wspa online advocacy
DESCRIPTION
TRANSCRIPT
People in action for animals Online Advocacy Program Overview
About WSPA
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An international charity with 15 offices worldwide•
Recognized by the UN •
Building a global animal welfare movement•
Relatively small office in Canada (13 full time staff)•
Didn’t have an online advocacy program 2 years ago
Our programs
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Wildlife•
Companion Animals•
Working Animals•
Farm Animals•
Disaster Relief•
Legislation!
UDAW Campaign
There is currently no global recognition that animal welfare matters.
AN AGREEMENT.
People and nations will recognize that animals can feel pain and that they can suffer. We’ll agree that animals matter, and we’ll work to prevent cruelty and suffering.
FOR IT TO BE ADOPTED Governments from around the world have to state their support and advocate for the UDAW at the UN.
Global Petition Site
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Online ‘hub’
for global campaign
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Online petition signatures have little political influence in Canada
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A place to reference when targeting potential media/celeb/corporate partners
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Useful for list building and public engagement
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Expansion plan in the works to be executed in 2009
Regional Strategy
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Opt-ins from global site are distributed to regional offices for incorporation into regional advocacy strategies.
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This is where we’ve seen the most political success.
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So far 7 governments have declared their support for the UDAW and Ministries from 13 other governments as well.
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Canada is not yet one of them.
Regional StrategyRegional Strategy
BUILD A LARGEDATABASE OF
ANIMAL WELFARE
ENTHUSIASTS/ ADVOCATES.
Empower them to take action for animals.
Phase One
Problem: Ontario stands out as the worst jurisdiction in Canadawhen it comes to ensuring the proper care of captivewildlife. With few regulations in place, the provincemakes it far too easy for residents to collect wildanimals and house them in substandard facilities (ie: back-yards)
• Letters from Ontarians to MPPs
educating them on the issue• Letters from tourists to Premier & Minister of Tourism• Campaign champion identified (MPP David Zimmer)• Zimmer crafts zoo bill in support of the campaign
Roadside Zoo Campaign
Phase Two
• Letters to MPPs
encouraging them to support Zimmer’s bill• Petition available for download – 20,000 signatures collected!• Provincial election campaign achieves animal welfare
commitments from all 3 parties before election• WSPA invited to join working group to make recommendations to
government
Roadside Zoo Campaign
Phase Three
• Ontario announces commitment to update OSPCA Act and create zoo standards
• Letters to MPPs
to encourage fulfillment of this commitment
• Government passes strongest animal cruelty law in the country & sets standards for keeping captive wildlife
Cruelty to animals is considered a provincialoffence for the first time. The newlaw gives greater powers to SPCA officersand sets the strongest penalties inthe country for those who commit animalcruelty.
Roadside Zoo Campaign
Vote for Animals
Federal election campaign
Problem: animal welfare is not a priority on political agendas.
• Survey to political leaders• Responses posted online• Action: write local candidates• Action: write local editors• Action: Spread the word
Vote for Animals
Results
• Over 33,000 unique visitors• 3,500+ letters to candidates• 2,000+ letters to editors•100 responses from candidates•
3 of the 5 major political parties stated support for the UDAW•
Stephen Harper failed to respond to our survey, sparking some lively media coverage which included a prominent article in the Ottawa Sun
