Advocates for Animals
Encyclopedia
OneKind is a campaigning
animal welfare
charity
based in Edinburgh and operating worldwide. The organisation works through high-profile public campaigns, political lobbying
, investigations, formal research
and public education.
The organisation was originally founded as the Scottish Society for the Prevention of Vivisection, in 1911 by Nina Douglas-Hamilton
. The widow of the 15th Duke
remains active in the organisation. The group is currently run by Chief Executive Officer Fiona Ogg. It was renamed as Advocates for Animals in 1990, as part of a rebranding campaign that included a new logo and increased online activity
for "putting out a mixed message" on livestock management techniques. A spokesperson for Advocates for Animals described techniques such as castration
, branding
and declawing as "painful mutilations" and urged the Executive to review whether these should be permitted. Earlier that month, Advocates for Animals had called for the Duke of Argyll
and Chivas Regal
to end their involvement with the annual World Elephant Polo Tournament
, a sport they described as "exploiting animals." Chivas defended their sponsorship of the event, arguing the elephants "are well treated and have responsible owners."
Advocates for Animals was one of a few anti-vivisection groups to contribute to the formation of the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986
. Former director Les Ward described it as "one of the better laws" in comparison to other countries' legislation, while acknowledging that "most scientists in the UK, were they not to have the protection of the 1986 Act, would find themselves in a court of law for cruelty to animals." Ward also served on the Animal Procedures Committee
, a statutory requirement of the act.
In 1991 the group released a critique of primate experiments in the UK, leading to the laboratories mentioned in the report being firebombed
by extreme animal liberationists
. In response the group restricted the release of a follow up report in 1992, urging editors to use "discretion by not identifying the laboratories or scientists concerned."
In 1992, after a television debate, Advocates for Animals' director Les Ward and Colin Blakemore
, a strong advocate of animal experimentation, formed the Boyd Group
, a bipartisan forum to discuss issues relating to animal experimentation. Advocates for Animals claims this approach led to a joint effort by the scientific and animal welfare communities to ban the testing of cosmetics on animals.
The group's moderate stance has drawn criticism from within the animal rights community. The National Anti-Vivisection Society
described the Boyd Group as a "public relations exercise" and the British Anti-Vivisection Association described Ward's engagement with Blakemore as "trading the very premise by which the genuine [anti-vivisection] movement exists, in return for an end to cosmetic testing." Ward justified his position, telling Nature
, "I want to see the total end of animal experimentation, but I am not stupid enough to think that it is going to happen overnight."
Ward has since withdrawn from the Boyd Group, believing it had become "stalemate
d", but in 2006 continued to defend its usefulness, calling it "one of the few places where moderate activists and moderate scientists sat down and talked things over."
was the president of Advocates for Animals from 1998 until 2008. In May of that year, she described Edinburgh Zoo
's new primate enclosure as a "wonderful facility" where monkeys "are probably better off [than] living in the wild in an area like Budongo, where one in six gets caught in a wire snare, and countries like Congo
, where chimpanzees, monkeys and gorillas are shot for food commercially." Mike Wade, Zoos are best hope, says Jane Goodall. The Times, May 20, 2008. Retrieved 18 July 2008. This is in conflict with Advocates for Animals' position on captive animals, who stated "She's entitled to her opinion, but our position isn't going to change. We oppose the keeping of animals in captivity for entertainment." In June 2008 Goodall confirmed that she had resigned the presidency of the organisation, citing her busy schedule and explaining, "I just don't have time for them."
Advocacy
Advocacy is a political process by an individual or a large group which normally aims to influence public-policy and resource allocation decisions within political, economic, and social systems and institutions; it may be motivated from moral, ethical or faith principles or simply to protect an...
animal welfare
Animal welfare
Animal welfare is the physical and psychological well-being of animals.The term animal welfare can also mean human concern for animal welfare or a position in a debate on animal ethics and animal rights...
charity
Charitable organization
A charitable organization is a type of non-profit organization . It differs from other types of NPOs in that it centers on philanthropic goals A charitable organization is a type of non-profit organization (NPO). It differs from other types of NPOs in that it centers on philanthropic goals A...
based in Edinburgh and operating worldwide. The organisation works through high-profile public campaigns, political lobbying
Lobbying
Lobbying is the act of attempting to influence decisions made by officials in the government, most often legislators or members of regulatory agencies. Lobbying is done by various people or groups, from private-sector individuals or corporations, fellow legislators or government officials, or...
, investigations, formal research
Research
Research can be defined as the scientific search for knowledge, or as any systematic investigation, to establish novel facts, solve new or existing problems, prove new ideas, or develop new theories, usually using a scientific method...
and public education.
The organisation was originally founded as the Scottish Society for the Prevention of Vivisection, in 1911 by Nina Douglas-Hamilton
Nina Douglas-Hamilton, Duchess of Hamilton
Nina Mary Benita Douglas-Hamilton, Duchess of Hamilton . She was born in Salisbury, the daughter of Major Robert Poore, married Alfred Douglas Douglas-Hamilton, 13th Duke of Hamilton and died in London....
. The widow of the 15th Duke
Angus Douglas-Hamilton, 15th Duke of Hamilton
Angus Alan Douglas Douglas-Hamilton, 15th Duke of Hamilton and 12th Duke of Brandon was the premier peer of Scotland...
remains active in the organisation. The group is currently run by Chief Executive Officer Fiona Ogg. It was renamed as Advocates for Animals in 1990, as part of a rebranding campaign that included a new logo and increased online activity
Activism
In 2006 the group criticised the Scottish ExecutiveScottish Executive
The Scottish Government is the executive arm of the devolved government of Scotland. It was established in 1999 as the Scottish Executive, from the extant Scottish Office, and the term Scottish Executive remains its legal name under the Scotland Act 1998...
for "putting out a mixed message" on livestock management techniques. A spokesperson for Advocates for Animals described techniques such as castration
Castration
Castration is any action, surgical, chemical, or otherwise, by which a male loses the functions of the testicles or a female loses the functions of the ovaries.-Humans:...
, branding
Livestock branding
Livestock branding is a technique for marking livestock so as to identify the owner. Originally, livestock branding only referred to a hot brand for large stock, though the term is now also used to refer to other alternative techniques such as freeze branding...
and declawing as "painful mutilations" and urged the Executive to review whether these should be permitted. Earlier that month, Advocates for Animals had called for the Duke of Argyll
Duke of Argyll
Duke of Argyll is a title, created in the Peerage of Scotland in 1701 and in the Peerage of the United Kingdom in 1892. The Earls, Marquesses, and Dukes of Argyll were for several centuries among the most powerful, if not the most powerful, noble family in Scotland...
and Chivas Regal
Chivas Regal
Chivas Regal is a blended Scotch whisky produced by Chivas Brothers, owned by Pernod Ricard. According to the brand packaging, Chivas Brothers was first established in 1801 in Aberdeen, Scotland. The Chivas brand's home is Strathisla Distillery at Keith, Moray in Speyside, Scotland.It is the...
to end their involvement with the annual World Elephant Polo Tournament
Elephant polo
Elephant polo is a variant of polo played whilst riding elephants. It is played in Nepal, Sri Lanka, Rajasthan , and Thailand. Equipment consists of a standard polo ball and six to nine foot cane sticks with a polo mallet head on the end. The pitch is three-quarters of the length of a standard...
, a sport they described as "exploiting animals." Chivas defended their sponsorship of the event, arguing the elephants "are well treated and have responsible owners."
Moderate stance
OneKind adopts a pragmatic stance on animal welfare issues, choosing to engage with legislators and those involved in animal experimentation to further their cause. The charity is vocal in its opposition to extreme forms of protest and publicly distances itself from acts of violence carried out by animal rights extremists.Advocates for Animals was one of a few anti-vivisection groups to contribute to the formation of the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986
Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986
The Animals Act 1986 is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom passed in 1986, which regulates the use of laboratory animals in the UK. The Act permits experiments to be carried out on animals, including procedures involving vivisection, if certain criteria are met...
. Former director Les Ward described it as "one of the better laws" in comparison to other countries' legislation, while acknowledging that "most scientists in the UK, were they not to have the protection of the 1986 Act, would find themselves in a court of law for cruelty to animals." Ward also served on the Animal Procedures Committee
Animal Procedures Committee
The Animal Procedures Committee advises the British Home Secretary on matters related to animal testing in the UK. The function of the committee was made a statutory requirement by the Animals Act 1986 , which mandates that it should have at least 12 members, excluding the chair...
, a statutory requirement of the act.
In 1991 the group released a critique of primate experiments in the UK, leading to the laboratories mentioned in the report being firebombed
Incendiary device
Incendiary weapons, incendiary devices or incendiary bombs are bombs designed to start fires or destroy sensitive equipment using materials such as napalm, thermite, chlorine trifluoride, or white phosphorus....
by extreme animal liberationists
Animal liberation movement
The animal-liberation movement, sometimes called the animal-rights movement, animal personhood, or animal-advocacy movement, is a social movement which seeks an end to the rigid moral and legal distinction drawn between human and non-human animals, an end to the status of animals as property, and...
. In response the group restricted the release of a follow up report in 1992, urging editors to use "discretion by not identifying the laboratories or scientists concerned."
In 1992, after a television debate, Advocates for Animals' director Les Ward and Colin Blakemore
Colin Blakemore
Professor Colin Blakemore, Ph.D., FRS, FMedSci, HonFSB, HonFRCP, is a British neurobiologist who is Professor of Neuroscience at the University of Oxford and University of Warwick specialising in vision and the development of the brain. He was formerly Chief Executive of the British Medical...
, a strong advocate of animal experimentation, formed the Boyd Group
Boyd Group
The Boyd Group is a British based, independent think tank considering issues relating to animal testing.- Background :The group was founded in 1992, the idea forming from a dialogue between Colin Blakemore, a strong advocate of animal testing and subsequently chief executive of the Medical Research...
, a bipartisan forum to discuss issues relating to animal experimentation. Advocates for Animals claims this approach led to a joint effort by the scientific and animal welfare communities to ban the testing of cosmetics on animals.
The group's moderate stance has drawn criticism from within the animal rights community. The National Anti-Vivisection Society
National Anti-Vivisection Society
The National Anti-Vivisection Society, is a national, not-for-profit animal welfare organization based in London whose purpose is to eliminate product testing, education and biomedical research on animals....
described the Boyd Group as a "public relations exercise" and the British Anti-Vivisection Association described Ward's engagement with Blakemore as "trading the very premise by which the genuine [anti-vivisection] movement exists, in return for an end to cosmetic testing." Ward justified his position, telling Nature
Nature (journal)
Nature, first published on 4 November 1869, is ranked the world's most cited interdisciplinary scientific journal by the Science Edition of the 2010 Journal Citation Reports...
, "I want to see the total end of animal experimentation, but I am not stupid enough to think that it is going to happen overnight."
Ward has since withdrawn from the Boyd Group, believing it had become "stalemate
Stalemate
Stalemate is a situation in chess where the player whose turn it is to move is not in check but has no legal moves. A stalemate ends the game in a draw. Stalemate is covered in the rules of chess....
d", but in 2006 continued to defend its usefulness, calling it "one of the few places where moderate activists and moderate scientists sat down and talked things over."
Jane Goodall
The primatologist Jane GoodallJane Goodall
Dame Jane Morris Goodall, DBE , is a British primatologist, ethologist, anthropologist, and UN Messenger of Peace. Considered to be the world's foremost expert on chimpanzees, Goodall is best known for her 45-year study of social and family interactions of wild chimpanzees in Gombe Stream National...
was the president of Advocates for Animals from 1998 until 2008. In May of that year, she described Edinburgh Zoo
Edinburgh Zoo
Edinburgh Zoo, formally the Scottish National Zoological Park, is a non-profit zoological park located in Edinburgh, the capital city of Scotland...
's new primate enclosure as a "wonderful facility" where monkeys "are probably better off [than] living in the wild in an area like Budongo, where one in six gets caught in a wire snare, and countries like Congo
Republic of the Congo
The Republic of the Congo , sometimes known locally as Congo-Brazzaville, is a state in Central Africa. It is bordered by Gabon, Cameroon, the Central African Republic, the Democratic Republic of the Congo , the Angolan exclave province of Cabinda, and the Gulf of Guinea.The region was dominated by...
, where chimpanzees, monkeys and gorillas are shot for food commercially." Mike Wade, Zoos are best hope, says Jane Goodall. The Times, May 20, 2008. Retrieved 18 July 2008. This is in conflict with Advocates for Animals' position on captive animals, who stated "She's entitled to her opinion, but our position isn't going to change. We oppose the keeping of animals in captivity for entertainment." In June 2008 Goodall confirmed that she had resigned the presidency of the organisation, citing her busy schedule and explaining, "I just don't have time for them."
External links
- OneKind - Official site