. “I always wanted to buy my own home since I was like 18. I never wanted to rent from anyone.”
Page said she had saved US$15,000 and used $3,800 in cash to buy the single-family brick house on Britain Street. The house, owned by a friend planning to move out of Detroit, was “damaged pretty bad,” Page recalls. But the house was hers to care for, and she was determined to fix what was broken.
For the next several years, Page poured her sweat and paychecks into the property. Working first as a welder at automotive supplier Fisher Dynamics, and later as a phlebotomist, she paid for a dumpster, windows, a door, ceiling repair and an awning above her front porch. Page invested $27,000 in needed repairs and, in 2022, happily moved in.
But in August 2023, a storm damaged her roof. By March 2024, mold had grown inside the property, which made Page struggle to breathe; she moved in with family. She returned to the home in April 2024 for an appointment with a representative from the Federal Emergency Management Agency. That’s when Page noticed the locks had been changed. Perplexed but undeterred, she broke down the back door to get inside and purchased new locks, which she installed.
Then on a hot, summer day in July 2024, Page came home to discover all her locks had been changed again.
Searching for answers, Page called the Wayne County Register of Deeds’ Mortgage and Deed Fraud Unit. The staff confirmed she was a victim of deed fraud – a crime where scammers forge signatures to record a phony transfer of property ownership. Once criminals hijack the title, they can sell the property, rent it out or drain its equity with mortgages, potentially leaving the rightful owner to face the legal and financial fallout.
“I just was in shock,” Page said. “I can’t believe somebody really did this to me.”
A nationwide problem that’s hard to nail down
Page reached out to me for help in March 2025. I’m a housing attorney, assistant professor at Michigan State University College of Law and director of the Housing Justice Clinic. I have represented dozens of victims of deed fraud.
I have also studied how property recording systems respond – or, more accurately, fail to respond – to fraud. My work examines how procedural gaps in title systems disproportionately harm elderly, low-income and minority homeowners.
Nationwide, deed fraud – also called quit claim deed fraud or home title theft – is a growing problem, including in New York, Boston, Miami and Philadelphia.
Exactly how big a problem it is, is hard to know. The FBI does not track deed fraud specifically, instead grouping it into a larger category of real estate crimes.
From 2019 through 2023, 58,141 victims in the U.S. reported $1.3 billion in losses relating to real estate crime, the FBI says. However, that number is likely undercounted because many people don’t know where to report it, are embarrassed they were victims or don’t know yet they have been targeted.
In Detroit, deed fraud may be particularly prevalent because so many housing deals are made in cash and many properties owe back taxes. The Wayne County Mortgage and Deed Fraud Unit has tracked more than 13,000 inquiries regarding deed fraud and has opened over 2,300 cases throughout Wayne County since 2005.
Without oversight, the crime often goes undetected
Committing deed fraud is remarkably simple.
A deed is the legal document that transfers ownership of a home or other real property from one person to another. When a home is bought or sold, a deed is legally drawn up to reflect the transfer of ownership. That deed is then recorded with a county register of deeds, providing public notice of who legally owns the property.
A fraudster can forge the signature of the real owner – sometimes someone who is deceased. They can file a deed that appears valid on its face but isn’t.
They then record that false deed with a county register of deeds, the local government office that keeps public land records and other documents showing ownership, claiming title to property they do not actually own.
Fraudsters often target vulnerable people and properties, including elderly owners, families dealing with inherited homes, and houses that appear vacant or neglected, such as those behind on property taxes.
The incentive is clear: Once a fraudster appears to hold title, they can try to sell the property to an investor or an unsuspecting buyer looking for stable housing. I have seen fraudsters secure as much as $50,000 from one deal when they obtained a mortgage based on a fraudulent deed. One notable case of fraud targeted Elvis Presley’s former estate, Graceland.
In Michigan and most other states, recording offices do not have authority to substantively review a deed to determine whether it is fraudulent. If the document complies with technical formatting requirements, such as margin and font size, it must be recorded. Once stamped and indexed, the deed appears legitimate and can easily trick desperate buyers, investors, financial institutions and even police officers, lawyers and judges.
In other words, the recording process is largely administrative, not investigative. The government office accepts and files the document without first verifying that the person signing it actually had the legal right to transfer the property.
That means a fraudulent deed can enter the public record, look valid to the outside world and remain undiscovered for months or even years.
Detroit is vulnerable
The housing market helps explain why Detroiters are more vulnerable to deed fraud.
Homes in Black neighborhoods nationwide are systematically undervalued compared with similar homes in white neighborhoods. Black borrowers are also more likely to be denied conventional mortgage loans. Detroit is about 73% Black, with a median household income of roughly $39,000 and a poverty rate exceeding 30%.
In a market where access to traditional financing is uneven and home prices are relatively low, cash sales accounted for 4 in 10 sales in February 2024.
Lenders, brokers and title companies act as informal gatekeepers when people purchase a home using a mortgage. In cash sales, those actors are absent, and there are fewer opportunities to detect irregularities in the documented history showing how title passed from one owner to the next over time.
Illegal tax practices led to thousands of foreclosed homes
Property tax distress attracts fraudsters. Fraudsters seem to rely on publicly available tax foreclosure lists to identify properties that appear abandoned. They then pay the past-due taxes to remove the property from foreclosure and attempt to sell or mortgage the property using their fraudulent deed.
The fraudsters may also assume that the owner lacks the resources to wage a prolonged legal fight to recover title if they do uncover their scheme. In many cases, that assumption proves correct.
Michigan’s Constitution caps assessments at 50% of market value, but researchers have found that from 2009 to 2015, a majority of Detroit homes were assessed above that limit. Once those inflated bills went unpaid, interest, penalties and fees accumulated, often ending in tax foreclosure.
More than 100,000 Detroit residents lost homes in that crisis, and homeowners were overtaxed by at least $600 million between 2010 and 2016.
In a city already destabilized by unlawful tax foreclosure, fraudsters found opportunity in homes burdened by vacancy and broken chains of ownership.
The burdens that deed fraud victims face
My first encounter with deed fraud came in July 2023. I received a request for legal assistance from a man who said he had been evicted from a home he claimed to own. Honestly, I didn’t believe him.
But when I pulled the court records and deeds, I learned he was right.
A fraudulent deed had been filed on his property, stripping him of title. The fraudsters then filed an eviction case against him.
The owner had no phone and no internet access to attend the virtual hearings. The court entered a judgment to evict him. A bailiff came, broke down his door and threw his belongings into a dumpster.
It took six months and two separate court cases before he was finally able to return to his home. He never recovered his belongings – and we never found the fraudster.
There are many other hardships for a legitimate owner. A fraudulent deed can prevent homeowners from selling their property, refinancing or accessing financial assistance programs.
To clear title, owners must file a quiet title lawsuit – a court action used to resolve disputes over who legally owns a property.
But quiet title cases are complex legal proceedings.
They require multiple filings, hearings and strict compliance with procedural rules. Even when fraud is obvious – for example, when a deed was signed by someone who was already deceased – courts generally require formal litigation to remove the cloud from the title.
Likewise, the legal process of notifying the defendant can be especially burdensome. Fraudsters often use fictitious names and addresses, making them difficult or impossible to locate. Even uncontested cases typically take months. If a defendant appears and disputes ownership, litigation can stretch for years.
Filing fees, service costs and other litigation expenses accumulate quickly. Hiring an attorney can cost several thousand dollars, and some victims have reported spending tens of thousands clearing title to their homes.
As for Kim Page, her case is still ongoing. After being locked out of her home, she had to move in with relatives for over a year, putting a strain on their relationship. She was eventually able to return to her home, but the legal dispute over ownership has not been resolved.
On top of that, she is facing a counter-lawsuit from the company that filed the fraudulent deed, requesting $50,000 for repairs the company made to the home while Page was locked out, along with property taxes and utility bills that the company says it paid to the county and utility companies on her behalf. The county opened an investigation, but it remains unresolved. As a result, she still has no idea who orchestrated the scheme.
While there are free legal services organizations to help, they have limited capacity, and income thresholds exclude some homeowners who still cannot afford private counsel.
Legal reforms likely won’t resolve systemic issues
Across the country, state legislatures have begun responding. Twenty-one have enacted deed fraud legislation, and 15 more have proposed it.
Another common intervention is fraud alert systems, which notify owners when any documents that impact the title of their property are recorded.
Other reforms increase notarial requirements or enhance criminal penalties.
These measures may deter some misconduct, but they do little to reduce the burden on victims once a fraudulent deed has been recorded.
In my assessment, meaningful reforms focus on empowering registers of deeds to substantively review suspicious documents before recording them; simplifying and expediting quiet title proceedings; and expanding civil remedies so victims can recover the costs associated with clearing their title.
Some jurisdictions like Texas and Florida have adopted streamlined procedures that allow victims to initiate quiet title actions using standardized forms with reduced fees. Others permit recorders, prosecutors or judges to act when fraud has already been established.
In Michigan, I am working with lawmakers and stakeholders to develop comprehensive legislation addressing these issues. Bills are expected to be introduced later this year.
At the same time, my clinic has begun exploring how technology can help identify fraudulent deeds already in the record. We are working with computer scientists to evaluate whether artificial intelligence tools could flag suspicious filings and potentially prevent fraudulent documents from being accepted in the future.
No property system can eliminate fraud entirely. Preventive and punitive measures may limit fraud, but they cannot eliminate the incentive to commit it. For fraudsters, the payoff can be substantial.
Conversations about the issue often begin and end with the mechanics of the crime or the procedural burdens victims face afterward. Far less attention is paid to the housing market conditions that make some communities especially vulnerable in the first place.
Page, now 42 and working as a transporter for Sinai-Grace Hospital, has been coping with the stress of legal proceedings for the past two years and living with a heart condition so serious that she got a defibrillator.
The longtime Detroiter is fed up – with the lack of police help to find the fraudster, as well as the court system. All she wants is to be the rightful owner of the home.
“Give me my house back,” Page said.
Detroit editor Eleanore Catolico contributed reporting.
Donovan McCarty, Director, Housing Justice Clinic at Michigan State University College of Law, Michigan State University
This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
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(Feature Impact) Weekend getaways and cross-country trips are supposed to offer a break from daily routines and financial stress. Yet for many travelers, the return home comes with an uncomfortable reality: the trip cost far more than expected. From luxurious dinners and spontaneous excursions to airport snacks and daily coffees, vacation spending is becoming increasingly difficult to control in an era of rising prices and experience-driven travel.
According to a survey conducted by TopCashback, a cash back site serving more than 20 million members worldwide to help people save as much money as possible on everyday spending, overspending while traveling is now the norm rather than the exception. Nearly 94% of respondents said they have spent more on vacation than originally planned, with more than 65% reporting they typically overspend by at least $250.
“Vacations should create memories, not money stress,” said Elisabella Ricca, personal finance and consumer analyst at TopCashback. “Giving yourself a spending plan before you travel can make it easier to enjoy the experience in the moment and avoid feeling guilty about the cost afterward.”
These findings reflect a growing disconnect between travel budgets and actual spending as vacationers navigate higher costs and pressure to make their trips feel worthwhile.
Inflation’s Impact On Travel Behaviors
Airfare, hotel rates, dining and entertainment costs are all climbing, forcing many households to rethink how often they take trips and what those trips look like. In fact, nearly 78% of respondents said rising travel costs have changed the way they vacation. Meanwhile, nearly 83% said they’re traveling less often altogether due to rising costs.
Travelers are Turning to Financing
These changing behaviors may also explain why financing vacations is becoming more common. The survey found 67% of respondents have used credit cards, financing plans or “buy now, pay later” services to pay for a vacation. While these tools can help make trips more accessible in the short term, they may also extend the financial impact of a vacation long after travelers return home.
Financial Stress After the Fun
For some travelers, that long-term effect is already being felt. More than 58% of survey respondents said they feel guilty at least sometimes about how much they spend on vacation, a feeling that often emerges after returning home and assessing purchases that seemed easier to justify while away from normal routines.
Small Purchases are Adding Up to Big Overspending
Vacation overspending rarely happens through one large purchase alone. Instead, smaller expenses accumulate steadily throughout the trip. For example, 53% of respondents said they’re most likely to spend more on coffee or drinks while traveling than they would at home, and another 53% said snacks are the common overspending culprit. These purchases may seem insignificant individually, but multiple small transactions each day can quickly add up.
Experiences Outweigh Luxury When Justifying Expenses
Even as travelers look for ways to cut costs, most remain willing to spend on experiences they view as meaningful. The survey found the top vacation splurges respondents are most likely to justify are fancy dinners (56%) and excursions or tours (48%). This suggests travelers are placing greater value on memorable moments rather than luxury, such as high-end accommodations.
Careful planning isn’t enough for most travelers to stay within a budget, as 59% of respondents said they set a vacation budget beforehand, signaling that overspending is often less about a lack of preparation and more about the realities of modern travel costs.
Nearly 90% of survey respondents said earning cash back or rewards on travel purchases would influence their spending decisions at least slightly. As people look for a better way to manage expenses and offset costs, many are turning to programs such as TopCashback, which offers travel-related cash back on airfare and last-minute flights, vacation packages, hotels and lodging, transportation and parking, car rentals, travel insurance, cruises, resorts and more.
To learn how cash back programs could help you stay within your next vacation budget, visit topcashback.com.
Photos courtesy of Shutterstock
SOURCE:
TopCashback
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Naturist Blog
Embrace Liberation: Celebrating National Nude Day
Celebrate freedom and body positivity on National Nude Day, an empowering reminder to embrace our natural beauty. #NationalNudeDay #BodyPositivity
Last Updated on July 12, 2026 by Daily News Staff
Embrace Liberation: Celebrating National Nude Day
In a world where societal norms often dictate how we present ourselves, National Nude Day offers a unique opportunity to break free from conventions and embrace our natural state of being. Observed on July 14th, this day encourages body positivity, self-acceptance, and the celebration of individuality. Join us as we explore the significance of National Nude Day and the empowering message it conveys.
What is Nude Day about?
- Embracing Body Positivity:
National Nude Day serves as a powerful reminder that our bodies are beautiful in their natural form. It challenges the unrealistic beauty standards perpetuated by media and encourages us to appreciate ourselves and others without judgment. It’s a day to celebrate the diversity of bodies and foster a culture of acceptance. - Empowerment and Self-Acceptance:
Shedding our clothes on this day can be liberating, symbolizing the acceptance of our bodies and embracing our flaws as part of our unique identity. By embracing our natural state, we break free from the pressures of conformity, nurturing a positive relationship with ourselves and boosting our self-esteem. - Connection with Nature:
National Nude Day also provides an opportunity to connect with nature in a profound way. By being in our natural state outdoors, we can experience a sense of freedom and harmony with the environment. It’s a chance to feel the sun’s warmth on our skin, the breeze caressing our bodies, and to appreciate the beauty of nature without barriers. - Breaking Taboos and Challenging Stigma:
National Nude Day challenges societal taboos surrounding nudity and fosters a more open and inclusive conversation about body image. It encourages discussions about body positivity, consent, and the importance of respecting personal boundaries. By engaging in these conversations, we can challenge the stigma associated with nudity and promote a healthier mindset.
National Nude Day is not just about shedding our clothes; it’s about embracing our bodies, fostering self-acceptance, and challenging societal norms. It’s a day to celebrate diversity, promote body positivity, and encourage conversations that lead to greater understanding and acceptance. So, on this day, let us shed our inhibitions, embrace liberation, and celebrate the beauty of our natural selves. Happy National Nude Day! https://nationaldaycalendar.com/national-nude-day-july-14/
What is Nude Recreation Week?
Read the article: https://stmdailynews.com/what-is-nude-recreation-week-2/
A Footnote
National Nude Day, celebrated each year in July, is an informal observance embraced primarily by nudist and naturist communities around the world. While the event’s lighthearted name may invite misconceptions, its core purpose is far removed from sexuality or eroticism. Instead, National Nude Day promotes body positivity, personal freedom, and the celebration of the human form in its natural state. For many participants, the day serves as a reminder of the importance of accepting one’s own body and appreciating the diversity of shapes, sizes, and appearances that define humanity.
The practice of social nudity has a long and varied history, with roots in cultural, philosophical, and recreational traditions. Naturism, in particular, emphasizes living in harmony with nature, fostering a sense of equality and community by removing clothing—a social equalizer that diminishes visible markers of status, fashion, and material wealth. National Nude Day aligns with these principles by encouraging people to embrace comfort with their own bodies and reduce the stigma and shame that society often imposes regarding nudity.
Participants in National Nude Day may engage in various activities depending on their comfort level and local regulations. Some may visit designated naturist resorts or beaches, where social norms and legal protections allow for clothing-free recreation. Others might observe the day privately, enjoying solitude at home, practicing mindfulness, or meditating in the nude to connect with their body and surroundings. The observance is often framed as an opportunity to cultivate self-confidence and challenge internalized body insecurities, promoting mental and emotional well-being.
Importantly, National Nude Day is about consent, respect, and the normalization of nudity in appropriate contexts. Advocates stress that the celebration is non-sexual and not an invitation for voyeurism or sexual behavior. Its aim is educational and philosophical, emphasizing that nudity is a natural human state rather than a moral or social transgression. By recognizing and participating in this day, individuals can explore freedom from societal pressures, experience heightened self-acceptance, and foster a broader cultural understanding of the human body.
In essence, National Nude Day is a celebration of liberation, self-expression, and respect for human diversity. It encourages people to rethink preconceived notions of the body, embrace naturalism, and promote inclusivity. While it remains a niche observance, its message of body positivity, acceptance, and personal freedom resonates across cultural boundaries, reminding participants that the human body, in all its forms, deserves acknowledgment and respect.
For more information and related resources:
