
Naturewatch Foundation on the campaign trail for World Animal Day 2024
A tale of two cities, and a French revolution.
Stormont, Belfast was the scene of the Causeway Coast Dog Rescue ‘Conference for Collaboration’ at the beginning of World Animal Day week, where animal groups from the UK and Ireland met to discuss a way forward advancing animal welfare in Northern Ireland.
An impressive stately setting saw us join experts from Battersea, Dogs Trust, The Links Group and beyond. We presented on our ‘Protect Animals. Protect People.’ campaign and shared information about risks to animals around domestic abuse, coercive control and child safeguarding. We discussed legislation, government policy and how to make steps towards better enforcement.
Jilly Beattie, journalist from Belfast Live explains more about our campaign here.
“We need to support the animal victims of domestic abuse and increase our knowledge around signs of animal abuse within coercive control.”
As a charity, we are already working closely with others (both in Northern Ireland and Ireland), on many companion animal welfare concerns.
To Tallinn, Estonia
This was my first visit to the city, but a pleasure to speak to conference as a guest of ‘Eesti Loomakaitse Selts’ from Estonia about European legislation and proven systems that can help advance animal welfare through professional advocacy.
Over 100 attendees took part in an event that shows how much progress is being made across Europe to protect animals within shelters, in campaigning to improve farm animal welfare conditions and change legislation to keep all animals safer.
Of course, we know that when animals are protected, people are too.
At the conference, we heard about advancement in policy being progressed through the Estonian Parliament and listened to experts in Finland, international neighbours from across the Gulf.
We shared our nine-point-plan that can be rolled out in each country to protect animals and protect people.

Et en France
On the same day as the Estonian event, we took part in a global occasion for police officers around animal welfare and why it matters in every community.
Les 4 pattounes have been instrumental in training thousands of police officers across France and we linked up with Céline Gardel, a police officer and ‘Fondatrice et Présidente de l’association Les4pattounes’ (and our World Animal Day Ambassador from France), Dr Seline Brels, from World Animal Justice to coordinate a global webinar with colleagues from the USA, Belgium and Switzerland.
We highlighted positive projects in each location to show that ‘Ensemble nous pouvons les aider !’ (This is the motto of Les 4 pattounes.)
For me, World Animal Day 2024 was about leaving footprints for animals in as many locations as we could.
“Nothing that we do, is done in vain. I believe, with all my soul, that we shall see triumph.” ― Charles Dickens, A Tale of Two Cities
