Faqs

Our vision: A world where animal welfare matters and animal cruelty ends.


With consultative status at the United Nations and the Council of Europe, WSPA is the world's largest alliance of animal welfare organizations. We are proud to coordinate this growing network, with more than 900 member organizations in over 150 countries.

WSPA brings together people and organizations throughout the world to challenge animal welfare issues. WSPA has 15 offices and hundreds of thousands of supporters worldwide.

A member society is an independent animal welfare organization that is a part of WSPA’s global network, working together to improve animal welfare.

The benefits to WSPA of working with local groups around the world are that these people provide expert, hands-on knowledge, of local cultures, attitudes and animal welfare concerns. WSPA often supports the work of local groups so that indigenous people can tell their own authorities that they want change within the community. This sends out a very positive and powerful message.

The member societies benefit from our 50 years experience in animal welfare. WSPA can advise groups on how to campaign for change effectively, how to harness the support of local people and how to lobby the authorities appropriately. We can also provide education materials and training, for example, in animal handling and health care. WSPA can also provide funding where appropriate.

Find out more about WSPA's work with member societies >>

WSPA’s origins go back more than 50 years. The organization as it is today was created in 1981, with the merging of the World Federation for the Protection of Animals (WFPA), founded in 1953, and the International Society for the Protection of Animals (ISPA), founded in 1959.

WFPA and ISPA were the first organizations to campaign internationally on animal welfare issues such as the Canadian seal hunt, whale hunts and the international transportation of horses.

From its original bases in the UK and US, WSPA has expanded and developed the work of these organizations, establishing new offices throughout the 1980s in Costa Rica, Brazil, Colombia and here in Canada. Today WSPA has 15 offices worldwide, and is the world’s largest network of animal protection specialists.

The World Society for the Protection of Animals, commonly known as WSPA, is an international animal welfare organization. Comprised of more than 1,000 member societies in over 150 countries around the world, WSPA is the single largest animal protection network in the world.

WSPA was born out of the desire that humane societies and animal welfare organizations should work together. Here in Canada, our members include the Canadian Federation of Humane Societies, the Animal Defence League of Canada, and many provincial humane societies.

For over 25 years, WSPA has striven to protect, rescue and care for animals. A hands-on network of animal protection professionals, WSPA field teams often go where other organizations can't or won't. Our leadership in the animal protection field has earned us consultative status with the United Nations Economic-Social Council and the Council of Europe.

WSPA has 15 offices around the world, which can be found in the following countries:

• Australia

• Brazil

• Canada

• Colombia

• Costa Rica

• Denmark

• Germany

• Netherlands

• New Zealand

• Tanzania

• Thailand

• United Kingdom (headquarters)

• United States of America

See our contact details >>

While there are several volunteer opportunities available within WSPA, most of these fall under the realm of administration and fundraising. No program currently exists for volunteers to accompany WSPA into the field to rescue animals during natural and man-made disasters or hands-on projects. The majority of our project field and rescue work is carried out by trained WSPA staff working with one of our member societies. Joining forces with our member societies allows WSPA to work with personnel who are citizens of the country in which the disaster or need is happening.

We do not currently run an adoption scheme.

This is because we can no longer keep track of the animals that we previously put up for adoption because they have been released back into the wild.

It is our policy, wherever possible, to try to rehabilitate any rescued animals so that they will be able to live out the rest of their lives in the wild. Where this cannot be done, we re-home animals in sanctuaries.

By making a one time donation or becoming a member of our monthly-giving team. Rescuing animals takes a lot of time and money. As a WSPA member, you are an important part of our animal rescue team. Without the support of WSPA members around the world our animal protection projects would not be possible. This includes our disaster relief work. While time and money are usually limited, the needs of animals around the world are not. 

Join us and start making a difference today >>

You can also help animals by taking action in our campaigns to improve legislation governing animal welfare.

Visit our action centre for the latest campaign action alerts >>

66% of WSPA’s spending is directed to animal protection programs in Canada and around the world. 29% of WSPA’s spending is directed to fundraising initiatives to ensure that our programs have the funding needed to continue. 5% of WSPA’s spending is directed towards administration.

In order to carry out our global animal protection programs and build a strong future for the animals, WSPA must expend some money on fundraising. We strive to conduct our fundraising in a responsible manner, with the highest level of integrity and care for how donor funds are being spent.

Our commitment is that no more will be spent on administration and fundraising than is required to ensure effective management and resource development. The program is reviewed regularly for this very reason.

As part of their guidelines for charities, the Canadian Revenue Agency (CRA) evaluates the ratio of fundraising costs to fundraising revenue. A ratio of less than 35% is considered acceptable, or “unlikely to generate questions or concerns”.

See the complete CRA guidelines on fundraising >>

For 2009, WSPA’s fundraising costs of $1,189,536 for 2009 divided by its income of $4,612,811 equals a ratio of 25%.

For more information read our Annual Report >>

Read more about WSPA's policies and principles on animal welfare issues on our Who we are and Our beliefs pages.