Global Action in the Interest of Animals

GAIA (Global Action in the Interest of Animals; in French, Groupe d'Action dans l'Intérêt des Animaux) is a Belgian association active in the fields of animal welfare and animal rights. It was founded in 1992 by Michel Vandenbosch and Ann De Greef. According to the organization, its mission is to promote better protection of animals through legislative initiatives, awareness-raising actions, legal proceedings, dialogue with political decision-makers, actions directed at companies, and educational projects. GAIA conducts campaigns, carries out studies and defends interests related to animal welfare and animal rights. Its work focuses in particular on practices that use animals for food production, fur farming, scientific research and entertainment. The organization states that it favours non-violent means of action, ranging from information and awareness campaigns to field investigations, symbolic actions, demonstrations and educational initiatives. Over the years GAIA has claimed a long list of results, including the abandonment of a planned fur farm for 161,000 mink; the abandonment of a battery-cage project for 1,024,000 laying hens at Chapelle-lez-Herlaimont; the end of sales of horse meat from Brazil and Mexico by Belgian supermarket chains following revelations of mistreatment; the end of sheep transports from Great Britain via Nieuwpoort to France and other destinations; the conviction of those responsible at Erasmus Hospital for illegal experiments on dogs; the appointment of a European Commissioner responsible for animal welfare; the closure of six private zoos; the end of sales of eggs from caged hens in Belgian supermarket chains; the end of kangaroo meat sales in Belgian supermarket chains; the inclusion of animal protection in the Belgian Constitution; the ban on slaughter without stunning in Flanders and Wallonia; the ban on the use and sale of electric collars for dogs and cats in Flanders and Wallonia; the ban on cat hunting in Belgium; the ban on keeping dolphins in captivity; the ban on the production and trade of dog and cat skins; the ban on the sale of dogs and cats at markets; the ban on battery cages for rabbits, replaced by park-based rearing systems; the ban on individual cages for ducks destined for foie gras production; the ban on cages for laying hens; the ban on donkey, camel and ostrich races; the ban on street horse races; the ban on fur animal farms; the ban on pony rides at fairs; the ban on force-feeding for foie gras production in Flanders and Brussels; the ban on keeping and using wild animals in circuses; the European ban on trade in cosmetics tested on animals; the European and Belgian ban on the import and sale of seal-derived products; the federal ban on animal experiments for tobacco products; opposition to an intensive aquaculture project in Ostend; tougher maximum penalties for animal abuse; the withdrawal of the permit to expand slaughter capacity at the Tielt abattoir (from 1.5 to 2.4 million pigs per year); the separation of animal welfare competence from Agriculture and the creation of an animal welfare minister in each of the three Regions; compulsory sterilization of cats; the abolition of the century-old horse market of Molenbeek-Saint-Jean (Brussels), the closure of the Anderlecht horse market and the conviction of people involved in animal abuse at the Ciney market; and 37 Belgian restaurants joining the boycott of Canadian seafood products to protest against seal hunting. GAIA's actions range from information and awareness campaigns to field investigations, symbolic actions, demonstrations and educational initiatives. The organization says it prioritizes non-violent means of action. On 26 June 1992, GAIA carried out its first action: the peaceful occupation of a poultry slaughterhouse in Aalst. In August 1992 came GAIA's first action at Waregem Koerse.

GAIA (Groupe d'Action dans l'Intérêt des Animaux) was founded in 1992 by Michel Vandenbosch and Ann De Greef as a Belgian association active in animal welfare and animal rights. According to the organization, its mission is to promote better protection of animals through legislative initiatives, awareness-raising actions, legal proceedings, dialogue with political decision-makers, actions directed at companies, and educational projects. GAIA's first action took place on 26 June 1992: the peaceful occupation of a poultry slaughterhouse in Aalst. In August 1992 the organization held its first action at Waregem Koerse. During the end-of-year holidays in 1992, GAIA launched the campaign "Peace begins on our plate" in front of the Heppen slaughterhouse. On 4 October 1992 (World Animal Day), activists disguised as human slaves symbolically replaced animals at the Mol market. Two days later, the Animal Welfare Council recommended that the minister ban the sale of companion animals at markets; this ban finally came into force in April 1995. On 10 June 1993, for its first anniversary, GAIA organized an open day at a pig farm to raise public awareness of rearing conditions. In December 1993, GAIA released hidden-camera footage showing geese being force-fed for foie gras production. After a GAIA call to disrupt the Sint-Eloois-Winkel equestrian games in October 1993, those games were banned by Interior Minister Louis Tobback. After a further action in 1994, street horse races were definitively banned in 1995. In 1994, GAIA launched an Amnesty International-inspired letter-writing campaign against battery cages for laying hens. In 1995, at Waregem Koerse, GAIA symbolically installed a horse cemetery gate at the VIP entrance and challenged the event's sponsors; following this campaign, the race obstacles were modified in 1996. In 1996, GAIA ran a campaign against... Over the following decades GAIA broadened its work to food production, fur farming, scientific research and entertainment. The organization reports a long series of results, including the abandonment of a planned fur farm for 161,000 mink; the abandonment of a battery-cage project for 1,024,000 laying hens at Chapelle-lez-Herlaimont; the end of sales of horse meat from Brazil and Mexico by Belgian supermarket chains after revelations of mistreatment; the end of sheep transports from Great Britain via Nieuwpoort to France and other destinations; the conviction of those responsible at Erasmus Hospital for illegal experiments on dogs; the appointment of a European Commissioner responsible for animal welfare; the closure of six private zoos; the end of sales of eggs from caged hens in Belgian supermarket chains; the end of kangaroo meat sales in Belgian supermarket chains; the inclusion of animal protection in the Belgian Constitution; the ban on slaughter without stunning in Flanders and Wallonia; the ban on the use and sale of electric collars for dogs and cats in Flanders and Wallonia; the ban on cat hunting in Belgium; the ban on keeping dolphins in captivity; the ban on the production and trade of dog and cat skins; the ban on the sale of dogs and cats at markets; the ban on battery cages for rabbits, replaced by park-based rearing systems; the ban on individual cages for ducks destined for foie gras production; the ban on cages for laying hens; the ban on donkey, camel and ostrich races; the ban on street horse races; the ban on fur animal farms; the ban on pony rides at fairs; the ban on force-feeding for foie gras production in Flanders and Brussels; the ban on keeping and using wild animals in circuses; the European ban on trade in cosmetics tested on animals; the European and Belgian ban on the import and sale of seal-derived products; the federal ban on animal experiments for tobacco products; opposition to an intensive aquaculture project in Ostend; tougher maximum penalties for animal abuse; the withdrawal of the permit to expand slaughter capacity at the Tielt abattoir (from 1.5 to 2.4 million pigs per year); the separation of animal welfare competence from Agriculture and the creation of an animal welfare minister in each of the three Regions; compulsory sterilization of cats; the abolition of the century-old horse market of Molenbeek-Saint-Jean (Brussels), the closure of the Anderlecht horse market and the conviction of people involved in animal abuse at the Ciney market; and 37 Belgian restaurants joining the boycott of Canadian seafood products to protest against seal hunting. GAIA's actions range from information and awareness campaigns to field investigations, symbolic actions, demonstrations and educational initiatives. The organization says it prioritizes non-violent means of action. In recent years GAIA has continued to campaign on issues such as fur farming in Europe, slaughter without stunning, and animal welfare legislation, and it maintains an online shop and publishes vegan guides.

• GAIA carries out its first action: the peaceful occupation of a poultry slaughterhouse in Aalst.

• GAIA's first action at Waregem Koerse.

• During the end-of-year holidays, GAIA launches the campaign "Peace begins on our plate" in front of the Heppen slaughterhouse.

• On World Animal Day, activists disguised as human slaves symbolically replace animals at the Mol market.

• For its first anniversary, GAIA organizes an open day at a pig farm to raise public awareness of rearing conditions.

• GAIA releases hidden-camera footage showing geese being force-fed for foie gras production.

• After a GAIA call to disrupt the Sint-Eloois-Winkel equestrian games, those games are banned by Interior Minister Louis Tobback.

• GAIA launches an Amnesty International-inspired letter-writing campaign against battery cages for laying hens.

• Street horse races are definitively banned after a further GAIA action in 1994.

• The ban on the sale of companion animals at markets comes into force.

• At Waregem Koerse, GAIA symbolically installs a horse cemetery gate at the VIP entrance and challenges the event's sponsors.

• Following GAIA's campaign, the Waregem Koerse race obstacles are modified.

Non-violent Belgian animal welfare and animal rights organization using campaigns, investigations, legal action and education to improve animal protection.

• Campaigns and advocacy

  Public campaigns and advocacy on animal welfare and animal rights.

• Undercover investigations

  Field investigations, including hidden-camera footage, into animal treatment.

• Legal actions and complaints

  Legal proceedings and complaints aimed at enforcing animal protection.

• Educational projects

  Initiatives to educate the public about animal welfare.

• Vegan guides

  GAIA publishes vegan guides, including "Savoureusement végétal".

• Online shop

  GAIA operates an online shop.

1. 1Voice of the voiceless | GAIAgaia.be
2. 2Global Action in the Interest of Animalswikidata.org
3. 3Groupe d'action dans l'intérêt des animauxfr.wikipedia.org