Italy is stepping up its fight against animal cruelty online, a growing phenomenon that risks turning suffering into a tool for gaining visibility and encouraging imitation. OIPA (International Organization for Animal Protection), one of the country’s long-established animal welfare associations, has launched the “Stop Viral Animal Cruelty” campaign. Through an online form, citizens can anonymously report links to photos or videos depicting animal abuse and request their immediate removal from the web. The initiative is supported by the legal and technical expertise of Althaea Consulting, which helps put pressure on internet providers and social media platforms to remove illegal content and prevent the normalization of violence, particularly among younger users. The Italian approach clearly separates online action from field intervention: while the OIPA platform is intended exclusively to help clean up the web, citizens are encouraged to contact the Postal Police or Animal Protection Guards for criminal complaints and direct interventions. These guards are appointed by the Prefect and play a key role in preventing crimes against animals. The message to citizens is clear: when confronted with disturbing content, do not share it – report it.