SPCA joins the International Coalition for Animal Welfare

On 1 January, SPCA became an official member of the International Coalition for Animal Welfare (ICFAW). New Zealand’s leading animal welfare charity is in good company, joining likeminded organisations from around the world, including RSPCA Australia, RSPCA England & Wales, and Humane Society International.

ICFAW brings together numerous non-governmental animal welfare organisations such as SPCA from all over the world to provide official advice to the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) – the animal kingdom’s equivalent of the World Health Organisation.

Governments around the globe look to WOAH for guidelines and standards when it comes to animal health and welfare. This in turn informs law review and change in their own countries. Recent areas of work for ICFAW include hosting an event for implementing pig welfare guidelines into regional practice; reviewing guidelines for stray dog population management; and launching a working group on advocating for the One Welfare framework at the international level.

SPCA has been recognised as an expert voice in animal welfare in the Asia-Pacific region, and the organisation’s advocacy team is thrilled to be able to influence and implement WOAH guidelines both for our region, and on a global scale.

“We are delighted to be recognised as an official advisory NGO through ICFAW,” says SPCA Chief Scientific Officer, Arnja Dale. “SPCA is committed in our focus on ways we can advocate for positive change for animals and prevent cruelty across the board. We look forward to the work we will be able to contribute to, alongside other ICFAW coalition members, to do just this.”

As the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, SPCA has always had a focus on preventative initiatives, so that cruelty to animals can be prevented in the future, and animal suffering relieved. Joining the International Coalition for Animal Welfare is a step towards achieving this goal.

Read more about ICFAW over at www.icfaw.org