Chinese Animal Protection Network
Chinese Animal Protection Network (CAPN) a non-profit animal protection organization, it is the first Chinese network for animal protection. As a organization founded by native Chinese people, at its core, there are some of most dedicated Chinese activists. CAPN is well known for its pioneer's role in the rapid development of animal rights movement in China in recent years. It has leads some important trend of the animal rights movement: unity of groups, growing of movement against cats-dogs-eating, converting from emotion-based to science-based methods in animal protection among animal protection communities.
Since the launching of its first project 'Chinese Companion Animals Protection Network', it's network keep expending and have reached almost every part of China, by April 2008, it has 48 member groups, 2 branches and over ten thousand individual supporters who recognize their values of animal protection work, that is using technology, research, education, artistry, and creativity make our world a better place for all sentience beings. [1]
CAPN is a animal rights group,they have a science-based philosophy of animal rights[2]. They oppose violence in animal rights movement and see animal rights is dynamic concept, they believe rights of different animals are different. But it has been over generalized and simplified by many people.
Five keys of their philosophy[3].
- unity: animal rights philosophy is part of universal law
- complexity: everyone has his/her own animal rights view
- evolution: human's understanding of animal rights is evolving
- continuity: continuity exists between everything, from human to animals, from high animal to low animals, difference is not discret but gradually
- non-violence: people can not fight unethical behavior by unethical behavior, love and justice can make the difference
- Originality: animal rights is not a western concept, three pillars of Chinese tradition, Buddism, Taoism and Confucianism, all have teaching regarding respection towards the lives of animals, they are the essence of animal rights.
Projects
Chinese Companion Animals Protection Network
Chinese Companion Animals Protection Network (CCAPN) was launched in 2004, it is a cooperation network of groups, individuals working for companion animal protection from Chinese communities. CCAPN supervise and support the animal protection work of our member groups, it also faciliate the exchange resources and information between groups and individuals. Campaign against cats-dogs-eating is major function of CCAPN. [4] According to their 2007 campaign report[5], by 2004 there are already some isolated companion animals groups emerged in China, the founding member were shocked by the cruelty associated with cats-dogs-eating, so they decided to launch CCAPN to end the practise.
Animal Rights in China
ARC started since 22 July 2006, its the major portal for animal rights issues in China. Academic research on animal ethics and networking of animal rights people are important functions of this project. It is developing a Chinese online encyclopedia of animal protection.[6]
Changchun Animal Protection Network
CAPA is well know for using high profile performance arts show in its publicity. [7]
Notable Contribution
- CAPN working closely with International/oversea organizations working in China, provide advice and support for their work.
- Campaign against cats-dogs-eating. They are the first group use the slogan 'Stop eating cats and dogs' in their campaign. They also coordinated many groups in China to join this campaign. this slogan has been adopted by animal groups around the country, they launched the online-signning event against consumption of cats dogs meat 2007 which recieved over 40000 signatures. Their campaign leads to large amount of publicity and discuss of this issue among public.
- Campaign against animal hoarding. They lead a large scale online debate on the topic 2006, later published two research documents regarding animal hoarding, those are first documents of animal hoarding in Chinese. They are the major contributor in the changing of pro-hoarding climate in China.
- Networking animal protection groups. They are the first organization devoted in the unity of Chinese animal protection communities[8]
- April 2008, it introduced World Lab Animal Day into China for the first time
Awards
- Jan 2008, CCAPN won 'NGO of great contribution in 2007' award in 'Animals in China' ShangHai conference.
- Mar 2008, ARC won funding for its online encyclopedia from Cultural and Animal Fundation, which is established and chaired by animal rights philosopher Tom Regan