FIAPO

Animal Rights Organization in India

FIAPO

As the collective voice of the animal rights movement in India, FIAPO is the catalyst which protects the rights and interests of animals on local, regional and national levels.

FIAPO was officially founded in the year 2010; however, the journey began a while ago, at the Asia for Animals conference in 2007!

The idea of a coalition was under discussion since 2005, and in 2007, some of the best and the brightest minds of the Indian animal protection community came together, to give birth to FIAPO. By its very name, FIAPO, or the Federation of Indian Animal Protection Organisations, looked to build something that did not exist – an organisation, which could help other organisations grow, with its own augmentation.  An organisation, looking to respond and care for all animals – not only in the present but also the future.

Ingraining the ideas that we were formed with, today, we work in collaboration with more than 80 members, 200 supporter organisations and 400 individual activists in over 40 cities – hoping to change the lives of animals across the country, through education, research, lobbying, mobilisation, training and direct action.

Supporting, collaborating and training forms a major part of what we do. But at the same time, we also run national campaigns, to ensure that we save and protect countless animals from mindless suffering, on an everyday basis – by fighting for better laws and investing heavily in spreading awareness and education.

FIAPO, with support from its member organisations and activists has helped achieve a ban on cetaceans in captivity as well as stopped the establishment of India’s first mega dairy that was proposed to set up with 40,000 cows. It has also rescued animals from over 16 circuses and has set up local networks in 40 cities initiating over 10 different campaigns.

Our Vision and Mission

• Vision: Recognition and respect for animal rights in society.
• Mission: To connect and empower animal protectors to achieve animal rights by advocacy, networking and capacity building ; to create a high-impact, well-connected movement at all levels which will continually address ongoing animal issues.

Our Values

• Democratic, so large and small organisations have the same say
• Independent, so members, and the Federation can choose their area of work, and it is not set by any other body
• Knowledge-centers, of issues and strategies
• Inclusive, so all thoughts and tactics for animal protection are represented, and tolerated

Our Strategic Long Term Goals

• To end the use of animals in food and clothing
• To end the pet industry and to foster a positive human-companion animal relationship (in streets and homes)
• To end the use of animals in experimentation
• To end the use of working animals, animals in entertainment and animal sacrifice
• To improve the framework of animal protection in the country
• To end the exploitative nature of human-animal relationships
• Providing the organisational framework and structure for meeting the organisation’s vision and objectives

End Exploitative Dairies Campaign

The commercialisation of milk production along with the absence of any form of regulation in this sector, has resulted in the increase of practices that affect the health of dairy animals negatively.
End Exploitative Dairies aims to bring reforms in the dairy industry to improve the health and welfare of these animals.
The campaign conducted a first-of-its-kind undercover investigation in 451 dairies across 10 of India’s largest milk-producing states. The investigation exposed the complete absence of regulation in the dairy industry, which is an ongoing tragedy – for animals, consumers and the environment.
Key findings of the investigation were:

• 47% dairies were found to be using oxytocin, a hormone that induces painful labour-pains in cows, designed to increase milk output.
• 56% dairies milk even sick animals.
• 79% dairies keep the animals tethered 24×7.
• Almost 100% dairies sold their male calves within 3 months or left them to die.

The campaign is currently working to bring in licensing rules, both at the centre – under the Registration of Cattle Premises Rules, and at the state – under the respective State Municipal Acts.
So far, the Animal Husbandry departments of seven states, namely Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Telangana, Tamil Nadu, Madhya Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh and Haryana have issued guidelines for dairy management.