Our approach
for exotic mammals.
Ending the suffering of animals
In Europe, millions of animals, such as monkeys, tigers and lions, are kept as pets, traded illegally or used in circuses and other forms of entertainment. This causes an unimaginable amount of animal suffering. AAP is an international animal welfare organization and believes this must stop!
The two-step approach of AAP
- 1 AAP takes in animals in distress and we make sure they get better. Then we find for as many animals as possible a place where they can stay permanently. We operate in three steps:
- 2 AAP advocates across Europe for better laws and regulations to prevent animal suffering. We focus on:
Tackling causes
Read more about the work of AAP.
Questions & answers - the work of AAP
Before AAP takes in animals we first check if taking in the animal does not pave the way for the purchase of a new animal. In that case AAP would actually be stimulating the demand and therefore be responsible for the trade in new animals. We do this selection in all cases where the animals are kept in a professional capacity. However, with laboratory animals we often run into a major dilemma. If we do not take the monkeys in, they often end up in terminal studies or the animals are disposed of as surplus. If we do take them in, new animals are often purchased that have to suffer the same terrible fate.
AAP has insufficient in-house expertise to determine the extent to which monkeys are necessary as experimental animals in certain experiments. Therefore AAP calls in the help of animal welfare organizations that have more expertise in this field and a large social consensus. Together we then look at whether helping to retire the test monkeys will contribute positively or negatively to reducing the number of laboratory animals. Finally, in those cases where we take in the monkeys, AAP asks for a contribution to the care costs. This is not because our donors would not be willing to help, but because in our view the cost of a retirement solution should be part of the research budget. The user pays!
Fortunately, as a result of these measures, more and more former laboratory animals are getting the future they deserve and there are no more animals getting into trouble: that is what we call sustainable help.
On our own, we cannot solve all the problems surrounding the welfare of exotic animals. That is why we like to work together with similar organizations, authorities and research institutes from all over the world. This is how we increase our impact. Where possible, we also work together with our opponents. After all, they need to be convinced that they too have an interest in animal welfare and species protection.
- AAP is a member of Eurogroup for Animals. Together we work to improve the welfare of non-domesticated, exotic animals within the European Union. For example, AAP works with Eurogroup for Animals against the illegal trade in Barbary macaques.
- AAP is a member of EARS (European Alliance of Rescue Centres and Sanctuaries). Together we strive for sustainable improvements in the welfare of animal species and address the underlying causes, ultimately making shelters and sanctuaries unnecessary.
- AAP is a member of Species Survival Network. Here we work on improved (implementation of) laws and regulations, in order to protect species internationally.
- AAP is part of the Dierencoalitie (Animal Coalition) and works with the (Dierenbescherming) Animal Protection Society to improve animal welfare in the Netherlands.
- AAP is part of the InfoCircos coalition, which is working to end the use of wild animals in Spanish circuses.