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In Defense of Animals |
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This article does not cite any references or sources. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unverifiable material may be challenged and removed. (November 2007) |
In Defense of Animals (IDA) is an animal rights organization based in San Rafael, California, USA. Its slogan is "working to protect the rights, welfare, and habitats of animals".
Established in 1983, IDA's core philosophy is that all animals – whether wild or domestic, feral or farmed – are worthy of concern and empathy. However, the group treats the welfare of pets as one of its top priorities.
Elliot M. Katz has presided over IDA since founding the organization in 1983. A graduate of Cornell University's School of Veterinary Medicine, Katz's help was sought by animal rights activists seeking to end animal experimentation at the laboratories of the University of California, Berkeley. After finding these animals living in overcrowded and dirty facilities,citation needed and being experimented on in their hundreds, he helped found Californians for Responsible Research, which campaigned successfully for the university to provide decent care for the animals in their labscitation needed. After this success, the group broadened the scope of its mission and IDA was born.
Since then, IDA has grown into one of the foremost international animal advocacy organizations, with over 85,000 members worldwidecitation needed. Headquartered in Northern California, it has offices throughout the United States and branches in India and Africa. The group has received numerous honors and accolades over the years for its achievements in the field of animal protection, the most significant of which was Katz's induction into the Animal Rights Hall of Fame in 2003, twenty years after he founded IDAcitation needed.
IDA works for the protection of animals used in scientific research, food and clothing production, entertainment and sport, and other areas. Its methods include coordinating protests and nonviolent civil disobedience actions including sit-ins, lock downs and banner hangings.
Ongoing programs include a chimpanzee sanctuary run by IDA-Africa, located in the forests of Cameroon and rescuing animals from the illegal bushmeat tradecitation needed; and a campaign aimed at improving conditions for elephants in zoos and circuses. IDA also claims it was the first animal protection organization to force an animal research laboratory - the Coulston Foundation, once the largest chimpanzee research center in the world - out of existence.citation needed)
The organisation's other achievements include:citations needed
IDA sites and campaigns:
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