In the holiday classic It’s a Wonderful Life, George Bailey has a chance to see what his town would have been like if he’d never been born.

Have you ever wondered what the world would be like if PETA never existed?

Thousands of calls and e-mails reporting the abuse and neglect of dogs, cats, and other animals would simply have gone unanswered.

Workers at slaughterhouses and secretive laboratories would have continued tormenting sensitive beings without worrying that a PETA eyewitness might be recording their cruelty.

Circuses like Ringling Bros. would still be hauling their sad menagerie of exploited animals around the U.S., and cosmetics companies wouldn’t be lining up to have their products certified as cruelty-free.

You wouldn’t have watched this powerful footage from PETA’s latest wool investigation, read about PETA’s touching bear rescue, or found those perfect vegan recipes on PETA.org.

And all these victories and accomplishments might not have happened.

But thankfully, PETA is here for animals—24 hours a day, 365 days a year. The compassion and generosity of our members power the cruelty caseworkers who investigate the urgent calls and e-mails that we receive every single day.

When PETA’s fieldworkers help neglected “outdoor dogs,” our campaigners shut down a cruel and exploitative business, or our scientists stop a deadly experiment in which thousands of animals are killed, we set precedents for compassion that lead to even more groundbreaking change. Leading the global animal rights movement isn’t easy—or inexpensive—but the suffering that we’re alleviating together makes it worth it.

Thanks to PETA’s supporters, more than 150 greyhounds were able to leave a hideous Texas blood farm soon after the release of our disturbing exposé.

PETA supporters are helping to drive animal abusers out of business and open the eyes of corporate leaders and government officials to suffering that they had chosen to ignore.

Whether we’re responding to a rescue call or operating behind the scenes to end corporate cruelty, our work is possible only because of compassionate people like you.

At the end of the day, PETA exists to do one thing: help animals. And we’re so glad to have you on our side, helping us do this. Happy holidays from all of us here at PETA to all of you who care about other living, feeling beings. Together, we can make 2018 a banner year for animals!